The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-13
WALKED UNDER NORTH RIVER
FIRST TRIP THROUGH the NEW
PENNSYLVANIA TUNNEL.
Happy Party Of Engineers n Railroad
Men Make the Trip and Then Adjourn
TO q luncheon The Air Cool and tho
Tube Dry-Prsise for the Engineers.

w.
Men Mak the Trip and Then Adjourn
TO . luncheon The AIR Cool and the
h Dry for The Engineers.
Down beneath the bed Of the Hudson
River yesterday a party Of men walked
from the Jersey shore TO Manhattan without
ever a. much "a wetting q foot. Ths was
made possible by the complete cutting
through Of the northern tube of the great
twin tunnels which the Pennsylvania Rail-
road 10 building. II was the proudest
moment In the life OF John F. O'Rourke /.
the head Of the contracting company that
IN doing the work.
The tunnels were driven from each shore
and so carefully was the work planned
that when the two shields behind which
the men worked met under the middle
Of the river on Monday they were only a
fraction Of an inch ont Of alignment. The
southern tube will. il is expected, be cut
through inside OF a month. This tunnel
would have been through now II it had not
been for a delay In getting the iron neces-
sary.
The party that walksdthrough the tunnel
descended in the Bergen shaft on the Jersey
shore at 1O:45 O'Clock in;the morning. Most
OF them were men who had been actively
connected with the planning and building
Of this great enterprise. Among them
were Mr.. O'Rourke, Charles NJ. Jacobs. the
chief engineer: Arson M. Beard, II. C.
Booz, Henry Japp, Robert H. Gror. James
Fl. Brace, DR.. A. J. LOOMS, c. j. Crowley
and about fifteen others. There was about
twenty pounds pressure Of air on, but az
most OF the pedestrians were used to the
tunnel only a few of them had to submit
to a medical examination. After ten min
utes In the first lock on the jersey side the
trip was begun.
Just before they moved OF Chief Engineer
Jacobs, who was in the van, said: Il am
about to lead the way from New Jersey
to New York through the first completed
tunnel OF the Pennsylvania Railroad
At this there was a cheer and the men
started Of as though they were about TO
make a pleasant journey. They said after
ward that it was perfectly dry under foot
and that the walking was just ss easy as
above ground. The air was considerably
cooler than it was upon the surface.
When they reached the point under
which the line dividing the States is sup
posed to be they found the walls OF the
hAiAAC ACNOAoNCN WIN NhC hakb vi o
York and New Jersey. A little further on,
where the two ends OF the tube met. they
Jaw a great profusion Of red white and blue
electric lamps hung upon the shield. A
crowd Of the tunnel workmen stood about
and welcomed them with cheers. Then
there were cheers for the railroad. cheers
for the engineers and cheers for the con
Three cheers for the men that built the
tuRnell' cried Paddy Fitzgerald. the super
.intendent, pointing to the workmen, and
the cheers were given with a will.
The party then climbed a ladder to tho
opening in'the shield, which was far above
their heads. and climbed down on the
other side. Engineer Jacobs was the first
man through. He was closely followed by
Mr.. O'Rourke, with Albert Noble, chief
engineer Of the East River division of the
work, a good third.
The party reached Manhattan about
noon and here they were cheered again by
the workmen. They then went to Del
monico's, where they sat down to a luncheon
and threw verbal bouquets at zach other and
the Pennsylvania Railroad. Mr.. 0'Rourke
presided and A. J. County. assistant to
Third Vice-President Rea Of the Pennsyl-
vania. responded to the toast TO President
A. j. Cassatt. In his speech Mr.. Jacobs
said that there had been accomplished what
seemed three or our years ago a physical
impossibility and he warmly praised the
construction company for its skill, enter
prise and determination. Gen. c. w.
Raymond sal there had never been a better
piece Of work done or one carried on with
greater determination.
why said he, -O'Rourke's autos are a
great deal more dangerous than the tunnels
he Is building
The twin tunnels under the Hudson are
said to be the most remarkable submerged
tubes in the world. They are 5000 feet
long under the water and about rs feet in
diameter. The work thus far has been
from an engineering pointa series Of brilliant
and il now a year ahead Of What
was expected. The rapidity Of the boring
has been phenomenal. the daily progress
running IA high al IFS feet.
Each tube will be used for traffic in one
direction only and thus the currents OF air
will be kept constantly in motion and not
interrupted IA they are nov in the subway
by trains running in opposite directions.
The double tube system will render accidents
from collision practically impossible. There
IL in each tube a leeway Of about ak feet
each side Of the tracks, along which
sidewalks will be built, 80 that when trains
are stalled Passengers can get out and walk