New-York tribune., 1907-06-03
CALL FOR EXAMIN ALTON.
BrOOklyniteS Want Mayor to Haze
Tunnel Investigated.

According to John B. Creighton. secretary Of the
Brooklyn League. and Elwin s Piper president Of
the Allied Boards of Trade of Brooklyn. these or
ganzatiOus will make formal request to Mayor
Mcclellan either to-day tomorrow TO have an
investigation made of the condition of the subway
tunnel to Brooklyn which is being constructed by
the Interborough. Mr. Creighton said last night
that there had been for several months
that the tunnel not being properly constructed.
and that not only would it take much longer than
expected to complete it. but that even then 1t
would not be safe for traffic.
These rumors came to a head last Friday" said
Mr.. Creighton last night when an extension in
the time of tho contract next year granted to
the company. This on the recommendation, 1
understand Of Chief Engineer Rice of the Rapid
Transit Commission. who is said to have declared
only short time ago that the tunnel would be
ready for operation this summer The members
of the league regard the subject of great i'm
portance to Brooklyn. and intend to do all IN their
power to discover the true condition Of the tunnel
This the part Of the Brooklyn orSaniza-
tions Is due it is said. report that the tunnel
tubes are sagging much that the engineers
have had to put In piles TO keep them from break
Ing in two. and that good many of the plates
which make up the cast iron tubes have cracked
since they put in and are being left in that
condition the cracks being hidden from sight by
concrete lining. 1t is also said the tunnel tubes
pass from a bed of solid rock in the middle of the
river To fine sand and In places quicksand,
and that several engineers have expressed the
the weight of trains that even present they
have to be kept charged with highly compressed
air to keep sand and water. and that rust
is being depended upon to form calking which
will stop up the leaks.
Mr.. Rice not in the city yesterday. but his
assistant Alfred Craven. when told Of the reports
about the tunnel, said that most of them were
"tommyrot"
In regard 10 the piles which being put in"
said Mr. Craven, Mr. Rice and I both made a
careful Investigation of the matter when the tuu-
mel first planned. and decided that the piles
We're not necessary. But some of the engineers
connected with tho Interhorough company re
queStcd that they be put i'm extra pTeCaU-
tlun. and gladly aCcedcd 10 the request. The
this rock continues 10 about the middle OF the
river Then there is short stretch Of sand and
small reef of rock. after which the tunnel passes
through sand entirely until il comes In Brook
lyu. The natural tendency of tho tubes will he
float and not sink In this. Air pressure has had
he kept in the tubes because they about one
hundred feet deep and have not Yet been COM
pleted.
The idea that there is any danger from broken
plates in the tubes Is perfect nonsense Quite
number Of the plates cast Iron SegmentS have
been cracked in putting them in. but this has hap
pened in all tie tunnels around New York. An
inspection is made every day of the plates. and
those which cracked have been removed, and
If any with cracks in them have been left in II is
because they are not in places where they can be
OF any possible danger.
AS far a = AZ present. there is
why the tunnel should not be finished in the
early fall. one Of the why theUt has al
ready been much delay the change in tho
plans at FlatbUsh avenue where only TWO tracks
AT first planned and these were afterward
may turn up. but the whole thing ought to be
finished this fall