New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-21
Valuable Work of Bureau
Of Design and Survey
of Manhattan.
UNDERGROUND N. Y.
SURVEYED AT LAST
oscords Already Relate TO $780,.
OOO Linear Feet of Earth
Beneath the Streets.

md New York was mystery TO en-
s..ssrs and 10 laymen alike.
rs,b few exceptions no reliable sub
.s,os data have existed in the records
-. various city departments or in the
g,.. ~ the public service corporations OPP
...,ire under the city streets.
rvcayatons for the construction Of
,,s or water mains usually uncov-
- nine lines Of private corporations.
18th were forced to give the right Of
way to the city
The service corporations interested in
49,. mains. electrical Conduits and ether
snbs,rpctures we're obliged to dig test
~. along the proposed lire of each JOB
- determine definite locations for new
installations.
The cumulative effect was a decidedly
Unstable condition. both from the point Of
ri.u of the city and of the corporations.
r,a streets were in state Of upheaval
-,os, of the time. and the pavements. as
. natural sequence, in most deplorable
condition
The gross area annually of pavement
,,,,ilation through excavations in this
nI,y was great enough TO pave a strip
,bIrtv feet wide from the Battery to
spuy;en Duyyil'
president McAneny. early in his admin
Iteration. realized that radical steps must
10 taken 10 remedy a matter so vital to
the interests Of the borough. After an
Irvastigation Of the various Offices under
his Jurisdiction he instituted number Of
,storms which eliminated in the forma-
finn OF the Bureau of Design and Survey
4, 1911 and made possible the organiza-
,or within this bureau Of a division of
substructureS.
The functions Of this division are the
accumulation Of all information obtainable
nv means Of surveys and investigations
within the department and through CO.
oneration with other city Offices and pub
lie service corporations relative TO the
size. location and character Of existing
structures under the streets Of this Dor
ough and the preparation Of record maps
upon which these data are accurately
plotted
Through this work the bureau of de-
sign and survey proposes TO reduce pave
ment mutations 10 an absolute mini
mum. to assign definite locations for
future underground construction in such
a manner that existing structures Will
not be disturbed and TO furnish reliable
information regarding substructures to
the other departments. corporations ana
individuals seeking underground space
for their installation.
The majority Of citizens have no con-
ception Of the number and variety OF
structures under the city streets. Some
idea Of the difficulties encountered in TINS
work can be realized when it is known
that many OF the blocks downtown con
tain sewers, low pressure water mains
high pressure fire service mains, gas
mains, high tension and low tension cleo
tric cables in separate conduits. steam
mains, salt water pipes, pneumatic maii
tubes. subways, tunnels, vaults and street
railway construction.
The bureau engineers, after carefu'
study OF conditions selected that por-
ton OF Manhattan Island between Grand
street and the Battery as the district re-
curing immediate attention because OF
the absolute lack OF definite information
regarding underground construction. IN
this section particularly all departments
and corporations interested in the loca-
tons OF existing substructUres and firms
or individuals applying to the Board OF
Estimate for subsurface franchises were
obliged 10 make the rounds OF all the
various departments and offices scattered
throughout the borough. a week OF more
was often required to compile Information
for each investigation. 1t was not I'M
usual 10 discover later that the data col
lected were unreliable; in fact, construc-
ton almost invariably proved that only
about q per cent could be used Win
safety.
The advantage of complete and sccu-
rate records on file in a public ONCE
where they could be consulted by any
citizen was so evident that all depart
ments and corporations extended the bu-
reau OF Design and Survey every courtesy
in the compiling of reliable data, and
gave without question full and free &C
cess TO all information under their con-
troll
Because Of this cooperation the bu-
reau has been enabled to carry on the
work far more rapidly than was anuci-
pated
II began operations about two years
ego, has struggled along under the handi-
cap Of a small force, and in spite OF
many difficulties has thoroughly investi-
gated, carefully surveyed, and accurately
mapped all the streets in the Borough
Of Manhattan from the Battery to Fdl-
ton street II is now in position TO dis-
pense reliable surface and suosuriace
data for approximately 100000 linear feet
Of underground construction within the
district mentioned.
As the decided benefit Of the data on
file in this bureau is not as yet genera4S
known, it may not be amiss to mention
few Of the varied interests to when II
is of undoubted value
To the city departments in charge Il
sewers and water supply and to the pub
lie service corporations interested in gas
mains. electric conduits. etc, the bureau
is in a position TO state definitely where
available space can be found for the in
stsllation Of new lines or for extensions
TO or engagements OF existing lines.
To the street railway companies il
shows where new surface tracks CT
changes to existing tracks can be placed
most economically.
To the engineer. city surveyor and
builder it gives accurately the under
ground data required upon plans to be
filed with the Building or Tenement
House Department.
To the title companies property owner