CHICAGO'S UNIQUE RAILWAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 93, 17 October 1906, Page 3

CHICAGO'S UNIQUE RAILWAY.

FORTY-FIVE MILES OF TUNNELS. A TRAFFIC PROBLEM SOLVED. Chicago hag paved the way for the solution of the congested street traffic problem, in large cities by the inauguration of a tunnel system for the transportation of freight and mails. This enterprise, which has required an outlay of about £6,000,000, and has just been placed in operation, is regarded (says the London Tribune) as a forerunner of improvements whicb must in time be made by London, New York, and other great municipalities in. which- the congestion of traffic is growing greater and greater. The principle involved! in this enterprise may be set forth best, perhaps, by quoting Mr. Albert G. Wheeler, president of the Illinois Tunnel Company, which constructed the Chicago subway system : "Chicago is giving practical expression to the unique idea of keeping its street for the inhabitants and forcing its freight traffic into subterranean tunnels. It is doing just the opposite of other large cities, which shove their people underground and keep the open-air streets for teaming." HUGE FREIGHT TONNAGE. Owing to topographical conditions, Chicago's foeight traffic has been a more difficult problem to deal with than the passenger. With not fewer than twentyfive trunk lines or railroads running into the city, Chicago's iroight tonnage is enormous, and this is all located within a comparatively small territory. Within this district — not more than one mile and a half square — teamsters' trucks have constantly blocked the way, and _ have caused such congestion that busines-s has often been paralysed for hours at a time. The conditions became so bad that action had to b» taken without delay. Tho leadership in the solution of the problem was taken by Mr. Wheeler, who at first acted surreptitiously. He started with the ostensible plan of building a series of tunnels to carry the wires and cables of tho Illinois Telegraph and Telephone Company. Chicago suddenly found one day that the network of tubes "'was designed for a broader purpose. The Illinois Telegraph and Telephone Company was absorbed by the Illinois Tunnel Company, which is controlled by the leading railroads entering Chicago. INTOLERABLE CONGESTION - ENDED. It then became known that vast business interests were termined to end, if - possible, the intolerable congestion and! also the constantly-Tecurring teamsters' strikes, with scenes of violence and interruptions of business. Without noise, dirt, smoke, or the sl.ghtest delay to traffic, the central district of Chicago has been honeycombed with tunnels built of concrete. Forty -five miles have been completed after five 'years' work, and most of the dirt taken out has been removed at night through inconspicuous backyard shafts. No streets, with one or two exceptions, betrayed the slightest evidence that this big enterprise was being pushed. The consequence was that (Jhicago was amazed at learning that withm a year afteT the work had been begun about twelve miles of tunnel had been bored. The tunnel system passes through a deep bed of cay, which largely accounts for the rapidity of construction. The pneumatio system was used in tho work more for protection against labour troubles than, for other reasons. TWO TYPES OF TUNNEL. The subway system has been constructed in; two sizes. Below the pir.ncipal streets are the main lines, which are lift 24in in width, and 12ft 61n in height. Below the intersecting streets are the branch, lines, which are 6ft in width and 7ft 6in in height. In other words, the tunnels are of tiro distinct types — trunk tunnels and j .lateral conduits'. The former follow the main routes of freight traffic, and the latter Tun out to the ltss important parts of ; tho city. All of tho great freight stations, of the railways ore tapped. The subway freight cars run from the shafts in the gieat mercantile houses to tho railway yards, the approaches to the latter being on an incline. The steepest grade in the tunnels is 1.75 per cent, and tho grades at the railway terminals do not exceed 12 per cent.. The track of the subway system is 2fp gauge laid with 561b T rails fastened by bolted clumps to cast-iTon chairs embedded' in the concrete floor of the tunnel. Part of the system ds overhead electric, while the rest is the third-rail traction. The cars and engines are of special design. The box-froight cars are 4ft wide, and stand 65in above the rail. Each car is 10ft long, with a weight capacity of 30,0001b. They are of iron and steel construction, witu double trucks and eight wheels, and are what is known as combination cars,, which can be used either as a flat 1 type or box-car. Although of narrow size, they are built to accommodate almost any kind of freight, with doors wide enough to pass anything through that the ordinary type of box-<sai can receive. The engines are of the class used • in mine haulage. While Chicago has commited itself to the underground freight traflic system, it has not entirely decided that it will never need underground railroads for the accommodation of passengers. Indeed, in the contract for building the freight tunnels the city protected itself by specifying that at no point should the top of the tunnel system come nearer than 26ft 6in to the 6treet surface. This part of the contract was made for the specifics purpose of leaving room foT a subway passenger system. The tunnels have been designed to handle nearly, or quite, all of the freight traffic of the great business district, and also the enormous quantities of coal, building materials, ashes, and garbage from the giant office buildings. It is roughly estimated that nearly 500,00 tons of freight, coal, and ashes must be handled every week within the narrow district.- To -move this enormous amount 30,000 to 40,000 horse® would be required, and the work would have to go on continuously every day in the- week. The removal of . this number of dTay animals and carts from the streets of I Chicago will afford a- relief to the conges- , tion of the streets tnat will immediately improve real estate values in the entire region covered 1 by the subway system. From a sanitary point of view the change will be of inestimable value. The streets 'will be kept cleaner at less expense, and wilJ require fewer repairs. MAILS TRANSPORTED UNDERGROUND. The subway system has also solved the problem of transporting the mails, for the- distribution of them from one station to another by underground trains will not only relieve the streets of large traffic, but will increase the prompt delivery of letters. To tho merchants the construction of the subway will mean the saving of million* of dollars yearly, as it will relievo them of the expensive trucking system. It is estimated that the Chicago business houses have been paying 50,000,000 dollars yearly for teaming to and from the irairroad stations. The franchise under which the Illinois Tunnel Company constructed and is'operating the subways is- especially favourable to the city. It i« provided that the company Bhall have the right to construct and operate for twenty-six years tunnels for the transmission of freight and parcels, as well as for a telephone business. At the end of that period the subways are to become the absolute property of the city, free from all liens and encumborancea-.