The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-25
BROOGLYE fBHNEl DY JAN. 1.


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II 80. d. ..f ou' tho MAYOR minated,
10 arHept 500. .f futler IuyrstlE CATION Tho
Opinion ~ ilr Rao In ftsF ~ fto fAc' that
. rarnft ou' rniy 'iyarsr Nv Va" visws ~
NJ Risr bpI tom mlfe by q q1ali1s,l 90.
T~rt To- ne have Hl ths facts before
10" M" NI.lr rvtItIuol and then ws
Gill be better alIe % UuJof stand iust what
10 the situI'inu
Mr. Rice nm ihr log inning - liza report
said hat NJ trpuhla M hpring the tunnel
VA met olih until shortly sitter Garden
place Wa ra-s'i In tho horing from the
Brooklyn side. water VIA erruuu sred and
the shield began to settle below grade. Mr..
Rice said THAI hc brought the matter 20 the
attention 81 The board in May. 1894. aud
added
Amon'h lat ter, no he'rof to-uli. na1nK been
obtained. Eprt ion. Of he stIwatc- Of amounts
due the contractor were y thhsld by reS~on
Of this d'fosfIy" work, aud additional amounts
have been Withheld flom uouth 10 month
up 10 M" present TIME. uutpsruug. ~ the
aggregat'. io A VERY considerable sum. This
amount Ia. ru' only been v7'hhnif ~ tho
city from the contractor. Lut bl The con-
tractor from hs .ub-cnntrse'Vr. aud enough
has been kept back frorn he sib-"ontractor
10 compensate for rc,ons'r IctIon Nhcn re-
Quired
The cause Of tho trouble Mr. Rice ex-
planned, was the failure Of the stIb-cOn-
tractor 10 maintain a sufficient air pressure
at the shield 10 keep out the water and
TO deep the ground In u proper condition
W HltlIlldAh tHt weight " INC lhNg ~
shield.
As described in The repOrty
Instead of keeping the pressure high for this
purposa, which might have been done by in
cIeasing the supply OF air, or bv the use of
special devices or methods to diminish its
loss, the excess Of water was diminished by
rapid pumping. The effect Of this unpiB
was to draw the sand from underneath the
shield. the heavy weight Of which caused It
A. cattle nraI,tu1t. .r.n a Ion. a. ,a.a N-,
being advanced.
The attention Of the superintendent for the
sub contractor was repeatedly called to this
matter, and he was urged 10 make all efforts
TO keep ths shield up 10 grade. with the idea
ofavoidinR the necessity for future reconstruct
ton, and the contractor was also consulted
with. On May 20 | had a conference at the
contractors office, at, which Contractor
Mcdonald, Mr.. Drvb. the contractors chief
engineer. and the super ntenden in charge
Of the work for the sub-contractor were
present. Informed them thar the whole
difficulty was in not carrying out properly a,
method correct in principle, and that there
was not being maintained a sufficient pressure
Of air 10 bala nee the pressure Of water, After
this conference better results we're obtained,
more particularly under the river.
Mr.. Rice 9 report vent on to relate that
with slight changes in the elevation of the
base OF Tdil iiUDlt 'ltdtdiltt NolIu DE DID,
tanned for the running of trains, but the
constructor asked for a greater clearance
than was at first contemplated, which
made 1t necessary to reconstruct q still
greater amount OF the tubes.
Mr.. Rice said that the contractor also
asked to be allowed 10 deviate from the
lines Of theoretical grade, but that per-
mission to do so was refused. Continuing,
Mr.. Rice said: -.''a
Last February the contractor called into
consultation a welt knowu tunnel engineer,
and a report was made suggesting q method
that. in my opinion, was Ill advised. The
reconstruct ion, according to his estimate
would involve an expenditure OF nearly ST.
0OO, 900. and it would take fifteen months TO
complete the work, Since that time an-
other method has been proposed, and Ia now
b. process of execution, by. Whicir.the work
will be accomplished with an expenditure
OF less,than s200.O0O. will allow for the opera
ton of the tunnel by the first Of the year.
and ALA provide for ca irving onsimultaneously
the work Of advancing tho headings near
the middle Of the rver,
IL has been the PURPOSE OF the engineering
department of the Rapid Transit board not
10 Interfere in this work In any way which
would place upon the city the responsibility
9f defect. ip"Fbe u'4npSr Of operettns the
Since early in the work. when. the slb- ;.
contractor showed "A disposition TO shift the
responsibility Tor the deviation OF tho shield
from the established line upon the engineer
tnR depaT1 ureNt OF the board, especial care
has been taken to keep The spb-contractor
pell informed as TO the actual position OF
the shields, Without Ia any way directing
him as to the luanucr Of gntdance. While.
this has resulted in less satisfactory work,
u has. been consistent With my position Of
non interference with methods. and this
means of protecting the ctty's Interests was
called TO the attention OF theboard At u public
meeting when ii was fully explained.
Mr.. Rice concluded by predicting that the
tunnel would he ready for operation by the
beginning Of the year and adding: The
material which We have encountered in the
East River Is slch that aft r the construe-
ton OF the tunnel IL can a bsolutely be re-
He'd upon to stay in place"
As soon as the reading OF the report had
been finished Mayor McGteHan asked Mr..
Rice who was the well kaown tunnel engi-
neer" referred to in his repors. MIR. Rice !
replied that it was Mr.. Jacobs and went on to
say:
ton company to do was to take out the sec
lions where tho deformations. had taken
place and reconstruct them entirely. That