Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-07-22

bo,dne about ton of broken stone passed US
a, rand rate, drawn ON railway by one horse
and were speedily, and successfully hookeu. 40
The rope, and boosted to the top Of the pit. we
had not gone far ere an explosion bursting a.
long the whole vault, sensibly shook the very
rock on which we stood, and laundering on 10
the west, died gradually away. we were 'he'
under Hope street, and my conductor ih'ol"eu
me that he blast had taken place al Spot oe'
yond the mill a, Edgebill, the SOUND having
travelled part Of the way through smau 'un-
mel some distance above Us.
The principal ,ool used 10 excavatinS me
stone is the pick and we could now near u'S-
tinctly the sound o. numbers oil Them, cu'ih8
and kpecking with ccaseles activity. we pro,
ceeded to the eastward distance OF about ooo
yards, when we could perceive, graoudi'y
frightening in the smoke, as we advanced, me
numerous candles Of the workmen, who are
mostly engaged in scooping along the 'oP'
leaving a mass Of stone in the middle On which
10 stand, and which is afterwards removed
As we once before had occasion TO remark, the
candles seen through thu intermediate dafK>
ne IS, were not unlike lwinking stars OH g'oo.
my night; and the figures Of The men here ana
there illuminated by the lish, and Ringing
their brawny arms about, would have furnished
writer of romance with no bad idea oil some
in(err al opera ion going on under The direcuoh
Of the old gentleman himself.
Mounting on the mass Of free stone on
which the wo, kmen stood, we now entered a
small tunnel abou, four fee, in height, and tour
and a half in width, and in stopping posture
proceeded eastward We passed man IN a
little recess in the rock, thar he might keep his
candle burning, and be in safety from IN ex'
pecled explosion where he had just Tell the
workmcn-for the candles Of the whole parry
are frequently blown out by the rush OF me
air occ asioned by the blast. We had practi>
cal proof of this in few minutes, tor we hao
scarcely crcpt along so yards, ere tremendous
explosion shook The whole mass OF rock IN
which we were vending our way, and whlfed
out our TWO candles in an insianl-lea'lng us
in darkness. Our conductor soon found his
way beck 10 the man in the recess, and having
rfhghied the candles we again proceed q.
The masses Of rocks removed by these blasts
vary in weight, and may be averaged as from
sixteen to twenty IONS.
The small rnnnel through which we now
passed extends for abou hundred yards along
the roof, as it were nf the in ended large tun-
mel. A strong Current Of air rushes through II;
and a, one place quantity of straw was piled
wise frequently blow out, or waste the candles
Of the workmen Arrived at thr further end,
we again came TO tie part of the large tunnel,
where we the day before enjoyed our aquatic
excursion. To reach the water, now above
eight fert deep, we had to creep on a heap al
free stone ro k and sand, on our hands and
knees, close 10 The roof The spot IS 7ea''y
under the Female Pen tentiary, O. a lit ''rlow
il, on the left hand SIDE Of CRIB trce-iane. re
foa, being at The other end, we could not pro-
coed further TO The east, and returned by the
little tunnel
We now travelled towards the west, and,
passing The pit we had descended, reached the
extremity Of this part Of the main tunnel,
great zeal Of which is white washed, and looks
very dry and cheerful. In some places where
blush siaty soft stone was met with, and
where brick work was necessary, the water
still drops from The roof; but this will be gre at
ly rcmedied when the cement is laid on, and
will probably disappear when the tunnel is ems
trely opened out and the air has an unnter
rupted circulation through its whole extent.
FROM The te, mnation of the work at this point,
we found man driving auo her small tunnel
towards the men who are working their wy
eastward from the eye in White si.-We went
down this little tunnel, and 1t its extremity
and picku g,-although there was between US
mass Of solid rock Of perhaps thirty yards in
THO kness This remarkable fact gave rise 10
variety OF reflections; and we could not help
feeling pride in the assurance, that we lived
IN an aye wh-n science, ingenuity, and industry
surmouned obstacles 20 impro, ement which
would have appalled, our iurefathers, rendered
he very warning elements subservient 10 the
uses Of man, & enabled him c, en- 10 cut hi, way
for The convenience Of commerce under large
cities-,hrough ",he very bowels of The earth. :"
The tunnel, and the labour above ground
Immediately connected with it, give employ
men: 10 alb nt three hundred men. We have
not yet vsied that parl of il west Of White
street where il runs long distance under the
populous part Of the Town; but our guide in
formed MS that there the workmen were oblig
ed to proceed more cautiously than those
higher up, cutting away small portion only at
time, and throwing over that "a secure arch
before they proceed There, too, no blasting
of the Stone takes pia,r: TIE whole being spill,