Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1867-06-19
8tisffllang.
THE CHICAGO TUNNEE-EXCITIEC
UEDERGROUND EXPERIENCE.

- nus bSGA oAACGuJ 4S pO4 LGu LuuL du
examination Of the Chicago Lake Tunnel
was made on Saturday with a view to as
certainif the water which had been in it
since the 4th inst, had made any unfa7or-
able impression. The chief engineer,
Mr.. E. S. Checsborough, Capt. Berg, in
spector Of the crib, and four representa-
tives Of the press, made the excursion
Everything went ''m0rry as a marriage
bell, on the trip from the crib to the
shore, which was made in a small boat
propelled by some of the excursionists
with their hands pushing against the sides
of the tunnel, and lighted by means Of
lighted lamps carried by-others. When
the party had arrived at the junction
stOne"-the point where the crib work
men and the shore workmen met-they
paused to wonder and admire, and the
reporter Of the Chicago T5iJUue pulled
out his pencil and proceeded to write
his name on the wall In doing so the
boat tilted, and the water poured in and
put out of the lights, and it was with diff
6culty that they kept themselves from
sinking.
After bailing out the water they pro-
ceeded onward about 400 feet further to
the fifth chamber, the fourth from the
the crib, or a distance Of 5,7S7 feet from
the starting point. 1t was then 6:30 2.
NJ, and the party had already been an
hour and ten minutss in the tunnel. They
therefore decided to return to the crib,
and had got along nicely until they had
passed the third chamber from the crib;
where they narrowly escaped sinking,
but by prompt bailing they saved them
selves. But little further they met
with an accident which might have proved
fatal had they been more distant from
the crib. Another light went out here
and third one hickered, so that it be-
came necessary to change the lights, in
doing which one Of the party had to pass
from one end of the boat to the other
This quickened the motion of the tiny
craft and caused her to dip considerably.
It was proposed to bail her out again,
but it was found that she was filing at
the stem, and would be useless. In
moment more the water came pouring
over the gunwale and the boat began to
sink, and finally went down in three feet
of water. The lamps had all gone out,
and there was nothing to do but wade
their way back, 700 feet to the crib,
which they did, dragging the boat after
them.
The first sensations, says the reporter
of the Republican, we're rather agreeable
than otherwise; the sudden shock Off
mersion in the icc-cold water being fol-
lowed by a fine healthy glow. This,
however, quickly passed of, as the fright
fully cold water every moment subtracted
large amounts of vital heat from our
bodies. But few steps we're sufficient TO
render ourfeet thoroughly numbed, with
out feeling or sensation almost. The
strongest Of US soon got chilled, while
the gentleman who represented the Times
and who was in bad health, trembled so
violently with the cold as to make us
fear that he would succumb before we
reached the shaft. Our confidence in
happy termination to our adventure was
not increased when Mr.. CheesborOugh
shouted out, "Be careful the sump at
the bottom ofthe shafts nine feet deep"
The prospect Of falling into a hole with
twelve feet Of water made us willingly
acrede to the proposition that he should
90 first, as he was most familiar with the
shape of the tunnel. Though the dense
blackness prevented our seeing anything,
fortunately it did not stop our mouths.
Perhaps the dreadful cold added force
to our lungs, as we yelled at the top Of
voice to apprise the men in the crib of
our perilous position. After a time
welcome voice hailed us in reply from
the top of the shaft, round which Capt.
Berg and the ctibmen, alarmed by our
long absence, had congrcgated. How
delightfully."- this sounded over the dark
flood to us who were so painfully wading
through it may be more easily imagined
than described itfilled us all with hope
and though our lips and throats were dry
as if thirsty, We found voice and spirit
once more to laugh at our awkward pre-
dicamcnt. \ little longer waiting and
our endurance was rewarded by the ap-
pearanco once more Of a friendly light
at the bottom Of the shaft. Besides the
succor Of the light, our party received
the welcome reinforcement Of the pres
ence Of Capt. Bergs burly form and
CHEEKY voice as he leaped from the lad
der over the 'snmp' at the bottom of
the shaft into the tunnel. Working in
the light, and with his help in the wider
space, We socu righted the boat which |
we had never abandoned, aud partly /
cmpticd tout so that those Of our party