The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-28
BRIDGE OR TUNNEL
Major McClavs would Send Trasdc
Over, Not Under, the Hudson.

To THE Eprroa or TIE suN-Str' I
was very much surprised by the state
ment made by General Cocktails before
the Senate Interstate Commerce Com
mittse In Washington that the New York
and New Jersey Tunnel and Bridge Com
mission had decided in favor OF tunnel
and against a Hudson River bridge be-
cause of the menace of q bridge to navi-
CATION, and because in case OF bonn
bardment It would DO destroyed.
A. to Hudson River bridge being de-
stroyed in the manner to which he re-
fers he might have added that all OF the
East River bridges would or could be
also destroyed Nor does It appear that
the Brooklyn Bridge, which Is 1Sb feet
above water, and under which all navy
vessels must pnss to the Brooklyn navy
yard, Is n menace to navigation. Nor
does It appear that the Quebec Bridge or
the Firth Of Forth Bridge, which Is 100
feet above tho water, interferes with
navigation. and certainly a Hudson River
bridge with q clearance OF 40 feet and
with no centre pier would not DO
menaca.
There Is always a danger Of every
thing being destroyed, no matter what
It may be, even the tunnels under the
river. One way they could be destroyed,
and for which. believe, no engineer has
! been able 10 far TO provide remedy,
Is in the case of q vessel sinking directly
yer a tunnel. breaking It In two.
General Goethals advocates very
strongly the building Of this vehicular
tunnel between New York and Jersey
City, and yet I believs four expert en-
Eineers have stated that the ventllating
| OF such tunnel for such purpose from
an engineering point Of view is an I'M
possibility. That IL IL could be done II
would take $1,000 horsepower at $50
year q horsepower. or a total OF w.
$50. 900 a year. for Its ventilation alone,
and " the ventilatlng machinery should
stop for four minutes every human be-
ing in the tunnel. unless provided with
a gas mask, would be dead because OF
the monoxide gas. When We consider
what we have 90 often read. that the
escape OF this gas from one machine In
closed garage has killed the person
who started the engine going In very
| short while, we can imagine the amount
Of gas that would be generated in q
tunnel full Of motor cars and automo-
biles. The chances are that II tun-
mel at the point mentioned Is built for
the purpose intended it will be found inn
practicable for that purpose and trolley
cars will run through instead.
Unquestionably tunnel is needed al
the point suggested, but II should be
trolley car proposition and for horses
and wagons and foot passengers. and
not for automobiles and motor trucks
FOR the reason stated and for the further
reason tuat bridge would be OF no
benefit & that particular point; neither
would tunnel be as great benefit as
n bridge would be at Fffty-serenlh
street, which. as have stated before
would have eighteen times the capacity
OF pair OF tubes. and not only would
relieve the intolerable chaotic condition
at the ferries. where automobiles and
motor trucks are compelled to walt ir
double rows extending for blocks on both
sides OF the river for the opportunity
20 cross, but would care for all sorts
and kinds OF traffic. especially II con
nected with a marginal street elevated
railway with tracks connecting eacf
dock with warehouses on the opposite
sidA It would be, as Il should be called
a magnificent, useful and everlasting
memorial TO our brave boys OF the army
and navy who were instrumental II
bringing TO an end the great world war
and in addition 4 would be a gateway
to the national highway across the con
tinent having as its beginning the grea'
city OF New York and the beautiful Pail.
sades It's ending in far away Californis
at the Golden Gate.
Major s. woop McCLAvB-
NEw YoRK December %.