New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-11-27
THE CHICAGO TUNNEL.

upleed two feet OF earth remaining 10 be eXoayated
Ibe Board Of Pubic Works will break through TINS 10
morrow. iii mighty feat Of engineering skill Du"
n Govsn Of Harrisburg, Pa, took the eon,ise' 10
building Il at ass 39 and ground was broke m"'n -
1864 aud the work has steadily advanced 70
Its capacity such that IL will furnish IVVVVVO P.Opo
81 gallons Of water each per day. Muoh re'"s" " "
done before the water comes through IN the way OF eec'
Ing eleyang engines buildings putting down pipes &C
Next Spring the work viii be completed.
rHR WORK on THB TUNNEL A sUPTBRRANEAN
Avn SUBMARINE AQURDUCT TWO MILES in
LENGTH.
Prominent among the wonders Of modern engineer
,nr IL the great Lake Tunnel Of Chicago The greatness Of
The tunnel the Thames sinks into nsguhcanee when
COMPARED with this latest triumph Of su6teranean enterprise
Its completion marks in the history Of the young but
mighty metropolis the Northwest and hundreds OF years
hence beneficial results Of this splendid pubhe "oh W
Sl{ f" ~ yrp Ie axe Tunnel Is 70 Chicago-he most
yitazng element Of the city existence ana Os
Terty II. .u, . .u,o, roo,,o,on
Of 30 souls all told constituted the entire settlement 9Sao
Of the garrison at Fort Dearborn In those day we @ G
River little creek sluggshy emptyng It's water nto ,he
Lake Along Its border scany growth OF timber Afforded
refuge 10 innumeTa6le pahhers Nonvs anu , , ~bo1e
ranks early settlers made bloody havoc on the spot Whee
ne worlds history contains no Instance OF extraordinary de-
veopment rapid marvellous than that Of Chicago
y of he world itselfthc greatest grain market the great
ct lumber market the greatest livestock market and the
greatest provision market on the of the earth What story
Of human achievement compares with it,
THE WATER SUPPLY OF CHICAGO.
Hitherto Chicago has been supplied with water drawn from
Lake Michigan directly its shore Since the Chicago River
with numerous slaughter houses dsteres and bTewees ON
banks the grand central of the city whence
s al N @o Of peopd we cSsscd into the lake 70
S S d am ss k 81 % SG Sas been such to
almost nauseang and utterly nnht or use
further upon the drainage capacities Of the river This
contamination Of the lake water rapidly increased un hne
hel f,xbp be-
either comfort safety The contents OF 20 miles OF sewerage
into me Lake by the sluggish current river carried
by winds along the shore Of the lake TO the very mouth OF
the nletppe at the water works whence In diluted onu
ton returned 10 the city through the hydrants oi use
an the Kitchens and on the tables Of citizens IL, ,.,
different schemes successfully devised Tor pro
curing pure water from some point which eoaq never Uo
plans were from tine time submitted and discussed until
after considering every proposition the Board Of Public Works
Of Lake Michigan While the influences OF the
pereptbe for greater distance along tae shore o.
found that this distance directly out in the lake the water
posed tunnel could be obtained in purity equal that
in the very center Of the lake -.
Full information regard the construction Of ell the great
tnune country and in Europe obtained and after
undertaking the project Of tunnel under the lake Was finally
to be Bos ing o5 an 'Sssa % Ssa
Chicago had demonstrated that he surface rs anderad
anger ncoSqd in tube to secure specimens earth sunk
bed Of the lake every few rods to distance Of tive miles
formation than which could be more favorable TO the con
peOn Of flannel Tas t011d 70 S% 6s made a
searching possible hose conducting were unable 70 9s
cover ng spot which it broken by seams or dis
The contract for ework awarded TO james Gowan and
james Dali Of Harrisburg Penn gentlemen OF large tA
perence in the construction OF public works was signed
October 1863 and provided for ne completion o. se to2n
November 1868 for the sam Of t3l5 10y exclusive 81 cara
work arising from changes made Ivy the Board Of Public WORKS
was Intended 10 commence work Immediately bat de
lay in procuring material and subsequent changes 10 ,s Plan
VIZ ''' ColsAifscEMESr OF OPERATIONS
The formal breaking Of ground for the tunnel took place
March II lsG4 Water Works in the presence Of the
municipal authorities and many ciiSens The Work was con
brief Interruptions that day until the miners in the tunnel
thin wal Of clay which separated them and through the
small SP1g UNA a Is eS5I aaS' as H the 1SIs @
DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK.
tunnel consists Of three parts the tunnel proper the
shore shaft and the lake shaft The shore shaft located
within feet Of the lake shore and the outer shalt OF Ter
distance Of two miles directly the waters Of Lake
ME nt bpre in ~ pnm one resting upon another and
firmly bOed together Each cylinder ten feet long nine ei
In diameter two half inches in thickness and weighs
about 90 600 pounds or in aggregate the three together
reach weight of 5000 pounds When the hrst
ground miners commenced the work Of excavation on
fe inside the earth thrown ont The cylinder Of course
settled down Another section OF me cylinder was placed
position upon the top the first when had sunk 10 level
together the work of excavation proceeded The
third having been attached its turn the work was pushed
she miners through the soil and guekssnds and some feet into
the hDe clay formation wherein they safe from the iu
contracted diameter Of eight feet and thence pushed
downward 10 depth Of A. feet below the bottom OF the eyh
der downward the shaft lined wih brick measuring twelve
inches thick laid in three shells in the best Of cement The
shore shaft then as completed measures eet IN depth nne
in diameter for the hrs 30 feet and SIX iee diameter Tor
tbe remaining ~ feet
commences bottom the shaft n feet below the
Of the earth and extends Ht right angels distance
of exactly miles IL Is almost circular IN form beng feet
oh md fact do
true circle being made on account OF the OF we se
IA ieBetbwse 81 the tunnel in two shells with toothng
FONTS None but handburned clear ringing, welcomed
bricks entirely free rom lime ana nehes long M eacs
wide and y inches thick used in The construction Of the
tunnel and ey laid in the best Of cement only one mea
sure Of clean sharp sand beng allowed 70 one measure o.
yards Of masonry which required in round numbers about
100000 bricks The actual excavation Of The tunnel IN order
10 give u diameter Of feet inside TIE masonry about
feet IN diameter requiring the removal OF about 1000 cubic
yards Of earth.
When the tunnel rst projected II was objected by many
persons including eminent engineers that no prae
tcabe plan coudbe devised O the construction Of the outer or
lake shaft The difficulty sinking shaft through the water
of the lake down into the bed of the lake thought 20 be an
inuperabe obstacle would be necessary
some permanent structure shut the Of the lake
aud gaes which often rage on Lake Michigan with violence
hardly surpassed by the terrific hurricane would
was thought render IL utterly impossible 20 accomplish
the desired object But he projection Of the undertaking with
confidence the feasibility Of their project had de
Tsed the plan Of huge crib Golfer dam This cb con
sfrncted mon me No-b Pier near the entrance harbor
and Of the most monsous structures ever launched
rpon the forty feet high, aud had five sides
each Of which was hy weight feet long making the structure
wall the centre wall and the inner wall each constructed Of
twelve inch square timber and cauked and paid Ike first
class vessel The framework thus constructed formed
powerful combination Of massive timber aud irons firmly bocd
and bTaced In every direction Within the walls Of the crib
wall inolosed q cylindrical well open the top and
bottom and twenty-five ieet IN diameter H Eaeh