Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-04-17
THAMES TUNNEL.


This is one of the curiosi;ies of London
which every stranger visits. It's interest
arises not so much from any thing very
odd or striking in It's appca rance as from
the fact it exists. To cross a river the
world is in the habit of employing boats
or bridges; but here is brick arched
double roadway extending under the bed
of the river, and thus avoiding obstruction
to navigation as we'll as furnishing a Sc
cure passage to travel The project of
such a tunnel was put forward more than
half century ago, and extended progress
was made i: the work when the ground
broke through under the pressure of high
tides, and the scheme was reported i'm
practical But the present age does not
recognise impraciicabilitics.
The existing tunnel was projected by
Sir |. Brunei in 1928 1t is about two
miles below London Bridge, between Wap
ping and Rotherhihe The neighborhood
is commercial and populous. and bridge
would be too much in the way of vessels.
At the same time an incr ,ascd facility Of
communication between the two shores
was very much needed. A company was
formed and chartered in 1924 Mr. Bru-
ncl was appointed engineer. He began by
erecting substantial cylinder of brick
work 80 feet in diameter, 40 feet high and
3 feet thick, which was sunk en- masse into
the ground. Upon the top of the cylinder
was placed a steam engine for pumping out
water and excavatel earth. By this means
the cylinder was forced through a bed Of
quicksand, which had compelled the drift
makers formerly 10 suspend their work.
The shaft having been sunk to the depth of
IS feet, another smaller one, % feet in di-
ameter, was also sunk from this lower lev
er as a reservoir for the drainage of water.
The excavation was commenced, then, al
the depth of 63 feet. Apowcrful iron APP
aratus was used called shield 1T con-
sisted of IL great frames, lying close to
each other, like so many volumes on the
shelf of bookcase. These frames were
22 feet high and 3 feet broad They were
each divided into three stages or stories,
thus presenting 81 chambers or cells for
the workman by whom the ground was cut
down and secured in front, and the brick
layers by whom the structure was stimuli
taneously formed
The shield was placed in position at the
bottom of the shaft January LIST, 1896
The progress of the work was of course
slow. 1t was necessary to proceed eau
tiously and to secure every foot advanced.
With river running above, it was only
prudent to keep good watch below. The
first impediment came early. On the 25
January the stratum of clay thro' which
the excavation had been worked broke off
suddenly, leaving the shield for upwards
of six weeks open to considerable influx
Oh Eilu Wdsct, WHICH, llONcd liOfll a. Ocu VI |
sand and gravel that was saturated anew
at each rise Of the tide. This difficulty |
having been overcome, the work proceed
ed and on the 3Oth of April, 1897, the
tunnel had extended 400 feet under the
river. The next month, and again in the
following January, the river broke in, and
six men were drown, Mr.. Bunnel, jr., hav
ing been carried by the rush of water up
the shaft. Great apprehension was now |
felt for the success of the enterprise
Hundred of plans were offered for filling
up the cavity to prevent future accidents.
But the chasms in the bed of the river
were filed by bags of clay, and when the
tunnel was cleared Of water the structure
was found uninjured. The work, howev-
err, was suspended for want of funds for
seven years.
"Oher great spcculations have been nurscd
Till want of proceeds laid them on the shelf;
But thy concern was at the worst
When il began 70 li1u'l,tc itselc"