New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-01
MAY DIG UP STREETS.
TUBE BORERS IN TROUBLE.
p. II. Il. Interests Uanf to Make
Open Cats.

Engineering and Contracting Company and the
Pennsylvania Railroad interests. asked permis-
sion yesterday Of the Rapid Transit Commits
sion TO make open cuts sixty feet in depth in
cd and 33d streets. between Madison and Sev-
erth avenues.
He said the contractor had discovered that
instead of solid rGck the streets at the points
stated were underlaid with quicksand and sub
terIanean streams, making it impossible to bore
the Pennsylvania tunnels by pneumatic shield
method. and making il necessary To- cut tie
ground from the top.
The contractor, he added would he through
With the work in ten months time. Mr. Phibn
submitted aflidavits from Sooysmith. Linden
thai Carson and other engineers. setting forth
that 70 do the tunnel boring safely il would he
necessary to use the open cut method. Mr. Phil
hin and President Hough Of the contracting COM
pany said that traffic would not be interfereG
with except between the hours OF II o'clock at
night and Il. At all other times the cuts
would be covered over. the same as was done in
lower Broadway when the subway was hai1t
there
The application Of the Pennsylvania interests
was big surprise the meeting yesterday as
e. was assumed that the work Of boring tho tua-
ue's was going ahead satisfactorily. AIr Phil
hin oszed for ar immediate reply To his request,
saying Jhat pending the granting OF the request
me contractors would have to stop work. The
-1r,ieation was referred 10 Chief Engineer Rice.
with request for an early report 1t is under
stood that The request VIII be granted.
The property owners along the route are sure
70 rise iH protest against the granting OF the
PERMITS. as they know from bitter experience
what II means FOR contractors to eXcavate the
fu width Of the street in front Of their places Of
business. The exact space asked for by Mr..
Thilhn was as follows:
SPACE ASKED FOR BY MR. PHuBIN.
n ga street. 5eginnins a. point Just west OF
MADISON avenue. running 80" feet To "A point l'
IN 52d street, beginning at point immediately
west OF Filth avenue. running GO feet toward Sixth
vs. 80 g SIKH ] vssa 9snna5 ne I'd P295 2ee5 to%ard ss5
"7rh avenue
DO YOU need the whole width of the street,
a~ked Commissioner Smith Of Ny Philbin,
Yes. clear from curb 10 curb but not clear 80
tie building line. There viii be three turQe.
tracks in each street and it viii require the full
width Of the street. oar operations wiI not
close tho street to treto e>ec9r during the hours
from j O'Clock At u;E!s- t.l in the morning"
szid NJ. PhiJ!ln. .o5,-,li, i,,;s-. he said:
.'rr the euuue' --e.- -sa1:nE up TO the points
lave mentioned The engineers have found solid
rock making feasible the Use of the pneu-
attic shield method; but only recently. as this
board viii remember. there was 4 cave-in near .
the WaIdorf-A Astoria and examination
showed that the underlying ground was quick
sand. and that there vas a subterranean stream.
which makes it impossible 10 continue building
the tunnel by the shield system. To protect the
property along the route Of the tunnel the atfi-
davits Of distinguished engineers show that it
Viii be necessary to excavate these tunnels from
Tho surface"
Mr PhiIbin then read a statement from Mr,
Sooysmith covering the points he had outlined
IT. answer 10 sharp questioning by Mayor Nc
CIeilan and others, Mr.. Philbin, who had his
engineers ct his elbow. said that traffic would
not be interfered with save at the time already
stated that all material blasted or excavated
would be removed from the tunnel down below,
and that the open cut method must be used be
.5use ST would be necessary 10 put the required
uDderpinning under the houses as the excavation
went downward. He said that the company
preferred the other method OF building the tun-
nel as it was less expensive.
STREETS OPEN FOR TEN MONTHS.
How long viii it take you to do the work."
asked President Orr.
The engineers say that ten months viii be an
ample allowance" said Mr.. PhiIbin. "If you
deny this application" he continued, 1T means
me- the company viii be compelled to go ahead
and bore through the qulcksand. and that means
IN the course of a short time buildings
along the street viii be undermined"
Charles De Hart Brewer, lawyer, represent
ing the Thomas Dinond Iron Works IN West
.2d street, then attacked the Pennsylvania in
terests His client has had trouble from the
company obstructing the streets at the iron
works
4 grsss and wifuI violation of franchise
rights is what brought me here said Mr..
Brewer After we had brought an action in
the Supreme Court. enjoining this company
from encumbering the highway and interfering
with our private business. this company sudden
~ came to the conclusion that the violation OF
its franchise did not pay. This applicant COM
pauy got a permit from Borough President
Ahearn to drive test holes in 32d street. Their
permit gives them the right to build stage
over the sidewalk, but does not allow them 10
block traffic. They went ahead and built two
structures in the street, reaching from curb
10 curb. We are not strikers. The New York
Contracting and Trucking Company came to US
and asked permission 10 eXcavate along haif
a block our property and on their agreeing
10 save us harmless and keep the street open
for traffic we told them TO go ahead. What this
company wants is TO a public highway for
dumping purposes TO save expense don't be-
lieve there is any authority I'm this board TO
grant the erection Of structure for private
purposes in a public highway. If your honors
please. don't trust this company an eighth OF
inch"
Mr. simonds OF Coudert Brothers, spoke in
Hike vein in behalf OF his client, a property
President Orr asked II the company would
guarantee immunity TO all property owners
from lose IL the permit granted. and Mr.
Phnbfn said that the original contract covered
that point, and that he was not authorized 70
go any further than the contract. On the
Mayors motion the application was referred to
Chief Engineer Rice for early report