The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-04-11

When human moles bored through
the last wall of earth and stone in the
Bergen Hill section of the great Penn
sylvania tunnel today the marvellous
tube running from the Hackensack
meadows to Long Island CITY. under
two rivers and Manhattan Isle, was
declared complete.
In keeping with the mammoth enter
prise, the ceremony of pushing away
the last two feet of earth in the five
mile underground causewsy was made
a great function today by the engineers
who have been directing the work of
the army of diggcrs.
Last Spade of Earth.
When at a. m. the last spadeful of
earth was thrown into the dumping
car and hauled away, the Pennsyl-
vania's subaqueons connection between
Manhattan and Long Island and the
rest of the United States through New
Jersey was held a thing complete,
Resident Engineer Fred LAWS, his as
sistant, James Forgie, and Superin-
tendent MehTanus offieiated when light
was let through the final Intervening
bank.
Much Clearing 10 Be Done.
From the very entrance to the tunnel
THE EVENING STAR reporter found
his way beset with many difficulties.
The great cement lined half-oval on a
paved horizontal base, which started
flush from the surface of the meade wg,
soon became rough and uncouth as it
heightened out From O respectable
,,,, T. xr-itl
exception of tho permanent tracks, for
the endless string of trains which is
to rush through it. it degenerated to
jagged wound through the rock.
Piles of rock at points almost blocked
the passage. Where the final bore had
been made evidence of the last dyna-
mite blast lay about in heaps Of broken
stones and great assures in the walls.
The long tube was dilnly lighted by
large incandescent lights. As the
greatest depth was reached the cellary
atmosphere became noticeably danper.
Pools of water appeared at frequent
intervals. Guards placed TO prevent
the outside world from seeing un-
finished work were encountered at in
tervals. An army Of workmen is still
busy removing the debris from the bot
tom of the tube, and everything win
soon be in readiness for the permanent
tracks.
40 Under Ground.
Like some emiIlion-yenr-oId sealed and
petrified husiS of monster serpent the
Bergen Hill tube winds it's way from
the HackensacIN meadows to the point
In WeehaWken, where 1t is tapped from
the surface n distance of 1920 feet. 1t
is to be the right of way in the near
future for thousand trains, which will
dniIy thunder through its irOn-IiDed
new terminal station in New York.
From the spot where it leaves the
meadows the tube dips down, until,
under Bergen Hill, it is go feet below
the ground. and toward the Weehaw-
ken terminal Skins SO near the surface
that bare sixty feet of earth and
rock cover 1t.
Massive Masonry.
To resist the enormous pressure of
the weight above it the tube is through
out constructed of massave masonry
work. the inside reinforced by over
tapping iron plates.
Constantly renewed by a draft from
the Jersey side the air in the tunnel
remains fresh through its length, but
as the centre Of the river is reached
fog-like coating appears on the electric
bulbs and a cellary dampness is felt.
With this great new giant In the field
all other entries for the Eighth Won
der of the New World" have been with
drawn