The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-15
NEW YoRK,s TUNNELS.
Pourteen New Ones Being ConstrucA.
ed at Cost OF $500, 900, 900.

Rourteen New Ones Being Constructs
ed at Cost OF $500, 1000, 900.
After century of ferryboat trans
portation, New York City few years
ago awakened to a realization that tun-
nels would afford much better and
quicker means Of passing the waters
that surround Manhattan Island, and
there are now actually IA tunnel tubes
belGg pushed under the riyerr at a
total probable cost OF 100000 900. y
Taken altogether, these tunnels con-
stitute the most notable engineering
achievement Of the decade-as difficult
Of execution and as costly as the Pa.
mama canal. Yet whereas the canal
has been building for a generation or
more, and promises to remain unfin-
ished for many yea ! to come, the tun-
nCls of New York will go through In
total Of FIVE or six years from the
time the tunnel craze attacked the
metropolis. The canal problems have
agitatec two great nations at intervals
of so years, and almost the entire civ
iiized world has been dragged into the
discussion as to whether a lock or a
sea-level canal was best The equally
difficult and important questions of tun-
ncling under East and North rivers
have been calmly and quietly settled
by a few capable engineers, without
any discussion in the public prints, and
very largely without any general infor-
nation as to what was being done un-
der water to improve New York's
means Of communication with the rest
OF the world.
The active digging Of the tunnels be-
&c only three ye IS ago, and all Of
them will be finished in two years more,
while two pairs Of tubes will be opened
to traffic this coming summer. So
quietly and so rapidly has the work
been pushed and 30 little publicity has
accompanied 1t that even the great ina
jorlty Of the residents Of Americas
metropolis has, as yet, only very dim
and uncertain idea Of what will be the
tunnel facilities Of New York in the
near future.
These IA tubes, built at an expendi-
ture oil about one-fifth Of a billion of
dollars, have only one purpose-to save
about a quarter Of an hour of the time
Of the people who cross the rivers At
least 100000 people go in and out of
Manhattan every day. The tunnels will
save them 25O,0o0 hours Of time. If
this averaged rs cents an hour in value,
th saving is 1925 } day, or nearly
$23,C00,000 a year. This amount is II
per cent of the cost Of the tunnels, and
II half Of 1t Is charged to the public,
the tunnels can pay the stockholders
G per cent.
The commuters who 90 in and out of
New York daily will not only have an
other half hour Of time added to their
leisure, but the value Of their real es-
tate, and Of all suburban property
within say 40 miles, will feel the infln-
eace il increased valuation. Probably
the gains In realty values about New
York, resulting directly from the tunnel
improvements, will total a larger sum
than the cost Of the tunnels, great as
Is that figure. Thus does one enter
prise assist others, and every modern
Improvement added to the already
Wondrous aggregation OF marvels IN
New York, brings With it added good
10 all those who are 50 fortunate as to
live In or do business in what will
soon be the largest, as 1t is already
the greatest and fastest-growing, city
on thc globe.