Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-11-26
From the Western Railroad aasetts
Thc'H Lake Tu1ue, nj z,hfcoro.

Snc Lake Eu0ue1 mt Chicago.
A few days since, in company with my
friend, 0. j. Rose, Esq, one Of the Board of
Puhlic Works Commissioners, visited the
Lake Tunnel, now in course Of construction,
and, icing much pleased with what / have
seen OF the interior arrangement and adsp-
liability to its requirements, feel like Civ
ing your readers little information In No
gard to this great public work. On arriv-
ing at the grounds, located Immediately |
east of the Water Works, we entered q low |
and roughly-constructed building, in which |
the machinery for the construction of the
tunnel is placed, consisting Of q steam en-
gine, large upright tubular boiler, miners |
| tools, etc.
We here found one of the contractors su-
pc,intendents, Mr.. Edward Offermap, Jr.,
| who not only gave the desired permission
to examine the work, but accompanied us
on our underground mission. Stopping the
dirt car on i:s next descent, we got aboard
and were gently yet swiftly let down the
perpendicular shaft TO the month OF the tun-
mel, some eighty feet from the surface where
the car with its living freight was seized
from behind by two stalwart men, who with
powerful chests and brawny muscle, pro-
PEELED us rapidly on two parallel rails to
the tarthest end of the tunnel--theu eight
hundred and ten feet in length from the
mouth. The noise made 10y the rapid mo-
ton of The car sounded in our ears like dis
tant thunder. The novelty Of the situation
can best be imagined by the reader, when l
state that we were then eighty feet below
the surface of the ground, and some hun
dreds OF feet in an easterly direction beneath
the blue waters of old Lake Michigan, thick
darkness surrounding us partially dspelled
by the light of tiny oil lamp, carried by
the men who propelled-us along.
On arriving at the extreme end of the
tunnel, we found the miners and their assist.
ants at work with pick and axe, delving
with all their might into the hard compact
mass of blue clay that forms the principal
strata through which the tnnnel runs. The
extreme hardness of this clay is incredible.
/ tried the pick for little while, but soon
gave up in disguest, not being able scarcely
to make an impression with the sharp point
, ofsthe instrument on its flint-like bosom
, The miners, two in number, were splendid
specimens of physical natnre, and it was
, really delightful to look at these powerful
men swing aloit their mutcuar arms, and
with quick, heavy thud, strike deep theiI
+ tools into the hard mass. l. watched them
+ for long, long time, hoping to see IA short
respite from their ardnous labors but no
: these men, long Injured to such toll, knew
. not when to tire. They work in shifts o
: eight hours each--ono shift Of miners com
menCing work at three o'clock in the after
, noon, until eleven O'Clock at night wher
II they are relieved by another shifts, who
f work until seven A. NJ, the next morning
when the bricklayers take the place of all
. and build up what has been eXcayated 10y
f the miners. On an average, about eight Il
!. ten feet day is excavated
n At the distance OF seven hundred an(
iiity-tivc feet from the mouth are two cham
i bers-one on each side of the tuEnel--nint
!, by ten feet in size, and seven feet in height
i the sides and top being braced up will
: massive timbers. These chambers are in
tended to facilitate the progress ofthc work
I aS the cement, mortur and brick can ther'
t be prepared, and second car Can be useC
\ on the railway, as either one OF them car b,
: switched off into chamber to allow til,
: other to pass. The system of ventilation il
simple, yet very efficient. \ ten inch pip,
/. is connected with the chimney Of the Uoi!e
q above ground and carried thence along til,
|, interior of the tunnel, q section OF pipe be
n ing daily added as the miners progress. W,
h found the atmosphere particularly purt
. throughout the entire length, except u few
feet in the iarthCst end. Some of our scnsa
J., ton dGilics, few DAYS a-u made the rs
p scrtiOn, thar the miners had s,rUCi; "Ite' il
e large quantities but there was. in fact, n,
ground for the assertion, if we except Ia,
i trifing, and | may say insignificant one, o
T. finding small piece OF rock which bore oi
!. its surface marks of oil somewhat like til,
n stone that .hc Presbyterian Church on tn
| Avenue is built of. That the work vii
:, be well and thoroughly executed. our citi
: 2ens need not have any doubt, as it i
4 constantly under the supervision OF tire,
inspectors appointed 10y the city. Thei
: names are Messrs George Dewer, II. Kroes
{, cheil, and Edward Everett, who relieve
: each other every eight hours in. tn
. twenty-iour. Our visit being at night,
:. had the pleasure of an Introduction TO tn
q first named gentleman, whom we found il
r company with the miners directing thei
q operation.
h After selecting some choice specimen o
r pyrites, which found in abundance IN tin
\. soil, we signitied our wish to return, whel
i we again got aboard the car, and were sool
il safely ut the mouth of the tunnel, Discm
q barking from the car, we stepped on to tn
!. platform, and in another minute were rapid
p ly ascending the shaft, and soon were saiel
; above ground. Your readers will recolec
r tEat ground for the Lake Tunnel was frs
q broken on the nth of March last. and sine
h then the work has been vigorously pushed
II forward night and day. The tunnel, whel
q completed will extend two miles from tin
/. mouth Of the shaft, in all eastcrly direction
I under Lake Michigan. Qua citizens vii
;, then have an uniailing supply of pure waite
, IA dsideratum Chicagoans can Justly hp
# prcciate Till then, we wish the "bgg bore
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