Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-11-27
FOUR MILES
UNDERGROUND
BOStOn'S Great Railroad Tunnel
System Is Completed
OFFICIAL TRIP OF INSPECTION

Addition to Subway Considered
Masterpiece of Engineering--Cost
Exceeded $4,000, OOO- aciitates
Travel In the Heart of the City--
Great Accommod atoms at the Sta
tions--Scarcely Bit of Wood Used
Boston, Nov. 24-The Washington
street tunnel, which has been under
construction for trifle more than four
years, was formally opened when two
trains, bearing invited guests Of the
Boston transit commission and the
Boston Elevated Railway company,
tIaversed the entire length of the new
bore. The tunnel will not be opened
for public travel, however, for another
fortnight or more.
The trip was in the nature Of an Off
cial inspection, and the thousand per-
sons who were the guests of the tran
sit commission and the railway company
appeared greatly and favorably i'm
pressed with the new tunnel, which is
considered masterpiece of engineer
Ing
The first train through the tunnel
consisted of eight cars, the kind of
train that will be operated when the
tube is opened to public travel. AS in
the case of the trains which are now
operated through the fremont street
subway and which are to be trans
ferred to the new tunnel, motive force
IS supplied through the third rail"
The Washington street tunnel was
built by the Boston transit commits
sion and has been leased to the Boston
Elevated Railway company for twenty
five years. Its cost, including ap-
proaches and equipment, exceeded
$100OO,OOO.
The opening Of the new tunnel will
give Boston a total underground rail-
road system of approximately four
miles. The fremont street subway,
which was the first of its kind to be
built in this country is one mile and
quarter long; the East Boston tunnel.
running under the harbor, is one and a
half miles long. while the new tunnel
is 5G16 feet from portal to portal. max
ing total distance of 90, 1876 feet, or
nearly four miles.
The new tunnel provides a two-track
system throughout its entire length.
with five stations for northbound and
five for southbound trains Each sta
ton has a platform $50 feet long, capa-
bic of accommodating eight-car trains.
The stations are in the very heart of
the shopping, theatre and hotel dis
trictS. There are no doors at any of
the entrances or exits of the tunnel.
all being left open for the free pass
age of air, being closed when not in use
only by grillwork The entrance lob
bies are of hammered granite compo-
sition and the interior of the tunnel for
| the most part is of white glazed tile.
Mosaic lettering designates the name
of the station and indicates the vari-
Gus stations of the tunnel in both direc-
| tons.
Each station is supplied with parcel
room, telephone booths, news stand and
clock, while limited space is reserved
lOT duNeTtlSeMtuJS. Inc lighting Is
by incandescent lamps arranged in
the hollows Of arch ceilings, so as to be
but little seen. Three sources of sup
ply prevent the plunging of stations
into darkness through unavoidable ac-
cidents, and to keep the tunnel free
from water two powerful pumps are
installed which act automatically.
Four fan chambers, situated along the
length of the tunnel, will exhaust the
foul air through ducts In the ceiling,
fresh air entering al the stations.
| Except for the hand rails at the en-
frances, there is scarcely bit Of wood
throughout the tunnel, doors, ticket Of
| fees, telephone booths and package
rooms being Of sheet bronze, while the
closets, stands and seats are of con-
crete.
The tunnel connects with the East
Boston tunnel at State street and here.
as at one or two other points, escalators
facilitate the transfer of passengers
| between the different levels.