Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-04-30
Life in the Caisso,,.

The recent death of laborer in the caisson
of the East river bridge, from, as alleged, the
effects OF compressed air while in the perform
ance OF his labors, has excited some interest in
the community relative to the general welfare
of these caisson la5orers. The stone pier to
support the East river bridge on the New York
side Is now being rapidly pushed forward at the
foot of Roosevelt street. An immense dock
there is occupied by the frame barracks of the
men, the numerous engine rooms aud the offices
of the contractors. On one side is a slip for the
landing of material; on the other is a Williams
burg ferry landing. AT the outer end or bulk
head of the pier rests the huge masonry lust
now beginning to take shape, upon which the
New York end of the bridge is to rest. 1t is as
yet only few feet above the tide. This mason-
ry rests upon the caissOn, about whichiso much
interest is felt. As the caisson desccnds the
stone foundation settles until when the eXcaya-
ton inside is complete and the huge pile that is
to be has secured a sure foundation, not upon
the uncertain shifting sands at the bottom of
East river, but upon the hard substratum of
rock beneath it, then the pile will commence to
grow heavenward and will soon attain the tall
and slender proportions of that companion pier
that seems almost within stones throw, and
yet rears its head so handsomely three-quarters
Of mile away on the Brooklyn side
The caisson is huge chamber, or series of
chambers, seventy-siX feet below the surface of
the earth. 1t is lighted by gas, an engine being
used above ground expressly for that purpose,
1t is supplied with air by thirteen small engines,
which pump a stream of air into the chamber
at the rate OF 200 feet per minute. This air
finds egress through numerous pipes opening
out on the edge of the pier, through which also
the dirt eXcavated is whired out lust as a letter
IS whirled through pneumatic tube 1t also
hnds egress through the excavations made by
the men as theyiprogress, and it rises through
the water Of East river in enormous bubbles
The pressure of the air in the caiSson is about
thirty-four pounds to the square inch AT hioh
water, the variations ofthe tide naturally affect
ing the position of the caisSon itself. There are
sixty men at work on the casson, and they are
divided into reliefs, so that none Of them remain
below more than four hours, each man taking
TWO turns, one OF two hours and half and
another OF two hours. There is, therefore an
allowance of thirty-five feet of air per minute
to each man. The trouble does not lie in the
scarcity of air, but in its density. When you
descend into the caiSson you enter first a narrow
chamber, where all the doors are closed and the
strong air is let on. Atonce the pressure causes
the ears to Jingle and then to pain excessively,
A minute or 50 OF this lnures one to the greater
pressure yet to come. The heat becomes excess
sive. The perspiration begins to stream down
the face. When the air has reached a density
equal to that in the main chamber the door con-
Meeting the two. can be opened. Otherwise the
combined strength of giants would be INSULT
Gent TO press 1t open against the atmospheric
pressure inside.
can eff We could open il" said the workman.
who was initiating Herald reporter into these
mysteries, it'd blow all Of us up through the
well, without having to wait for the elevator"
INSIDE the main eaisson the men are busy ex.
! caVating. The water rests upon what seems to
be the floor Of the caisson, but is really the floor
| of the East river The tide GIBBS and flows AZ
on the beach. The men wear heavy gum boots
| reaching up to their knees. The incessant tin
gllnS OF the ears becomes uncomfortable but
| there is no difficulty in breathing There is no
| ever-present terror Of instant suffocation as in
| the mines Of Pittston-no choke damp, no dead
| ly gases. All that is uncomfortable is the den
| sty of the air. 1t is pure enough, but there is
100 much OF IT, we can imagine any helrty
man standing it for months, but men of sicklv
constitutions, wasted away with consumption or
| liable to heart disease, would be the worst per-
| sons in the world to make a living here. In adj.
| dition to the tingling Of the ears and a heavy
| pressure on the head there are stitches of pain
| shooting through the knees and calves canSeJ
by the dampness of the floor. The contractors
employ physician, who examines the men as
II they were enlisting in the army and none
with weakly constitutions are hired While our
| reporter was present man came up TO the ion
OF the shait, assisted by. two others, and wendell
| his way to the engineers Office there 10 await
the coming of the doctor. lie was troubled
with sharp pains in his knees. The recent death.
| according to the engineer, was occasioned by
| brighrs disease of the kidneys
| "sf we'd known he had it," said that gentle.
Ia
known that, no doubt he wouldn't have told MS
| he had il. The men will take risks that way and
we get the blame We give them close exalni.
nation, but some obscure diseases escape u.s."
The dock is covered with engines. Every ap-
| pliabe means is used to dispense with hand
| labor. Steam engines hoist the stone from the
scows, and small railroad tracks carry them to
I the pier. Steam engines raise and lower the
elevator in the shaft for the ascent and descent
| of the men. Gauges are constructed to show
| tue pressure of air in the caisson and TO mark
| the rising and falling of the tide. telegraph.
ic arrangement, with an original code of signals
connects tho upper portion OF the masonry with
the chamber beneath, by which signals for any
ordinary communication can he conveyed
Huge hinging doors are connected with the air
pipes TO shut off the stream # the pressure be-
comes too dense. Barracks, with hunks and
benches, have been built for the laborers, and
hot coffee Is served 10 them whenever they come
up from the atmospheric pressure below. In
| the baTrack room code Of rules 10 displayed