From the Kearney Files
Sydney 28th December 1921
HARBOUR TUBE SCHEME
Mr. H. W. Booth, representing the Kearney High Speed Railway Company, Ltd. (England), writes :--
Mr. J. Davis consulting engineer to the New South Wales Government in London. Caused a statement to be published to the effect that he had not seen Mr. Chalmers Kearney since I came to Australia as his representative.
I referred the matter to Mr. Kearney, and I am now in receipt of a copy of a letter he wrote to Mr Davis. I shall esteem it a favour if you will give publicity to this letter equal to that accorded to the one referred to, so as to project Mr. Kearney's interest, and for the enlightenment of the public. The letter is as follows :--
100 Victoria Street,
S. W. 1,
London, 17th November 1921.
Dear Mr. Davis, ---
I do not know whether you are aware of it but your "private" letters to Mr Bradfield have been published in the Sydney newspapers, and the most astonishing statement is the one in which you deny having seen me since my representative went to Australia. Permit me to remind you that in addition to seeing me a number of times at your own office, you have been to see me twice at my workshops, and at least once at my office.
The first time you came To my workshop and saw the working model you said quite spontaneously: "it (the Kearney system) would be just the thing for a tube from Circular Quay to Milson's Point.
On your own suggestion and recommendation, I prepare a scheme for such a tube, and the exact route was selected by you, as well as the precise locations of the stations. When I submitted the first draft for your criticism, your words to me were : "It is Avery good scheme." Later on, when the final plan was completed, you called at my office to approve of it before it was sent to Mr. Booth, and again you also said that " such a tube would be if valuable means of crossing the harbour," and that ,"the building of the bridge would make little difference to its value, because it could deal with traffic in a way impossible with a high level bridge."
In addition to making numerous appreciative remarks you said you were recommending it to Mr. Bradfield, and you promised to do everything you could to help me. You even said you would advise that I be invited to go to Sydney with the working model. In short, you were the father and godfather of the project.
Yours truly
(Signed) Chalmers Kearney.
In view of the dissolution of Parliament, and the consequent delay in the passing of the North Shore Bridge Bill, together with the vital necessity of connecting the two sides of the harbour at an early a date as possible, arrangements are being completed to bring Mr. Kearney with his working model to connect Circular Quay to Milson's Point. This work can be done at a cost of £750,000 and can be completed in about 18 months after commencement.
Sydney 28th December 1921
HARBOUR TUBE SCHEME
Mr. H. W. Booth, representing the Kearney High Speed Railway Company, Ltd. (England), writes :--
Mr. J. Davis consulting engineer to the New South Wales Government in London. Caused a statement to be published to the effect that he had not seen Mr. Chalmers Kearney since I came to Australia as his representative.
I referred the matter to Mr. Kearney, and I am now in receipt of a copy of a letter he wrote to Mr Davis. I shall esteem it a favour if you will give publicity to this letter equal to that accorded to the one referred to, so as to project Mr. Kearney's interest, and for the enlightenment of the public. The letter is as follows :--
100 Victoria Street,
S. W. 1,
London, 17th November 1921.
Dear Mr. Davis, ---
I do not know whether you are aware of it but your "private" letters to Mr Bradfield have been published in the Sydney newspapers, and the most astonishing statement is the one in which you deny having seen me since my representative went to Australia. Permit me to remind you that in addition to seeing me a number of times at your own office, you have been to see me twice at my workshops, and at least once at my office.
The first time you came To my workshop and saw the working model you said quite spontaneously: "it (the Kearney system) would be just the thing for a tube from Circular Quay to Milson's Point.
On your own suggestion and recommendation, I prepare a scheme for such a tube, and the exact route was selected by you, as well as the precise locations of the stations. When I submitted the first draft for your criticism, your words to me were : "It is Avery good scheme." Later on, when the final plan was completed, you called at my office to approve of it before it was sent to Mr. Booth, and again you also said that " such a tube would be if valuable means of crossing the harbour," and that ,"the building of the bridge would make little difference to its value, because it could deal with traffic in a way impossible with a high level bridge."
In addition to making numerous appreciative remarks you said you were recommending it to Mr. Bradfield, and you promised to do everything you could to help me. You even said you would advise that I be invited to go to Sydney with the working model. In short, you were the father and godfather of the project.
Yours truly
(Signed) Chalmers Kearney.
In view of the dissolution of Parliament, and the consequent delay in the passing of the North Shore Bridge Bill, together with the vital necessity of connecting the two sides of the harbour at an early a date as possible, arrangements are being completed to bring Mr. Kearney with his working model to connect Circular Quay to Milson's Point. This work can be done at a cost of £750,000 and can be completed in about 18 months after commencement.
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