Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-03-03
Tunnel UNDER THE
HUDSON is Opened.
FIRST TRAIN RUN THROUGH
BORE CONNECTING NEW YORK
AND NEW JERSEY.
SIGNAL FOR STARTING
FROM WHITE HOUSE
President Presses Button and Power
Is Turned on-Letter from Latter
Read, Expressing Appreciation Of
Great Feat Accomplished.

New York, Feb. 26.-The first of the
great system of tunnels linking New
York and New Jersey under the Hud-
son river was formally opened to the
public at midnight Tuesday. The GER
emonies attending the opening began
many hours earlier, however, and
were participated in by the governors
of both states, by President Roose-
welt, who flashed an electric signal
from Washington, and by officials of
New York city and the cities along
the New Jersey shore. The public
ceremonies were held at the terminal
In Hoboken, N. j., where addresses
were delivered by Gov. Hughes Of
New York, Gov. Fort of New Jersey,
and William G. McAdoo, the man who
several years ago took up the many
times abandoned project and pushed
1t through to completion.
The exercises at Hoboken began at
four o'clock, following a journey
through the tunnel from New York
of the official train carrying the two
governors, the mayors of the New
Jersey cities and many distinguished
guests. Promptly at the half hour,
President Roosevelt, seated at his
desk in Washington, pressed an cleo
trio button and flashed to New York
the signal to turn on the power in the
underground system. Arriving at
the Hoboken station the guests in
spected the great underground ter
minal and then proceeded to the re-
viewing stand outside the Lacka-
wanna station for the formal opening
exercises. There letter from Pres
ident Roosevelt was read and speeches
were delivered by the two governors
and several city officials.
President Appreciates Achievement.
President Roosevelt's letter, which
was directed to William G.. McAdoo,
president of the Hudson & Manhattan
Railroad Company, was as follows:
February II, 19OS.-My Dear Mr..
McAdoo: In that a beginning Is to
be made in opening for operation the
Hudson tunnel system, write to ex-
press my regret that cannot be
present In person, and my high appre-
citation of what you have accomplished
The tunnel itself and the great build
ings constructed in connection there
with represent a work of extraor-
binary magnitude, represent extraor-
binary difficulties successfully over
come. while difficulty and magnitude
are even surpassed by the usefulness
of the achievement. The whole sys-
tenn is practically below tidal water,
and this makes 1t much the greatest
subaqueous tunnel in the world. It Is
bigger undertaking than any Alpine
tunnel which has yet been con-
structed, and the successful compile
tion represents the moving of New
Jersey bodily three miles nearer to
New York in point Of time and i'm
mensely increases the ease of access
from one state to the other. All the
engineers and business men who have
taken part in bringing this great
achievement to a successful conclu-
aion ought to be most heartily con-
graduated. It Ia the kind Of business
achievement which is in the highest
degree creditable to the American peo.
pie, and for which American people
should feel and publicly acknowledge
their hearty gratitude.
Sincerely yours. Theodore Roose-
welt"