New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-05-28
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
WHY NOT FILL UP THE EAST RIvER9
Plan to 0bviate Difficulties Experienced by
Tunnels and Subways.
To the Editor o. The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
SIT The undoubtedly serious condition OF the
brooklyn Manhattan tunnel. due to the sinking in
OF the roof as pointed IN your editorial of Sat
urday together with the constantly recurring acct
cents OF more or less dangerous nature in The
other tunnels now being dug, occasionei b. cave
ms no1lous gases and wha.-not. emphasizes the
difficulties attendant on subterranean engineering
IN the bigger cities In London the actual
puted subsistence a general scale consequent on
the construction of the latest tube railways par
tlculary in the peighborhood of ST. Paurs Cath2-
oral and at Charing Cross. has already brought
these newer electric lines into dsfavor and even
Unpopuarity The older London subway lines the
Metropolitan and District railways. are of more
substantial make. having been in constant opera
ton for forty ana thirty-fve years. respectively,
without developing any radical defects OF depre-
catng perceptioy the value OF property along their
routes
The lesson thus forced on the city of New York
by the experience of London seems TO be that a
regular system of subways and tunnels, focusing
TO the of Manhattan would introduce into this
restricted such network OF passages. and at
The same time such a multiplicity of lines OF
least resistance, would require only the impact
of earthquake of moderate proportions to work
greater havoc than took place last month with
such disastrous results San Francisco. TIE spe-
cihc weight, too. of vast array of skyscraper
buildings. whether of partial stone OF reinforced
concrete. does not appear to be taken properly into
account when the need is felt for increased trans
portatlOn facilities, together with the pauclty or
proper building space available in lower New
York. Even the necessary preliminary blasting for
a subway tunnel must tend weaken the foUn-
datons of all heavy structures along such veuera-
BILE municipal arteries.
From these considerations Iwould call the attention
OF your readers the latest plan for enlargng New
York. which deals with q project said to be already
gravely entertained by a metropolitan syndicate.
for filling in the East River. with the object of
uniting New York with Brooklyn and acquiring the
additional land thus obtainable Engineers ii is
maintained. have already pronounced in favor OF
the plan, and the cost and profit 10 the city have
been fully figured cut.
Such reclamations of land from water have 81
ready been made with successful results in several
seaport towns particularly al Boston. in this coun-
try, and at Antwerp and Hamburg. in Europe In
the last named city the best residential portion of
the town the Alster District, has thus been i'm
proved and enlarged, while at Antwerp much dam
ming and filing in has taken place. the Place de
Meir. the spacious thoroughfare which the
Bourse abuts, being of several instances due
this cause. All large cities have generally sooner
for the obliteration of Improbable stretches OF
water and the reduction of unsanitary moraSses.
Thus. even ancient Rome. Ovid tells iii he
sixth hook of his ''Fasti.' the testimony of
old bag, from whom hs had the story had applied
her early inventive skill to a similar problem.
perhaps, the interested visitor from the Philippine
or Sandwich islands, sitting down. like MaCaulays
Now Zealander, 10 beguile the passing hour should
find his thoughts directed by the bystander
vision of the ancient glorieS of the East River
Philadelphia, May g. 1906. VERTUMNUS.