Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-08
-RUCTING A SUBWAY SYSTEM
ny FREDERIC j. HAsil1N.

property owners that such precautfon
is necessary aud in this event the
engineer is compelled Ia call the build
ing UNSAFE and !nsis, upon tho vacat-
ing OF the tenants When the matter
Of the foundations is absolutely set
tied. the first shaft Is dug
Ia planning this subway project in
20. the work was divided into sec
tlons. varying from $50 feet 10 1850
feet In length. a bid was requested
Tor eHch section, SO that complete
working force, including contracting
engineers. foreman labor. ctc.. is re-
CURED for each part of the syBten,.
The foundation secure. tho first s;cp
lis TO tear up the street remove the
complicated layers of water pipes gns-
pipes. sewers. electric wiring, etc and
dig SHAFT fourteen feet deep Then
the street Ia covered with q temporary
paving Of wide board. supported from,
beneath hv heavy columns. During this
ir1e ten tons is the heaviest load per-
United transportation ou the street
The tunnciiing then commences. drill
ing with compressed air. dynamiting
the rocks and removing carloads OF
dirt which is either used 10 nli In a
completed section further up Tho street
'or dumped into IN. river As the
tunnel is cleared the steel Orders are
built into place AMI coucretcd In with
concrete walls and ceiling
Ventilation Now Important.
Thus the subway gradually grows
into finished structure. ranging from
twcnty-e!Sht to thirty-ciaht feet deep
except when it's coursc lies under a
r.ver. and then 4; is nftyafve feet
below the surface. Finally the tracks
are laid, and tho tile stations bnilt:
tho stores fronting on the subway sta
tons provide their underground en-
frances ana display windows just ~
on the street surface. The last ques-
ton demanding the attention or the
engineer is the vcntilating system. This
has always been given sCant thought
In the past. hu; in the present subway
system IL is creating great deal Of
discussion u is planned to have street
vcntilators OF Iron grating placed over
deep holes which will penetrate 10 rho
subway underneath, thus admitting air
from the street above. This is all
very we'll for the subway. bu, the
pedestrians who have 20 walk over the
vcntilators several times 8 day are not
quite so enthusiastic about H. i gives
one rather peculiar sensation to stand
on thirty feet Of space, supported mere
ly by an iron grating. however robust
and safe. This feature Of the vcntila-
tor has been strenuously opposed by
several department stores and hotel
cafes which have refused 10 permit
ventilators TO be placed on their side
walks owing 20 the antipathy people
have 10 walking over them II has
been pointed out by these sources that
the yentilaiors will prove only one
more means OF corgestinG traffic. "a
everybody Will Insist upon walking
around them.
While a big portion Of the work has
been completed. II viii require many
months and maybe years before the
whole system is finished. Recently the
contractors have encountered difficult
ties. Steel is scarce, owing 10 the
European War, is also Immigrant,
labor. a man whose unskiilcd labor
formerly cost 81 30 Il day has increased
his price 100 per cent and even then
he is not as good as his predecessor.
In addition to these difficulties, comes
now the call for militia on the Next
can border and the subway forces are
reduced by many valuable engineers
who have donmed their khaki and en-
tered Uncle Sans service It is TO he
said in favor of the Public Service
Commission of New York that il has
applauded the choice of these men de-
spite the fact that ii can il-afford to
lose them.