New York and Long Island Railroad (Tunnel)

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In 1891 William invested in the New York and Long Island Railroad Company, organized to build a railroad tunnel connecting Long Island City and Manhattan. He became a majority shareholder and was known as the leader of the enterprise. A few months after construction began a dynamite explosion that killed five and injured more than 20 occurred on December 28, 1892, delaying the project. Hopes to resume the project lingered but when William died in 1896 the tunnel was still unbuilt. William's dream was finally realized in 1907 when the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) finished construction and the tunnel was officially opened.

The New York and Long Island Railroad Company was organized to build a railroad tunnel connecting the New York Central Railroad in Manhattan to the Long Island Railroad at Hunter's Point in Long Island City. William invested in the company when a second call for capital was announced. Long Island City granted the franchise on October 20, 1891(6)(7), and William became vice president of the company the next day.(Diary, 1891-10-21) His son-in-law Louis von Bernuth was elected a Director. William learned that there was a legal problem with the construction of the tunnel, (Diary, 1892-01-29) but the issue was resolved on May 19 when the governor signed a bill "allowing companies incorporated under the statute of 1850 to build tunnels."(3) From the beginning he considered the enterprise to be a "vast benefit for St+S. and especially my lands in Queens County."(Diary, 1895-11-01) He was a majority shareholder and known as the leader of the project.(4, p. 163-64)(5)

Ground-breaking for construction began in June 1892 in Long Island City. A few months later on December 28, 1892 the project came to a halt when there was a huge dynamite explosion that killed five and injured more than 20 people. After the explosion, when newspapers claimed he was president of the company, he was quick to issue a correction.(Diary, 1892-12-28)(2) At the inquest the jury ruling on the tragedy was unable to determine a specific cause for the explosion.(1) Following years of inaction the construction company became insolvent, and William reported a movement to appoint a receiver for the New York and Long Island Railroad Company. (Diary, 1896-01-08) After William died in November 1896 his heirs (in 1905) sold his 425 shares in the company for $92,694.(6)(7) In 1905 the Interborough Rapid Transit Company resumed construction of the tunnel and completed work 26 months later. Official opening of the tunnel occurred on September 24, 1907, when the Mayor and other dignitaries attended and celebrated afterwards with dinner at the Belmont Hotel. William's dream finally had been realized, and the newer constructions are often referred to as the "Steinway Tunnels."(4, p. 168)(5)
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Sources:
1. "Due to "Unforeseen Circumstances," The New York Times," February 3, 1893, p. 2.
2. "Five Killed by Dynamite," The New York Times, December 29, 1892, p. 1.
3. "Gov. Flower at Work," The Sun, May 20, 1892, p. 7.
4. Hood, Clifton. 722 Miles. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993.
5. Rogoff, David. "The Steinway Tunnels." Electric Railroads, Issue #29, April 1960, Electric Railroader's Association.
6. Steinway, Henry Ziegler. "Tunnel under East River." Notes on file with Steinway Diary Project. National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. April 1, 1985.
7. "William Steinway's Estate," The New York Times, February 3, 1904, p. 16.

For additional information about the tunnel and the New York Subway go to:

http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/seven-year-struggle-build-new-yorks-subway