The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-12-29
BIG ENGINEERING PROJECTS INSTITUTED
DURING PRESENT YEAR WILL COST BILLIONS
Private and Public FeatS
Show New Era in Con-
Struction of Canals, Res
ervOirS and Buildings.

drawing to a close has been remarkable
in the number of notable engineering
proiects Instituted or now well on their
way 10 completion. And of this category
of engineering feats, both private and
public. New York City and State have
taken a pmoninet place
Among these are the irrigation prof.
ects of the United States government
the Panama Canal, the immense new
fresh water reservoir of New York City,
the enlargement of the Erie Canal, the
erection Of the Grand Central Station,
and the building of the Woolworth Build
inG-to say nothing of the new suoWays
which are to be built in New York. The
total expense that will have been IN
CURED when these great projects nave
been pushed to completion Will run close
TO 81, O00,O 600.
By reason of its influence on the world
trafic. as well as the engineering diff
cuIties involved, the Panama Canal easily
takes precedence over the other construc-
ton Jobs named in the matter OF I'M
portanCe. This great water highway De-
tween the Atlantic and the PACING oceans
was practically commenced on May 4,
1904 when the United States took controI
of the canal region. 1t is now nine-tenths
completed, and will have cost approx
Inately 500, 100000 when the great locks
are opened to ocean traffic during the
latter half of 1913
Immense Office Building.
In point Of unique construction, the
new Woolworth Building now nearly
Completcd in New York City perhaps
ra5.9s next. This structure, rising sheer
-, feet from the street level, has the dis
tinction OF being the tallest habitable
building in the world. 1t is alone sur
passed in height by the Eiffel Tower
Paris. France, which is $50 feet hlSh' out
is nothing more than web work or steer.
The Woolworth Building has cost about
SI4,OOO,OOO 1t weighs about 100000 tons,
and will have a floor space suitable for
Office use of twenty-three acres.
Aside from its unique features, how
ever. the New York project that most
closely approaches the building of the
Panama Canal in magnitude Is the
construction of the immense reservoir
and aqueduct through which the city OF
New York will in 1880 be provided with
fresh water Work on the reservoir was
commenced practically on June 3, 800
\ wear and a half later the actual build
ing OF the reservoir began in earnest.
The reservoir is located in the heart
# the Catskills, III miles from New YORK.
Here a monster dam. known as the
Ahokan Dam, has been constructed be-
tween two mountains TO form lake l'S9S
n,
water TO the city. This dam is over -eJ
feet in height at its highest part.
To connect this reservoir with the city
filtration plant an aqueduCt III miles in
length is under construction. This tun-
mel pierces mountains. dives under the
Hudson River at Storm King Mountain
and will conduct the new water supply
to the city by force of gravity. 1t Is es-
rimatcd that 5OO.OOOOOO gallons of water
tod 80 he. oft
tho plant is in working order. The cost
will approximate $l62,OO0OJO.
Scarcely of less interest is the work OF
widening the historic Erie Canal so that
il will be suitable for the transportation
Of barges. This work was sanctioned by
popular vote in 1908 and when completed
it will be liz feet deep and 70 feet wide
at the bottom. This will allow the trans
portation of barges @ % times larger than
those used when the canal was first dug.
The original canal was dredged in 1884
at a cost of 5000. 600 the improvements
now under way will cost $1Ol, 100000. No
definite date has been set for their COM
plction.
Big Subway Project.
The new subways projected by the New
York city public service commission and
already under construction will place this
city with the leaders of the world in the
matter Of underground transit. The total
cost Of this new project will be S27I,lS6 900
Hand in hand with the subways so the
elevated roads. for in hilly territory like
Manhattan and Brooklyn a road that
starts as a subway in one place may be
an elevated road farther away.
The total number or miles of elevated
and subway traCkage in the city at pres
ent is IT79 miles. When the new jobs are
finished there will be 1854 miles of sub
way and elevated tracks.
No complete summary of the irrigation
project Of the United States Government
can be given. II is interesting to note,
however that as long ago as 1907 Uncle
Sam was spending $l,OOO,OOO per month in
the desert The precise sum that he Is
spending in waste land now is not to
hand. but it is very much greater and
has been estimated at $2OOO,O00. 1rriga-
ton projects have been approved by the
government which aggregate more than
$1,000. 900, 600.
Last. but not least is the construction
OF the Grand Central Terminal in the
city Of New York. This terminal, which
is rapidly nearing completion, has a to-
tai area Of seventy-nine acres and takes
care of the multiplied traffic of the New
York Central and it's allied lines by a
system of levels" admitting their trains
to the station at different depths. The