New-York tribune., 1907-01-09
BROADWAY TUBE FIGHT.
Merchants WW Oppose Plan to
Build .Sub7cay.

The Broadway merchants. who three years
fought unsuccessfully against the proposed sub
way route in that thoroughfare again UP In
arms against the plans for the Lexington avenue
subway. This route. 1t is understood will be down
Lexington avenue S5th street, Fifth avenue.
23d street. and thence down Broadway.
It has been figured that the retail business con
Germs along this route from 18th to 35th street
do business annually of more than 100000
They the debris and turmoil attendant on tho
construction OF ditch system subway would work
inestimable damage. Four years there was or
ganized a committee Of fifty Of these merchants
Cibbon & Co. and other firms who thought they
foresaw great injury 10 business The strong op-
position to the Broadway spur 20 the subway that
contemplated caused Mayor Low have the
building Of the tunnel abandoned
The campaign that Is to he waged In opposition
to the Broadway subway. which Is led by the
largest concerns doing business along its route In
Guiding some firms in Fifth aven ie. is fairly be
gun. and the subway viii he fought at every point.
They suggest substitutes for what they consider
a great threatened evil. one OF these Is to run the
tracks along Seventh avenue, which Is wider
thoroughfare. with much less tratc. while another
suggestion If Broadway must he used IS 20 tunnel
under the surface. which would not effect the
foundations of the buildings and not create the
filth ard disturbance that 1t Is feared Will bring
ruin TO many in the retail drygoods district.
"Broadway business men ask that business and
traffic be not disturbed" said Mr. Hatch. and
II
pslled If there we're anything experimental about
boring deep tunnel under Broadway the objec-
tion TO IT might be we'll founded But there is moth
ing governmental about IT, The character OF the
work done in London Paris and in Boston, where
subways have been built on tho true tunnel prin-
cple without any disturbance of the pavement
bevond what was necessary for the sinking OF
shafts 10 remove dirt and rock. demonstrates that
the branch on Broadway can he built without any
interference with business
'Neitb craven a
moment the entire practicability Of the proposition
10 tunnel Broadway by boring. That u can ne
they admit The possible objection ana
II Is a noteworthy fact that il Is not advanced ov
any of the cuts th3t TO pore q
tunnel would require about one half as lnuch more
time as would to 1t out by the old method,
q cOrrespondiue increase In expenses.
\ tunnel means. II II Is buiU low .nouS!
that there viii be disturbance of water mains
pIDes electric ConGuits and other pipes ana
wires the moving of which always entails danger
undisturbed Broadway, save for here and there "A
shaft
''One strong point in favor of the deep tuun" IS
the character Of the roie For the greater part Of
way is solid rock Mr.. Rice has made no cXamind-
ton recently hut about ten years ago partial
examination was made. and the information thus
gained has been added to IN digging for foundu-
rock extends to Madison Square. whore there is
sand great depth. There Is some sand at
Union Square, too. but the greater part of the
route Is rock. making most favorable condition
for tuuneling.
Mr. Rice thinks that a tunnel near tho surface
can he constructed Without serious menace to
traffic. The Broadway merchants say 1t is Ia
possible"