Tuesday, April 14, 2020 – Fun with bridges, more on water, a childhood on the island

By admin

25TH EDITION OF

FROM THE ARCHIVES

TUESDAY,  APRIL 14, 2020

MASTER BRIDGE BUILDER RE- ASSEMBLES THE HELLGATE BRIDGE

HOW DO WE GET OUR WATER  PART V

THE SCHLETLIN FAMILY ON OUR ISLAND

How Do We Get Our Water?
Part V:
Our Water Tunnels

Bobbie Slonevsky

At the local end of our aqueducts and reservoirs are three humongous water tunnels. Water Tunnel No. 1, which stretches from the Hillview Reservoir in Yonkers down the West Side of Manhattan, across to the Lower East Side and into Brooklyn, was part of the original Catskill watershed construction. It was completed in 1917. Water Tunnel No. 2, also emanating from Hillview, descends through the East Bronx, under the East River and down through Queens and Brooklyn. It was opened in 1936. Water Tunnel No. 3, one of whose dig sites has been an iconic Roosevelt Island curiosity, is the single largest capital project ever undertaken by the city.

Begun in 1970, its purpose was only partially to expand our water supply; most important was to safeguard the existing supply. It offers distribution redundancy to Tunnels Nos. 1 and 2, neither of which has been maintained since they began service. They are so old, in fact, engineers have been fearful that once they close the ancient valves to shut the conduits down, they may not be able to open them again.

Nevertheless, inspection and repairs are on the way. Also beginning at Hillview, Stage 1 of No. 3 tunnel extends south through the Bronx, into Manhattan, across Central Park, eastward under the East River and Roosevelt Island into Astoria, Queens. It is concrete-lined and measures 24 feet, stepping down to 20 feet, in diameter. Stage 2 has two sections, also concrete-lined. One is situated to provide water to Queens and Brooklyn, hooking up with the Astoria tunnel on one end, and on the other end, with Staten Island’s previously constructed Richmond Tunnel. It’s diameter is 20 feet, stepping down to 16. The other section serves Manhattan and is 10 feet wide. There will also be Stages 3 and 4 (see schematic). When the total complex is complete, it will run for over 60 miles and will have cost more than $6 billion.

All three tunnels are constructed through bedrock—via blasting and drilling in the case of Nos. 1, 2 and stage one of No. 3, and via the newest technological innovation, giant boring machines, in the second stage of No. 3. Up to 50 feet long, these machines chip off sections of bedrock through the continuous rotation of a series of steel cutting tools. Now workers can excavate a 23-foot tunnel an average of 50 feet a day—twice the distance of previous methods and done much more quietly. Impressive! Right? But the tunnels alone are useless; they need to connect to an extensive grid of water mains and shafts. Tune in tomorrow for Part VI.

The story of the Schetlin family on Blackwell’s then Welfare island is being serialized this week on

FROM THE ARCHIVES

The first part today was originally published in the Main Street WIRE(c) in 2000.

VIEW FROM QUEENSBORO BRIDGE LOOKING AT GOLDWATER HOSPITAL
BERNIE OLSHAN

Bernie Olshan was a widely recognized and respected artist who won accolades from his peers and numerous prestigious awards over the course of his 70-plus year career. His crowning achievement as a professional artist was in 1997 when he was elected to the National Academy of Design. 
Bernie was as passionate as he was prolific. He was never without a pencil and sketchbook, ready to capture a random moment of inspiration. From Anonymous collector. Text Dr. Siskin (c)

EDITORIAL

On this bleak day, I think of a trip to Cambridge, England last year.  Another bridge to build!  

I have been hesitant to attack the story of Eleanor Schletlin and her family on the island.  We will continue telling her story this week. She wrote the story of her family and her island. It is great to have original source material to work with.

Bobbie Slonevsky continues with our water story. First it was going to be 3 parts, then 4. then 5 now 6. Maybe more?

Where has everyone gone?  If you are hunkering down near of far, send us a photo of your family.  Miss
kids in the lobby, halls, courtyard and playgrounds.

Secret find:  Someone strung up a hammock yesterday across the street and was swinging gently in the breeze.  The hammock is gone til the next nice day.

Judith Berdy
212-688-4836
917-744-3721
jbird134@aol.com

Text by Judith Berdy
Thanks to Bobbie Slonevsky for her dedication to Blackwell’s Almanac and the RIHS
Thanks to Deborah Dorff for maintaining our website
Edited by Melanie Colter and Dottie Jeffries