Evening star., 1927-10-23

One of the greatest engineering
feats OF modern times. the Holland
Fehicular Tunnel. running under the
Hudson River from Manhattan TO Jer-
sey City, Is to be thrown open to the
public November 13. No more will
motorists going to or coming from New
York be forced to wait In line at the
entrances of the Is. ferries which now
connect the metropolis with the Jer-
sey side of the river. Instead, they
will keep right on. and I'm less time
than it takes to walk from the back
of the White House grounds to the
base of the Washington Monument.
they will find themselves in the heart
of Manhattan.
Approximately $4,000, 900 automo.
biles and trucks every year will dive
into the twin tubes of the Holland
Tunnel under the Hudson River and
travel the $3.50 feet from shore to
shore in six minutes or less. Motor.
lists from Washington and nearby sec.
tions going to New York will find the
tunnel great convenience, both in
the matter of saving time, as we'll as
making the journey more pleasa mt.
through the elimination of the nerve
trying wait at the ferries across the
Hudson.
$i8.OOO,O 900 In Expense Fund.
In order to accomplish this marvel
of engineering skill, $4S. 900 900 have
been spent, according to Waldemar
kaemeffert. writing in the New York
Times. This money was appropria ted
by the States of New York and New
Jersey. Seven years have elapsed
since work on the tunnel was begun,
ND IF
vised the work two have died.
The name OF the first, the man un-
der whom actual work was begun and
who carried 1t almost to completion,
Clifford M. Holland. is hewn over the
stone entrance portals OF the two
tubes, last memorial to the genius
who directed the work from 1919 to
IVA. In the latter year, overcome by
the long hours he spent at his desk
and under the compressed air in the
tunnel itself, he succumbed.
Holland was but 36 years old at the
time he was placed in charge of the
work, but he long had been connected
with tunnel construction I'm New York
City. He graduated from Harvard in
1905 and by 1914 was in direct charge
of the construction of eight tunnels
under the East River at New York.
Milton III. Freeman, construction en-.
gineer, working with Holland on the
tunnel. succeeded the latter when he
died in 1924, but lived only a few
months after his appointment. Ole
Singstad, chosen by Holland as de.
signing engineer, was then placed in
charge OF the work and it was com.
pleted under his direction.
Skill and Courage Required.
Few motorists, with the exception
or those versed in the difficulty of
great engineering problems, will real.
ize, as they pass through the tunnel
the endless skill and courage required
to carry on the battle against the ele.
ments as it was waged underneath the
hudson River for some six years. To
the majority the tunnel will be a
means which enables them to get to
or from Manhattan Island in a more
convenient manner than by ferry.
When the Washington motorist for
the first time enters the southern
tube, passing from New Jersey to New
York. he will see what appears to be
an endless white-tiled cavern, brightly
Illuminated. At the left is a raised
sidewalk, intended chiefly for the traf.
nc police. Two endless lines of traffic
one. the speedier. composed of passen.
ger cars, the other comprising heavily
laden trucks--will be passing through
the tunnel, bound for New York CITY.
In the wall, close to the sidewalk and
at regular intervals, are inches where
traffic policemen stand. and overhead
are the signal lights, red and green.
There is also third light, one
which Is not lit. but which, If Inquiries
are made. will be found to be a light
commanding the engine to be stopped.
This light will flash only in case of
emergency. such as when the suction
pumps refuse to carry away the in.
sidious carbon monoxide fumes.
Tells How 1t Was Done"
The answer to the question "How
was 1T done?" reveals story Of deep.
est interest, not only to the engineer.
ing profession, but to the layman as
well. The method employed in boring
the two tubes has be N used time and
again in Europe and America, and is
known as the shield method. A shield
is short steel cylinder laade up OF
steel plates. the diameter of ~. cylin.
der being slightly larger thar that of
the tunnel lini1g. The north tube on
the New. Jersey side was borel with a
SHIELD 81 feet in diameter. The entire
south tube and the north tube on the
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