New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-02
TO FIGHT ?. R. R. PLAN
Continued from first page.

| standing on bed rock to be carried to bed rock.
| which is about sixty-fve feet below the surface
This would obviate any danger of the older
| buildings sliding down into the quicksand.
DOES NOT THINK TUNNEL. DANGEROUS
Jacob Neadle who represents many interests
in 32d and 33d streets. believes that the danger
| of tunnelling are largely mythical He said yes
| terday that he was firmly opposed to the surface
excavation. He said the contractors. as they
pushed the tunnel along. could sheathe II on all
| Sides which would prevent the quicksands from
sliding away from the foundations. He and
| some of his friends with whom he has talked
believe that this is entirely feasible and would
obviate any danger which might arise from
| such a method OF construction.
Chief Engineer Rice Of the Rapid Transit
Commission, was asked his opinion II IT would
| be necessary TO sink a trench in SD street to
| depth of than eighty feet. as some have
said to get to bed rock and II the tunnel opera
| tions would undermine the foundations Of many
! buildings In the street
"Oh no. he replied; "the excavations will
| have 10 go down only sixty-fve feet below the
street level"
will not the excavations undermine and
/ make unsafe the foundations OF many build
ings2"
The open cut plan would prevent such trou-
buildings first. before constructing the tunnel"
| he replied.
| "Is It impossible 10 tunnel under the street
without making an open cut TO protect founda-
| tions2"
THE conditions make it practically irnpossi-
! bic"
| A member OF the law firm Of Coudert Brothers
said the firm objected to sinking a shaft in front
| OF the property at Nos 15S and 1GO West 32l
tnSr g a~aIf hat frch Ghqf
| and the hosting machinery to be erected over
| II would block access TO the building. a part OF
| the building is occupied by furniture manu-
/ facturer, whose business would be interfered
/ with If trucks could not get 10 the building
| There would be no objection, the lawyer said.
| 10 any operations which would leave free and
| unobstructed access 10 the building.
OPPOSED TO CUT AND COVER"
The strongest opponent Of any surface exca-
walton has been Thomas Dimond. of the Thomas
Dimond Iron Works. in 32d street. His coun-
| sci. Charles De Hart Brewer. gave out a state
| ment yesterday. in which he said:
Tho tunnel company began its work in good
| faith: IL purchased property on the East Side.
| dug its working shafts on It's own property. and
| began the construction OF its tunnels without
| disturbing the surface of the streets. except in
| the immediate neghborhood OF the terminal
station. where It had authority 70 open the
streets.
! All went we'll until. working eastward. the
| United Engineering and Contracting Company
/
| springs were found. and troubles began when
! this contracting company made great dlscOv
! ery-namey, that II was impraCtiCable to build
a tunnel where there was water and sand. The
| fact that tunnel had been built under the
North River through both water and sand was
| apparently unknown TO the contracting com
| pany's officers and that any tunnels We're build.
| Ing under the East River appears to have been
! kept from them but all this NAV appear less
remarkable when discover that little
| Joker had crept into the tunnel company's
franchise which said that the construction OF
| the tunnels might be done through the surface
| OF the streets II special and unusual clrcum-
stances existed in any locality. provided that
| the Rapid Transit Board gave its consent.
Louis Korn. who controls some property in the
district affected and several other buildings IN
| the near neighborhood such as the BiIlingscourt
Building, at Fifth avenue and Saith street be-
leves that the entire neighborhood would be
| damaged by open cut construction. He said
| that. II necessary. he would be among those who
would appear against the application OF the con-
tractors at the next meeting OF the Rapid Tran
! sit Commission
ASTOR AGENT STRONGLY OBJECTS
The north side OF $50 street between Fifth
avenue and Broadway IS owned by William
| Waldorf Astor. whose agent. Mr.. Riddle Is un-
| alterahy opposed TO surface excavation.
This project of the excavating company. we
believe. is purely one OF economy" said Mr. Bid
die yesterday. I'VE have retained II G. Updyke
| the expert engineer. 10 report on conditions to
us. II IT proves just desire OF the company to
save money shall fight it. for such work
| would seriously menace the commercial inter
| ests OF our tenants. We do not want to hurt
| the progress of any Improvement but we arc
| ready to join our tenants in an effort to save
! them from this menace to their business
| The McAlpin estate comprises several parceIs
| or valuable real estate in the district and with
| A. T. Demarest & Co, A. H. Davenport Robert
Patterson and r. G.. Reid & Co. its managers
| Will fight vigorously against the open cut
There Is no question at all of there being apv
danger TO the Waldorf-Astoria the Martinique
| or such buildings as the Alpine but II is he
! leved that the loss In rentals and other husi
ness would be such that all those concerned
would probably join in the fight
j. Romano Brown. whose interests are avian
| sive in the nelghborhood, Is another who win
| oppose it, and will probably be present at tha
| next meeting OF the Rapid Transit Commission
! 50 will Andrew +. Gilsey. Mr. Gnsey said tbat
while he had not yet given the subject sufflcent
| attention to justify detailed statement ON
| II. he knew his tenants would suffer greatly bv
| the surface work and that 1t would cause then,
| much loss