The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-08-05
CONSOLIDATED
TUNNEL ABOUT
ONE-TH|RO DONE

The New York. New Haven and Hart
ford railroad tunnel under the east side
hills Of Providence is about 20 per cent
completed. and the entire work, including
the approaches, the bridge across the See
konk river and the connections with the
existing rail lines at either end. is also
about % per cent completed. according TO
engineers opinions.
The progress is said TO be satisfactory
TO contractors and railroad company who
ugure on completing the work some time
IN 1905. as has been contemplated from
the start
The extreme point TO which heading
work has been pushed by the tunnel dig
gers who have bored their way in from
BENEFIT street is about 1900 feet from the
portal. and the shortest way in point OF
distance to reach the present location of
"farthers in would be TO start on the
easterly sidewalk OF Brown street and
pierce straight down 70 feet That would
let daylight into the electrically lighted
gallery. At the other side, between Ives
and Governor streets similar boring for
abett 30 feet straight toward China would
let sunlight into the east heading. The
vertical distances are reckoned TO the top
OF the roof of the tunnel. To the sub
grade line Is about 26 feet farther down.
Considerable OF the concrete work on
the west approach has been some time
completed, and preparations are making
70 clear the ground near the east end OF
the Union passenger station for the erec-
tion OF the masonry and bridges which
will complete this part of the work.
At the Gano street end the tunnel was
no near the surface that the first work
was started by vertical open cut from
the surface, some 90 feet deep at its max
imum, instead of being horizontal bore
into the hill as at Benefit street At the
east end the heading Is now $50 feet back
from the portal; there Is 400 feet OF COM
pleted tunnel and 200 feet or completed
arch Here big hole is left in the roof
TO make easier the passing in Of materiah
and there Is an opportunity for the pass
erby to see what the tunnel will look like
inside.
The big hole will be closed and the tun-
nel-roof covered until the surface Is left
as II was before the work began.
The material excavated for the tunnel
has been used in partly grading for the
track from the portal to the Seekonk
river. From there temporary trestle
leads out TO the west river abutment.
where that part OF the work. contracted to
McCabe g. Bihler. ends. the dge-pier
fob being contracted to the Atlantic Con-
struction company OF Boston. which built
the Indian Point railroad bridge piers a
few years ago.
Within a cofferdam workmen have
made considerable headway on the west
abutment. In the Seekonk river II gran
ite piers are practically completed.
The trestie is rs feet high, measuring
from mean high water to the base OF the
rails In the track, at pier IL and the grade
falls az II approaches the shore.
The present trestle structure Is the per-
manent one and as can be seen, is a Ions
way toward completion.
Part OF the All connecting the Boston
and Providence and the Providence ant
Nosoaster tracks, north -AAateFHaaf
avenue. East Providence, has been made
the cut through the high land near there
has been about haif-made. and the I'LL II
perhaps 10 per cent completed.
The roller lift bridge is something new
an or about Providence. 1t affords cleaI
draw span instead OF one divided by Z
central pier. Similar structures may b'
seen by the traveller from Providence
from the car window on his right. JUS
before entering the Boston South station
McCabe & Bihler have 80 men at worl
at the present time, and the heading ad
vances fve or six feet day from eithei
end.