New-York tribune., 1915-09-30
Mayors Experts Go Over
Entire System and
Give Their o. X.
SEVENTH AVENUE
FACES LONG TlE-UP
Senator Thompson Blames p. 5.
c. for 3Sth Street Accident
Threatens Own Investigation.

which have been making inspections
since Saturdays cave-in at Broadway
and Thirty-eichth Street.-The Mayors
advisory committee, of which Nelson ?.
Lewis. chief engineer Of the Board Of
Estimate, is chairman.
The points where further safeguards
were recommended we're on whitehall
Street. in front OF the Custom House.
and at Eighteenth Street and Seventh
Avenue. Public Service Commission
engineers accompanied members Of the
MAYORS committee on It's inspection,
and orders were Immediately given the
contractors to remedy the conditions to
which attention was called.
There are now only three stretches
where Longitudinal traffic is prohibited
Broadway from Twenty-sixth to
Thirty-frst street; from Thirty
fourth TO Thirty-ninth street, and
Seventh avenue from Twenty-third to
Twenty-seventh street, in the neigh
borhood of the FIRST cavc-in OF last
week. Surface car traffic in Broadway
according to Travis II. Whitney, secre-
tarv Of the Pubic Service Commission,
Is likely TO be resumed before the end
of the week, and vehicular traffic few
davs later. 1t will be many days be-
fore cars are again allowed TO run con
tinuouslv along Seventh Avenue
Safe Now, Mayor Says.
A large squad Of workmen was busy
at the scene of the Thirty -elghth
Street cave-in yesterday, removing rock
from the excavation. Much OF TINS IS
Manhattan schst. a slide OF whlcn
caused the accident, and IS soft, but
blasts were necessary to break some
boulders. Al the gas and water pipes
have now been removed from the cut
and the laborers will be kept there
night and day tha; traffic may be re-
sumed as soon "a possible.
The Mayors committee reported yes
terday morning, naming the two places
where added brIcing was needed Inc
Mayor, commenting upon the lnspec-
ton. said crosstown traffic had already
been allowed over all but four streets
on Broadway and three on twenty
seventh Street.
"Generally speaking" he contin-
ucd. "thc engineers have covered all
the work in all the boroughs and found
conditions safe llatbush Avenue, for
example. is safe. But safe is relative
term. The places are safe as far as
reasonable care and foresight can make
them.
But in a work Of enormous magni-
tude which Is proceeding rapidly from
day TO day conditions constantly
change. Points which might be found
safe to-day may be unsafe tomorrow,
and points which are unsafe to-day
may be safe tomorrow. All that this
board can do is 20 make survey and
tell where additional safeguards must
be used Beyond this the engineers
are not expected 10 assume responsible
lity."
Visiting Experts Inspect Work.
Edmund s. Davis and Henry II.
Quimby, chief engineers Of the Boston
and Philadelphia subways, who were
called In by the Public Service Com
mission, finished their work yesterday.
II was originally expected TO have
committee of three men, but whei
BENJAMIN b. Thayer declined to oct
Yesterday tU6 CoiiUlSSlVh htNiHVN eh"N
as two had already done most OF the
investi eating, the entrance of third
would require much repetition and nn-
necessary labor.
Nr. Thayer told Chairman Edward
+. Mccall that he had just returned
from San Francisco, and found much
work had accomplished at his office.
As he finds 1t necessary TO be in Wash
ington for the first meeting OF Secro-
tary Daniels's Naval Advisory Bonrd,
he was forced 20 decline 20 serve as
member of the committee.
Accompanied by Robert Ridgeway
engineer of subway construction, Mr..
Davis and Mr.. Quimby visited the Sew
enth Avenue excavation north OF :he
first accident; then they proceeded TO
the diagonal station line at Forty-sec-
ond Street, where the present and TIC
new tubes are 10 connect; from there
thev went to Lexington Avenue and
Fortv-third Street, and Lexington Ave
nue and Forty-eighth Street. At the
latter place is "A siXty-foOt rock cut,
and the engineers noted particular V
how the rock was timbered TO support
the tunnel. They then went 20 Brook
lvn, where they travelled through the
cut-and-cover work on Flatbush Ave
me. from Dean Street TO Prospect
Park. This is being done by the Gran
ford company and the work visited IN
Manhattan by the Rapid Transit Sub
way Construction Company.
Thompson Blames Engineers.