New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-13
MAYOR, in PERIL,
FREES WATER BORE
Live Wire Is Menace TO
Mitchell in AGueduct
Tunnel Trip.
BREAKS LAST ROCK
BARRIER BY "SHOl"
Blast Fired with Civic Party Far
Undergraduates TOR
Huge Feat.

In a chamber in the rock 40 feet below
the surface Of New Works streets Mayor
Mitchell threw a switch. which blasted OUT
the last barrie OF rock in the city tunne'
or the CatskiU aqueduct yesterday. with
this last wall down the passageway ot the
huge tunnel is clear from its start at the
Ashokan dam ia the Catskills TO Brook
lvn a distance Of ninety-two miles. With
q, q few wears 5oooooOo0 gallons Of water
will bc brought daily 10 New YORK Tor JUS
consumption.
shaft No Q AZ l50th street and St
Nicholas Place. was the point OF entry
for the Mayor and his party into the
rock tunnel A little more than so" 1ee'
from the foot Of the shaft AZ a Depth Oh
ebout ash feet was the rock partition
The turning OF a lever at the bottom Oh
the shaft. transmitting the electric cur
rent along wires 10 the pockets IN the
rocks where the dynamite was buried
Rambling gust which blew away two mats
and the official act Of opening the aQue-
duct was done.
While the Mayor was being helped into
the miniature train which was to carry
him 10 the scene Of the blasting, he mar
rowly escaped coming in contact with the
low strung trolley wire. He was saved
by a hasty cry Of warning. His nat
nearly brushed the wire
After touching off the blast the Mayor
and 80 invited guests were taken on
work trains TO the scene OF the explosion.
Then they were pushed, pulled and other-
wise transported across the several tons OF
debris which naturally blocked the opening
between the two parts OF the tunnel. and
were finally brought TO the street surface
again I'd Shaft No S, al 164th street.
While all this was taking place below
the city's streets. traffic was passing on
rhem. with no other knowledge OF the
subterreanean blasting than faint roar
and slight tremor.
Tnoflcialy. the connecting OF the two
sections Of the city tunnel. which is the
longest in the world, running more than
eighteen miles was done Saturday.
preliminary blast set off then insured the
completion OF the work. But the final
act in this part OF the work, which has
already cost more than $l29. co0OoD, was
left for Mayor Mitchell
The Mayor was taken down the shaft
on one Of the ordinary open elevators
suspended by single cable, used IN the
course OF excavation. With him were
r. 4. O. Smith. Charles Strauss. Charles
y. Chadwick and John r. Calvin, Henry
Bruere and other city officials
Welcome" in red, white and blue cleo
trio lights was suspended yer the switch
board which the Mayor was later TO use.
Mr. Strauss, president OF the Board OF
Water supply officially turned the tunnel
over to the Mayor. representing the City
Of New York. saying:
This is the greatest engineering feat OF
its kind ever performed, either In ancient
or modem times. When opened it will
give the city water supply OF go 10000
gallons daily and this can later be in
creased TO 7Oo0I 80 gallons. This will
give each individual in this city an al
lowance daily Of 100 gallons, the largest
allowance ever made
Il have followed the development Of
this project since its earliest Inception"
Mayor Mitchell said in response. 81 have
never known any work Of the sort car
ried through with better guidance or
more smocSaly ! believe the action Of
to-day Will lead 10 the completion Of the
entire plan in the reasonably near future.
I have never feared a water panic. This
enterprise however. puts any such fear
which may haze been held entirely out Of
discussion"