Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1866-12-13

unuerlt the water of Lake Michigan.
Whom the cylinder had been driven down
into the clay to its proper position, the work
Of constructing the outer shaft was carried
on and finished in manner precisely SINH
lar to that adopted in the construction Of
the shore shaft already described. The bot
tom Of the east end, or outer. shaft OF the
tunnel is sc feet below the ordinary surface
of the water, or SO feet below the bed OF the
lake, and the bottom surface Of the tunnel
slopes uniformly to the shore shaft at the
rate of z feet per mile, 80 that whenever
repairs are necessary, and the sslnlet gates
are closed, the water can be entirely pumped
out at the west end.
From the foot Of each shaft marrow
railroad track was extended as the work of
tunneling progressed. Cars capable Of car
rying one and half cubic yards Of earth,
drawn by mules in each section of the jun
mel, brought to eli Ter shaft the earth as it
was excavated,a wnen the car with It's con-
tents, was hoisted out by d windlass con-
nected with an engine. Two mules in each
section Of the tunnel were left at work, eac1
drawing two trains of cars to the shaft,
taking out the earth, and bringing back
brick. cement, and other material. Cham
DGPG ana buFGbdDlcS ~OvSsStA OOtO0 pSO cVA'S"s-
lent distances allowed the trains to pass. on
their way going or coming. And there was
another interesting feature in the eonstruc-
ton of this gigantic undertaking. A rail-
road, with regular turnouts and stations, In
operation down deep under the water of
Lake Michigan. The railroad had at times
its human freight, for General Grant him.
self was once q distinguished passenger to
ride through these dreary depths. beer a so {.
In the tunnel two classes of workmen
were employed, namely, miners and brick
layers. each Of whom worked separately IN
gangs of five each. In tunneling, one OF
the miners went ahead and ran regular
drift III the center of the tunnel, being an
excavation of about two and a half feet
wide Another followed and broke down
the sides Of the drift. Another following
trimmed up the work to the proper shape
and size, while the other two loaded the
cars Each car going to the shaft with a
load of earth brought back o load of brlck
and cement, and the masons followed only
a few feet behind the miners. iaA ae1'
i The contractor employed about one hun
bred and twenty-fvemen in the work upon
the tunnel These men were divided IN
three watches, changed every eight hours.
The work was pushed forward night and
day, the only cessation being from IL
o'clock each Saturday night until II o'clock
on the Sunday night following, except ON
a few occasions when the miners iinearthed
a Jet of infammable gas or assure, filled
with water, whose irruption was certain at
once to spread dismay among the miners
and induce precipitate retreat to the foot
4 III D,,4 al fan to
success of the great enterprise, none OF
these irruptions let in any considerable
body. Of water. s,, r ~, .... .s,. s..t
An ingenious mode of ventilation was
adopted to secure to the miners steady
current Of fsesh air and carry off all foul
vapors. ld 17 ~ 4st4l aaae9sel III
THE LAKE TERMINUS.
The crib, already described, is a tempo
rary structure, which will soon give place
to massive pile of masonry which will at
once protect the cylindrical shaft and in
close the inlet gates by which the supply of
water will be regulated. The nibble stone
placed in the water-tight compartments of
the crib viii be removed from one compart-
ment at time, and spread over the top of
the others to prevent the crib from rising.
The stone will then be laid back in hydrau-
lie cement, the masonry rising several feet
above the water ia a series of massive
blocks of granite, bolted and clamped to-
gether with iron bars, and rude stone cut
and morticed in such g manner as t. pre-
vent the displacement of one without the
displacement of all. In this manner the
stone in each of the compartments will be
replaced by the most enduring masonry,
which when entirely completed, with its
numerous bolts and bars, running in every
direction and firmly binding the whole &C.
gether, it is not unreasonable to suppose
will resist for countless ages the fercest
gales of Lake Michigan The top of their
structure will be surmounted with a perma-
nent lighthouse. constructed and maintained
at the expense Of the city, in conformity to
a recent act of Congress. sasi6 ..ae.
HOW THE WATER rs LET INTO THE TUNNEL OR
.ii}a.55 = SHUT OFF. .t4vgR s. as.5si H..a
There ere three openings or gates. through
the cylinder of the lake shaft, which will
connect with fumes or passages through the
surrounding masonry, when they will be
covered by double iron gratings, and capa-
bic Of being closed by gates, easily operated
by an ingenious combination of iron rods,
levers, and wheels. Gates will also be
placed upon, the openings through the cyl
inder, so that each Of these passages for
the ingress of the water will be opened and
closed at both ends. Each Of the three inlet
gates cover an opening five feet long and
four feet wide. One of the openings is five
feet from the bottom Of the lake, another
ten, and the third fifteen feet. Each is on
a different side. This arrangement will
afford the purest of water at all seasons,
despite storm and regardless of the direc.
ton Of the wind, 1919:
aas THE QUALITY OF THE WATER n
Repeated analyses of the water taken at
different seasons from the surface and bot
tom of the lake, at the outer shaft, prove
/ conclusively that Chicago will have, by
means Of this great public improvement
patrer and better ac0ter than that supplied to
any other city an the UastedLStdtes. At the
/ distance of ever one mile from shore, the
water is never contaminated by the most
violent storm, and the water in its natural
quality is singularly free from impurities
Of animal or vegetable matter. Its crystal
like clearness is equal to that taken from
the purest spring, and silver coin dropped
into the waves will gleam and ssglisten deep
down into its transparent depths.
A REMARKABLE FACT. TX
1t is worthy of note as remarkable fact
that, during the progress Of the work, a
period Of two and a half years, not a sin gle
accident has befallen any of the workmen.
But this suspicious circumstance is marred
by single deed of crime-a tragedy, in
fact-fatal inits consequences to one human
|. life, which occurred in the very tunnel it.
self. One of the workmen engaged in an
angry quarrel with co-worker in a frenzy
of passion, for which, indeed, there was the
legal justification of severe provocation,
seized pick and strucE him dead
e THE ~eesT.
-. e Il =