The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-04
S|PHON AQUEDUCT
|. IS MANS GREATEST
Engineering FEAT
Carries New YOrk's Water
Supply for 92 Miles I'm
der Ground
CROSSING THE RIVER
WAS BIG PROBLEM
Cost. Two-thirds as Much as Panama
Canal But Must Be Paid for
By the Citizens of New
York City
by HOLLAND

Ersklne Olrott was president of the Amer
lean Institute of Mining Engineers at the
time when American engineers were con-
sdering various plans for carrying the
water assembled in the great Ashokan
reservoir in the Catskill mountain water
shed across the Hudson river to the aaue-
duct which was to be constructed on the
east bank of the river. He said at that
time to the writer that in his opinion the
engineers would adopt the siphun plan.
but he added: 1T will be stupendous un-
dertakng. and If it is accomplished will
identity the beginning of new epoch in
the science of engineering"
The sjphon plan was adopted and when
the gates are opened at the Ashokan dam
water will flow in stupendous volume to
great channel bored out of solid rock
to point on the west bank of the Hud-
son near West Point and then will de-
scend 1000 feet to tunnel excavated be-
meath the Hudson and by a law of phys
les or hydrostatics will ascend upon the
opposite side an equal distance, and then
flow on its course toward the great city
of New York.
President Olcott furthermore said that
while the purpose which was to be car
ried out in the construction of this aque-
duct system was of immediate interest
and Importance to New York city, so that
from this point of view the system is sim
ply of local consequence, nevertheless
from the point of view of engineering the
construction of the tunnel is of world inn
portance. and the success of the under
1,cff.o 70 ~. fl,nx III = 4I,,
capacity of American engineers to meet
and master new and very difficult prob
lens.
Mans Greatest Engineering Feat
That was the view recently taken by
Frank Trumbull, chairman of the board
of directors of the Chesa peake and Ohio
railway system. Mr.. Trumbull spent
some days on the Isthmus of Panama last
winter studying as man of science as
well as a practical railroad manager the
Panama canal construction. Admitting
as he did the stupendous engineering
achievements which have conquered the
obstacles nature set up on the isthmus,
Mr.. Trumbull was of the opinion that
from the point of view of science and
engineering the construction of the Cats
kill aqueduct is a greater achievement and
perhaps the greatest which the ingenuity
and intellect of man have ever COM
passed.
The late Gen. Edward w. Serrell, one of
the ablest of American engineers, civil
and military, who assisted in 1S4S in maxi
ing the survey for the Panama railroad,
and who was the chief engineer of the
Hoosac tunnel, was asked by the writer
shortly after Mr.. Olcott made the state
ment above quoted whether engineering
science had progressed so far that it
would be possible for tunnels to be bored
under Manhattan Island and under Long
Island the headings to meet 700 feet be-
meath the surface of the East river prac-
tically upon line. General Serrell said
that he had no doubt this achievement
was possible, but that it would have been
very difficult to accomplish 90 or 80
years ago. As chief engineer of the con-
struction of the Hoosac tunnel in Mas
sachusetts he was highly gratified when
the two borings, one from the east side
of the mountain and the other from the
west, met with a variation of less than
two inches. That was regarded at the
time as an extraordinary exploit of en-
gneerng, and the achievement added to
the laurels General Serrell had gained as
the engineer who constructed the first
bridge across the Niagara river, which he
built in 1850
These two borings, however, We're only
about two miles in length. The total bor-
ngs for the Catskill aqueduct are APP
proximately 92 miles in length, and in
Manhattan and Brooklyn they are about
700 feet beneath the surface.
An Engineering Triumph
On Saturday of last week the head
ings of the two tunnels met at a point
700 feet beneath the surface of the East
river and upon a line which If it We're
visible would divide the river into equal
halves. And so accurate and phenomenal
have been the plans of the engineers and
so faithful have been the contractors in
obeying these plans that the two headings
met with a difference of only about one
half of an inch. That is to say, they
met practically perfectly. In a short time
anyone adventurously inclined will be
able. If he gains permission, to- walk up
right the entire distances from the Asho-
kan dam to the terminal of the tunnel
in Brooklyn-a distance of 90 miles-al-
though, of course, he would be carried
down and then elevated up the great
shafts on the east and west sides of the
Hudson river.
From all points of view, this undertake
ing can be looked upon as the world S
greatest achievement in engineering
science, and from many points of view as
a unique and original achievement. The
gerat engineers of Europe have confessed
their interest in this work. They regard
| it as superior to that done by Caesars S
armies, by which pathway was made
beside the iron gates of the Danube: suA
periore also to the great aqueduct work
of the Romans, for that was all done
above the surface. Mountain climbing
railroads, especially those which have
surmounted the Andes in South America,
did not offer the difficulties or original
| problems which the construction of this
aqueduct system did. 1t is the/ longest
| tunnel boring in the world, 92 miles IN
| length 1t has been vital that the bor-
| ing be through solid rock, for earth,
| gravel or sand, no matter how strongly
| fortified, could not Withstand the tremen-
dous friction which the movement of this
| body of water will occasion. Parts of
the borings are to be lined with Portland
cement, behind which lies the everlasting
rock
| A Curious Coincidence
| The construction of this aqueduct will
directly and indirectly cost, according to
| present estimates about two-thirds as
much as the construction of the Panama
| canal. But whereas the people of the
United States pay for the Panama canal
/ the citizens of New York city must pay
for the Catskill aqueduct. The two works
were begun approximately about the same
time, and 1t is a curious coincidence that
| the gerat dam of the AshOkan reserves
! was closed so that the water might begin
| to accumulate within a few days of the
xx-ta 40 h 10 81 1af xva Tor.