The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-03-18

New York city and the bergs in
New Jersey are enjoying the new tun-
nels which have just recently been
put into service after over quarter
OF century Of building, and another
sightseeing attraction has been pro
vided for the visitor to the city. The
opening OF three OF these tubes under
the Hudson was one Of the most inn
portant events in the history Of New
York's transportation, and marks the
elimination Of one Of the most gigan-
tic and expensive engineering tasks
ever undertaken In the world
before. The project begun in 1878
1t has taken three tunnel companies
the first two falling where the last
company under the leadership Of Mr.
McAdoo has succeeded-to complete
the task and has consumed $7l,O0O,-
600 Of treasure In the effort.
But there is no doubt about the In
ception OF the Hudson & Manhattan
Railroad company's tubular service to
Hoboken being an historic occasion
1T points to the closing Of an epoch of
precarIous. II picturesque, ferryboat /
travel which began on large scale |
when George Washington was In
hurry to transport his forces from the
locality OF Brooklyn. 1t means that
the vocabulary of the commuter will
lose such phrases as 4 missed the
boat and that the traveller from the
west viii no longer find the most tedi-
GUS and annoying part Of his journey
at the New York end Of the route.
The complete system Of tunnels as
can be readily seen by glancing at the
map herewith shown includes four
tubes. two extending from point far
over In Jersey City and under the
Hudson to Fulton and Cortlandt
streets in the Wall street district Of
Manhattan: the others running from
Hoboken to Sixth avenue, and thence
north under that busy retail thor
oughfare to Thirty-sixth street at the
junction OF Broadway. the very heart
or the theater and hotel district.
The utility OF the tunnel system is
enhanced BY the fact that on the Jer-
sey side the tunnels, when fully com
pleted. will connect with the passen-
ger stations OF nearly all the principal
roads operating to New York from the
west. and the western traveller, there
fore. viii no longer fight his way to a
dirty ferry. waste half an hour cross
ing the river and then 90 through an
other fight with dock conditions on the
Manhattan side, finishing It by long
walk 10 an Il" or subway line, but
will step downstairs from the railroad
station to the tunnel station, board an
electric train and speed to either
upper or lower Manhattan, as nc
elects. not more than seven minutes
being consumed In the journey from
the railr II station TO the business o.
hotel district Of New York city proper
The tunnels are exactly what theil
pouular name implies. tubes mads
Of steel rings, bolted together and Sc
IN place as the boring shield, workinl
in compressed air, opens the way TO
them. The steel rings, in most places
are covered with a coating OF eemen
or concrete. so that the interior Of tn
tunnel Is smooth. The interior diamete
OF these tubes is 15 feet three inches
and under the river their depth beloN
the surface of the water varies fror
80 to 90 feet In all parts Of the syl
tenn they are twin tubes. each equippe
with single track Under the waite
they are about 30 feet apart but 0
shore are set close together SO tha
the tube walls constitute the onl
separation between them.
The adoption Of an engineerin
pIan requiring separate tube *
each track was decided adyanc
over the methods employed in Ii
building Of the New York, or BE
mont" subway. In the latter traiT
qoing in both directions run In Il
same cavity and, in consequence, Il
air Is nearly always foul. The ventil
tion IA 80 wretched that in SUNNI
the subway is literally an oven. and
winter a freeze-out. In the Huds'
tubes the ventilation Is provided
the trains. These operate In one dire
ton In each tube. and each trai
therefor, acts as piston, pushing
out az the tunnel before It, and dra
ing 1t in by its suction at the baC
Thus the air is always fresh. and /
temperature kept at an equable degr