The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-29

piercing structure before the old build
ing on the site has been removed is
what is happening under the Victoria
Hotel, which covers the south side VI the
block on Twenty-scvcnih street, from
Fifth avenue to broadway only two
stories of the old hotel have been re-
moved yet half of the foundation on
which the new midtown giant n twenty
two story bnlding. will rest mas been
completed Several weeks after the
wreckers have removed the last traces
Of the famous old hotel the foundation
will be ready for the superstructure.
Never before in the history OF building
in this city or any other city has any
thing like II been attempted.
Up until this instance the process has
been to remove an old building entirely
before starting foundation work. Pits
were then sunk in the earth and for
about six months human groundhogs
labored far below the surface VI the city.
Six months could not he spared by the
Johnson Kahn syndicate, which bought
the property last year in a $4,000 900
trade with Lady papet. daughter Of
Paran Stevens. who built the hotel in
1879 after ne had made the Fifth Ave-
nue. Hotel great institution. because Of
the money involved. Until the new
building is erected the syndicate will
lose hundreds of dollars day in carry
ing charges. The new building. 20 be a
success, must not be finished out of a
renting season, or the loss to the syndi.
cate will be stll greater than II the old
hotel had been permitted Ia stand.
So the problem that confronted II
wa to get the new building finished as
near to a renting season ne possible. II
time could he saved on the foundation
the building would he ready To harvest
tenants next January. When fortune
10 at stake men are capable OF sur
mounting almost any obstacle. Many
engineering Representatives, have been
overcome under such driving power.
The problem was laid before the cngi-
neers Of the Undcrpinnng and Founda-
ton Company. They never had built a
foundation for new building while an
old one encumbercd the site But "A
fortune was in tho balance not only for
the realty mon but the company as
well. so the job was undertaken.
II Is about three weeks since q truck
nifty feet long and IL inches in diam
Motel was still doing business. The pipes
were slid through tho store window on
the Fifth avenue end of the building
and then through wide gap in the
floor down to the cellar Since then $40
such pipes have been slipped through
that hole INTO the collar The fashion
parade on Fifth avenue and the parade
on Broadway never suspected what was
-tl
nothing to indicate that an engineering
feat was being accomplished under their
feet.
Down In the dreary cellar Of the hotel
40 men. expert rock men, scetylene
torch welders, engineers and others.
have been az work both night and day
since the work began. The groundhogs
dig a hole about seven feet square and
maybe ten feet deep. When the pipe
comes down from the street Il lands end
wise In the hole. After being straight
ened and steaded a 5000 pound steam
hammer is fixed to the top of the pipe
or pile as the engineers Of the founda-
tion company call them. Word Is shouted
to the boiler room OF the old hotel and
the steam which used to heat and OPP
crate the old building is turned into the
steam manner. with the pounding of
the 5000 pound hammer, which strikes
a blow equal to 60 tons. the rumble o!
traffic in the street overhead and the
boom OF falling debris one finds himself
in new sort OF bedlam. But the work
goes on.
Forty-hye minutes after the steam
hammer starts to pound the pile has
been sunk TO rockbed. which at some
points in the site is fifty feet down
The piles are grouped in piers OF from
six to eleven piles, according to the
weight that the pier is expected to bear
There will be sixty-three of these piers
or legs on which the big building vii
rest. Each OF these piles is capable OF
holding 100 tons with safety. As Their,
will be ESQ piles, $4,000 tons may h,
placed in the building without fear OF It.
topping over into Broadway or Fifth
avenue. After a pile has reached bed
rock the steam hammer races, which 4.
an indication to tho engineer that tn,
pile can be driven no further
When pier Of piles has been driver
to rock the piles are cut with an acety
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