MOVING WEST SIDE WALL TO WIDEN SUBWAY FOR THIRD TRACK—135TH STREET AND BROADWAY
SUBWAY THROUGH NEW "TIMES" BUILDING, SHOWING INDEPENDENT CONSTRUCTION—THE WORKMEN STAND ON FLOOR GIRDERS OF SUBWAY
COLUMNS OF HOTEL BELMONT, PASSING THROUGH SUBWAY AT 42D STREET AND PARK AVENUE
In a number of places it was necessary to underpin the columns of the elevated railways, and a variety of methods were adopted for the work. A typical example of the difficulties involved was afforded at the Manhattan Railway Elevated Station at Sixth Avenue and 42d Street. The stairways of this station were directly over the open excavation for the subway in the latter thoroughfare and were used by a large number of people. The work was done in the same manner at each of the four corners. Two narrow pits about 40 feet apart, were first sunk and their bottoms covered with concrete at the elevation of the floor of the subway. A trestle was built in each pit, and on these were placed a pair of 3-foot plate girders, one on each side of the elevated column, which was midway between the trestles. The column was then riveted to the girders and was thus held independent of its original foundations. Other pits were then sunk under the stairway and trestles built in them to support it. When this work was completed it was possible to carry out the remaining excavation without interfering with the elevated railway traffic.
At 64th Street and Broadway, also, the whole elevated railway had to be supported during construction. A temporary wooden bent was used to carry the elevated structure. The elevated columns were removed until the subway structure was completed at that point. (See photograph on [page 45].)