Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-02

w dUof u. OdkIUdH, lOIIiCIiy ~ CSAuOhe
oe the Guaranty Trust Company of New
York and now president Of the construc-
ton company; Mr.. Pliny Fisk and Mr..
William Il. Barnum Of the banking house
Of Messrs. Haryevy Fisk & Sons. with
out whose financial support the enterprise
could never have been completed: Mr..
F. B. Jennings of the law firm of Messrs.
Stetson. Jennings Russell. which has
been identified with the company as its
legal advisers since the days Of Mr.. Has
beer chief engineer in charge OF con-
struction from the beginning. and Mr.. J.
Virond Davies, who has been his princi-
pal assistant.
New Methods Originated.
In carrying on the work it was early
recognized that untried methods would
have to be devised for the preservation of
life and for the protection of the health
of the men engaged in the work. Previous
to that time the casualties from ''caisson
disease in all work where high air pres
sure was used had been abnormal 1t
was determined to install the very highest
grade of machinery for the purpose of
supplying the men working in the tunnels
with reliable and pure quality OF air. to
install a system Of electric lighting which
would do away with the use of oil lamps
and candles and prevent the consequent
consumption of oxygen and the vitiation
OIL the atmosphere. 10 1HStdII a mechanical
system Of traction which would eliminate
the use of animals in the tunnels and
again prevent the befouling o. the at
mosphere. regular physician was en-
ployed and every man who applied for
work was subjected to a thorough medi-
cal examination. No one who was physi-
cally incompetent Ito endure the strain
was allowed to enter the service of the
company. The men were instructed as to
their regimen. and were made TO UNDER
nQrQSSttV nhCorNrtnr ut,
rules and regulations for the protection
of their health. The company. at it's own
cost. from the very beginning has pro-
vided hot coffee for the men when they
also provided a medical air lock for the
treatment of those who should be seized
with caisson disease. Or as it Is called
in the vernacular. bends"
been most gratifying. there having been
only two deaths resulting from caisson
disease or bends during the entire pe-
riod of five years since the work began.
TINS Is "a phenomenal record and is ex-
! ceedingly gratifying to the management.
AS matter of fact. no work of such mag
nitude has ever been conducted where
| the loss of life has been so small A large
degree OF credit for this is due to the
chief engineer, who has at all times
| shown excellent judgment and has taken
| particular care to protect the lives and
health of the men engaged on the work.
Trains Running Regularly.
Trains Of from six to eight cars. hold
ing fifty persons each. are now running
at intervals of three minutes. and make
the trip in seven minutes between termi-
; nails. whereas it requires at least fifteen
minutes TO cross in ferryboat: fifteen
minutes more Is usually consumed in wait
| ing on either side Of the river. and II
takes more than half an hour at the
slightest calculation to get uptown as
far as 14th Or 10th street by surface con-
veyances. Therefore, at least three
quarters of an hour is saved to every
resident of New Jersey who goes over
to New York to shop or has business up
| town. There is no possibility of detention
| on account of the weather or danger from
| collisions. as the trains north and south
| run in separate and continuous tubes of
| iron plates. rfveted together and set in
| beds of solid concrete. When a passenger
steps out Of steam railway train at the
| Lackawanna station he is not compelled
| to walk a quarter of a mile through a
| ferry house to boat and wait there I'M
| til the starting time arrives. but simply
| crosses platform, boards a car and in
] ten minutes or SO has reached the other