194 TUNNELING 



135th streets, where they will again pass into the tunnel under 

 and along the boulevard and Eleventh Ave. to a point about 

 1,350 ft. north of the center line of 190th St. There the tracks 

 will again emerge from the tunnel, and be carried on a viaduct 

 across and over private property to Elwood St., and over and 

 along Elwood St. to Kingsbridge St. to Kingsbridge Ave., 

 private property, the Harlem Ship Canal and Spuyten Duyvil 

 Creek, private property, Riverdale Ave., or 230th St. to a ter- 

 minus near Bailey Ave. That portion of the line from 96th 

 St. to the above mentioned terminus at Bailey Ave. will be 

 known as the West Side Line. 



The total length of the rapid transit road, including the 

 parts above and below the surface ground of the streets, as well 

 as both the East and West Side Lines, will be about 20 miles. 



Material Penetrated. The soil through which the road will 

 be excavated, according to numerous borings taken along the 

 line, will be a varied one. The lower portion of the road, or 

 the part including the loop around the Post-Office up to nearly 

 Fourth St., will be undoubtedly excavated through loose soil, 

 but from Fourth St. to the ends it will be excavated in rock. 

 The loose soil forming the southern part of Manhattan Island 

 is chiefly composed of clay, sand, and old rubbish a soil very 

 easy to excavate. There is no fear of any damage to the build- 

 ings along the line since, with the exception of the loop around 

 the Post-Office, no high buildings are met ; and i\t the loop the 

 underground road passes far above the plane of the foundations 

 of the high buildings fronting Park Row. Water will' be met 

 at some points, but not in such quantities as to be a serious 

 inconvenience, except, perhaps, in crossing Canal St., where the 

 meeting of a large body of water is expected. From Fourth St. 

 to the ends of both the east and west side lines, the soil will be 

 chiefly composed.of rock of gneissoid and mica-schistose char- 

 acter, these rocks prevailing nearly throughout the whole of 

 Manhattan Island. The rock, as a rule, will not be compact, 

 but will have seams and fissures, and at many points it will be 



