WORLD’S FINEST AIR RAID SHELTER

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 85, 4 January 1941, Page 13

WORLD’S FINEST AIR RAID SHELTER

Vast System Of Chambers Under New York rockefeller centre The 'biggest, and most completely equipped potential air raid shelter in the world —better than any even dreamed of in Europe—is, unknown to millions of New Yorkers, right in the middle of Manhattan. It is the vast system of underground chambers and corridors extending below six city blocks that comprises the operations centre of the world’s largest skyscraper development, Rockefeller Centre, which houses the Associated Press, the National Broadcasting Company, the Radio City Music Hall, and thousands of smaller tenants. Here, further below ground than any bomb known could penetrate, and protected by the bulk of the buildings above, is a mass of engine rooms, workrooms, warehouses, loading platforms, and ramps capable of sheltering 55,000 persons. The labyrinth starts below the Centre’s underground shopping concourse, an'd goes down for four levels 70 feet below ground—below sea level in some places. A Complete Restaurant.

The space is ventilated, lighted and heated by self-contained machine units which supply the buildings above. It even contains a complete restaurant, tor building employees, in addition to several kitchens of restaurants' above. Besides these facilities there are carpentery shops, machine shops, paint shops and storerooms manned by hundreds of employees; Government bonded warehouses and vaults guarding millions of dollars worth of gems and watch movements.

There is little prospect that the underground city over will be used as an air raid shelter. Military experts have expressed doubt that an air raid on New York, if it ever were proved possible, would be of much avail, because of the modern stone-and-steel construction of most of the city—in contrast to London s many ancient buildings. There has been no move since the modern air raid menace appeared to alter the underground system tor emer-, gency use, and the Rockefeller offices will not discuss its possibilities as a shelter. . But it is there.