Free Public Library of Jersey City

“ Immediately back of the head is the great crane, or 'erector,' which picks up the castings and holds them in place while they are bolted together. The entire work is carried on under air pressure which is made possible by placing in the mouth of the completed tunnel some distance in the rear of the shield a solid bulkhead in which are fitted and placed air-locks through which workmen and materials pass to the work at the shield. ”

“ McAdoo presented a plan for the completion of the single eighteen foot tunnel, which was to contain two tracks and be operated with narrow-gauge cars of special design, and was to run from the Lackawanna station in Hoboken, to a terminal at Ninth avenue and Christopher street, New York, and the New York and New Jersey Railroad Company was organized by him for this purpose in the early part of 1902, and he was elected President. ”

“ One of the greatest of these improvements was the invention and development of the shield system without which the construction of the present great submarine tunnels would have been impossible. In the construction of mountain tunnels such as those under the Alps and other rock tunnels, the principal difficulties encountered were the hardness of the rocks, the great length of tunnel, the lack of ventilation, etc. Tunnelling under water, however, is radically different. The mere excavation presents little trouble ”

“ The upper portion of the drum which extends backward over that portion of the tunnel tube which has been completed, known as the 'tail of the shield,' forms the protection for the men who are setting up the iron castings, ring by ring, and making the tunnel proper. ”

“ The tubes are about thirty feet apart.
The tunnel as originally planned was to have been a single tube from Hoboken to Christopher street and Ninth avenue, New York, a distance of two miles. The present system when finished will comprise about twenty miles of single track or ten miles of double track tunnels.
All the latest devices in the construction and operation of the system are used. The trains are run on the third rail system and the cars are made entirely of steel and are absolutely fire-proof. ”

“ Haskins began the construction of one of these tunnels in 1879, and built about 1800 feet of one tunnel. In 1882 his company failed. In 1890 the company was reorganized and the English contracting firm of S. Pearson & Sons undertook to build the tunnel to the foot of Morton street. After building 1800 feet additional the company again failed in 1892, leaving, at that time, 3600 feet of single tunnel constructed from the waterfront of Jersey City towards New York. This tunnel was eighteen feet in diameter, one-half brick and one-half iron. ”

“ The doors of the cars are operated by compressed air, and are automatically adjusted so that the electric signal to start the train cannot be given until every door is closed. There are also automatic devices for stopping the train in emergencies. ”

“ In March, 1799, the Common Council of New York established the rates of ferriage, which in view of the present fares seem
COPYRIGHT 1901, THEO. GUBLEMAN. JERSEY CITY
FIRST STEAM FERRY BOAT—1813. (After Drawings and Description by Robert Fulton.)
VIEW OF JERSEY CITY FERRY, ABOUT 1857. (From an Old Print.)
decidedly high. For example an ordinary foot passenger was charged 9 pence; a coach or covered wagon 8 shillings; a horse 1 shilling 9 pence. Almost everything that can be thought of is specified; thus a feather bed is rated at 6 pence; a common chair 1 penny; a mahogany chair 2 pence ”

“ McAdoo having been President of all the tunnel companies from the beginning.
Mr. Charles M. Jacobs has been chief engineer of construction from the beginning, and Mr. J. V. Davies, his partner, has been deputy chief engineer.
The men upon whom has chiefly rested the responsibility for the enterprise are Pliny Fisk and Wilbur C. Fisk (now Vice-President of the Hudson & Manhattan Railroad Company) both members of the firm of Harvey Fisk & Sons, bankers; Mr. ”