New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-10-10
P. R. R. TUBES JOINED.
WORK BREAKS RECORD.
Party Walks to Jersey and Back
When South Tunnel Connects.

Never were cheers given more heartily than
those which came from the throats OF a hun
ored men standing in the centre Of the south
Pennsylvania Railroad tunnel under the Hudson
River at o'clock yesterday afternoon, when
the chief engineer. Charles II. Jacobs.
rounded by his staff Of engineers and workmen,
announced the completion OF the tube in the
record breaking time Of fourteen months after
the work begun.
II a weird and tremendously impressive
scene down there in the great electrically lighted
steel tube. eighty feet below the surface Of the
Hudson. Thirty-four men, including Mr.. Jacobs,
DR.. A. ]. Loomis. the heads OF the various sec
tions Of this and the East River tunnel. and
seven newspaper men had entered the air lock
on the New York side Of the river. after de-
scending the shaft at Tenth avenue and 33d
street. They had walked through the north tube
to Weeha vixen IN thjrty-ive minutes. then. after
inspecting the machinery at the head OF the
New Jersey shaft, they had entered the second
air lock- by which the south tunnel was reached.
Here the air pressure Of thrty-four pounds had
been so great as 70 cause considerable incOn-
venience 10 some Of the novces in the party.
The trouble passed away, however, when the
lock was opened
Two little white cars seating six persons and
resembling the scenic railway cars at COney
Island, running on tho regular construction
port the officials. Throughout the length OF
both tunnels red. white and blue electric bulbs
had been strung and as the party approached
the centre Of the south tunnel the electricians
switched the power on 70 a set Of lights that
showed an immense American ensign half
the diameter Of the tube. a little further on,
just in front Of a platform where the TWO steel
shields Will meet in a few hours, banner
with the words, New York-Charles Stephens"
and New Jersey-John Baron" these being the
names Of the suparintendents of the divisions.
After the party had crawled through a space
about four feet square. separating the New
Jersey from the New York shields, and through
which no one had passed before. they were con-
fronted by the division superintendents and
workrnea OF the New York end OF the big tube
They cheered as Mr.. Jacobs appeared leading
the way. He said, Men, I congratulate you
also on the wonderful record breaking work in
bringing these tubes together so accurately and
IN such quick time"
A fashlight photograph was then taken Of the
officials and the journey TO the New York air
lock and shaft was soon completed.
The running Of trains through the tunnels may
not be accomplished for from eighteen months
10 two years much depending on the completion
Of the terminals. Each tunnel is TO be lined with
concrete two feet thick. and at the base Of the
tube steel piles. in sections four feet long, will
be driven down. 1TteeN Ieet apart Onlil lney
rest on rock foundation. 1t will not be neces-
sary 70 open the bottom of the tube to do this
as the heads OF the tubes. which form the piles
were placed as the tunnel built. and they
Will be screwed down in sections until they
strike the rock. These will hear the weight OF
the trains as they pass through the tunnel. There
will be only one track in each tunnel.
The following were present: Charles NJ ia
cobs. chief engineer North River division: Alfred
Noble chief engineer. East River division;
C;soroe Gibbs CHIEF engineer of electric traction;
John F. O'Rourke president ORourke Engineer
ING Construction Company; George B. Fry. gen.
eyeI suDerintendent O'ROurke Engineering Con-
.trucrion Company; James Forgie. chief assist
ent engineer North River division: c. l.. Harri-
son rrinciDal assistant engineer, East River
division: +. Gubelman. yice-president O'Rourke
Engineering Construction Company; II. II. NJ
Ieyert general resident engineer; II. F. D.
Burke resident engineer; William 4-owe Brown
-asiJent engineer; J. V. Davies. deputy chief
on otneer Hudson companies; II. Japp, managing
cn9,neer 8 Pearson & Sons; Patrick Fitzgerald
AT County assistant TO third president
. y Temple assistant chief engineer; j. T.
Hs,,-ray assistant 10 chief engineer; S B. Lloyd
assistant general solicitor; +. H Large, coal
Freight agent H B. Tripler, assistant real estate
aoe6t. Thomas W. Hulse, assistant real estate
a9ept' y II Newburn, assistant superintendent
Irsursnce department; O. j. De Rouse, chlef
nIeri- ~ ,,resident; J. NJ Purviance. chief clerk
- NJ Patten assistant 10 president; A. y.
pori,e- ,rincipal assistant engineer, Union Rail-
ros6 ~ New Jersey division. a j. whitney. T,
.3,-c;yisf assistant engineer PENNSYLVANIA Rail
road division
ri .ss,, e.,ld ~ Autumn and the multi cciored
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