The construction was done under the following contracts:
_1._--The principal contract, dated June 21st, 1904, was with the New
York Contracting and Trucking Company, later assigned by that company
to the New York Contracting Company-Pennsylvania Terminal, for the
performance of the following works:
(_a_).--The excavation for and construction of a retaining wall in
Seventh Avenue, 31st Street, Ninth Avenue, and 33d Street.
(_b_).--Excavation over the area enclosed by the retaining wall.
(_c_).--The building of sewers and the laying of water and gas pipes.
(_d_).--The building of a timber trestle to support the surface of
Eighth Avenue between the south side of 31st Street and the north
side of 33d Street, and also the surface of 31st and 33d Streets
between Seventh and Ninth Avenues. This refers to the trestles left
in place on the completion of the work.
(_e_).--The building of a trestle and bridging from a point near the
west side of Tenth Avenue on the south side of 32d Street, westward
to the outer end of Pier No. 62, at the foot of 32d Street.
_2._--The second contract, dated February 10th, 1905, was with the New
York Contracting Company-Pennsylvania Terminal, for the excavation for
and construction of retaining walls for the Manhattan Terminal Power
Station, and the excavation of the area thus enclosed.
_3._--The third contract, dated October 2d, 1907, was with the New York
Contracting Company-Pennsylvania Terminal, for the construction of two
twin tunnels under Ninth Avenue, and other work incidental thereto.
Sewers and gas mains laid outside the area covered by the foregoing
contracts were constructed under the following agreements:
An agreement, dated August 9th, 1904, between the New York Contracting
Company-Pennsylvania Terminal, and the New Amsterdam Gas Company, for a
20-in. gas main from Seventh Avenue and 31st Street to 30th Street, and
thence to Ninth Avenue, the New Amsterdam Gas Company being remunerated
for the cost by the Tunnel Company.
A contract, dated August 24th, 1904, with the New York Contracting
Company-Pennsylvania Terminal, for the construction of sewers in Seventh
Avenue and in 32d and 33d Streets east of Seventh Avenue.
A contract, dated November 24th, 1908, with the New York Contracting
Company-Pennsylvania Terminal, for the construction of a 16-in. gas main
from Seventh Avenue and 32d Street to 34th Street, and thence to Eighth
Avenue.
All these contracts required that the excavated material be delivered on
board scows to be furnished by the company at the pier at the foot of
32d Street, North River. These scows were furnished and the material
was disposed of from that point by Henry Steers, Incorporated, under a
contract, dated August 9th, 1904, which called for the transportation to
and placing of all material so delivered in the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company's freight terminal at Greenville, N.Y.
The disposal of the excavated material was one of the principal features
of the work, and, under the above contract, material from those portions
of the Terminal site east of Seventh Avenue and west of Ninth Avenue,
and from all substructures work, was disposed of, as well as from the
constructions herein described. The problem differed from that presented
by the usual foundation excavations in New York City in magnitude only,
and the methods were not unusual, but were adaptations of the usual ones
to exceptionally large work.