New-York tribune., 1906-12-09
[ tNDER FIFTH -4TENCE.
u ork on T7co Pennsylvania Tunnels
-fcrOsS Manhattan Island.

within six months the Pennsylvania Railroad
expects 10 complete its two great crosstown tun-
Ue.S through the stony crust of Manhattan Isl
and. BY next summer the engineers hope to
So fully constructed the tubes under 32d street
and 2@J streets From the big terminal west OF
SeEenth avenue these TWO underground passage
Mays VIII reach 10 the East River The work is
preceding rapidly. Within the last few days
the aborers in the sd street tunnel blasted
through the rock under Fifth avenue and
passed beneath the sidewalk vaults of the Wal
dorf-Astoria-
In great measure this enormous undertaking
has been carried on unnoticed by the multitudes
above ground The hurrying crowds in the
street. even if they felt the jar and heard the
rumble OF dynamite exploding only about sixty
feet below them, have been likely 10 think il was
merely Z part Of the rush and roar Of traffic
.t course the residents Of the streets through
81 ajeh the tunnels are being bored have been
:uly aware Of what was going on Some have
even packed Up their belongings. like James K.
H ackett- the actor and theatrical manager, and
calaTted for quieter regions. Mr.. Hackett's
L.nle IN East 3:3d street. is still empty.
When the heading Of the 33d street tunnel
was dose 70 the foundations OF private hos
-.-a- Just west Of Park avenue, the superintend-
--- = The institution one day heard q crash be
..lL MS chair which sounded like q gun expIod-
.r- only . foot away. The next minute he was
Te.oped il a sitting cloud OF dust a blast Of
dynamite below him had caused the plaster to
tumble from the ceiling The long gap in the
ceiling may stiu be seen. Across the street at
$50 30 East 3;;d street, the heavy plate glass Of
folding doors has been broken by the artificial
.---hquakes.
Ar the Waldorf Astoria. al the time the tunnel
v.-ae-s were tearing their way through the
x beneath the sidewalk vaults Of the great
..--, California woman was dining with Z
-a--y II friends. All We're chatting nerrily.
aa- suddenly The guest from the West
screamed 80, dear I cant ESCAPE them" At
p. same moment the pieces Of cut glass on the
..la c-irked together and from beneath the
.- there came d low booming noise Then
- was quiet save for the hubbUb Of voices and
-. distant cIatter Of the street No one pres
... lz II happened could explain the phenom-
-.r. and The woman from the Pacific Coast
Gained herself by saving And you mean to say
..- don't have earthquakes II the East When
-etl-r home ! shall tell them Of this expert
Nevertheless. The tunnel workers say they have
..seL every known means 10 conduct their work
.l,a - lt--- annoyance 70 the public as posi-
DIE. Tre superintendent Of The hospital where
.a- contracting company il charge Of the work
and he says the same thing. A part Of the rock
raken from the 33d street tunnel is hoisted out
II q shaft right alongside the hospital. II Is
brought W IL buckets swung out over the
street, but instead Of being dumped with deaf
-ulng crash into wagons as Is ordinarily done
ne buckets filed with rock are lowered upon
he wagons, carried away upon them, and not
dumped until they reach the pier AZ the foot OF
East 35th street Then the buckets are carried
Lack 10 the shaft, lowered TO cars in the tunne
md IA tow Of electric locomotives run TO the
leading TO receive fresh load from the ponder
Gus shovel There is a similar shaft for the
cd street tunnel between Fifth and Park ave
-ges From both these shafts work is being
r.shed in both directions Westward the $50
street tunnel reaches now nearly TO the middle
q the block between Fifth and Sixth avenues
aue eastward 10 Third avenue The other tUH-