Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-01-19
The Fails of NJ. Anthony.



There are, at present, about one hundred men
engaged on the tunnels during the day, and
thout fifty at night. These men are nj work
under The supervision Of j. I. Stevens, Esq,
the engineer. The work was resumed on Tues
day last, and will be pushed, without Interrupt
ton, through the winter. Few OF our citizens
have any idea Of the vast amount OF labor TO be
performed, nor, indeed, Of tnat which has been
performed Neither can it be described within
the limits of a newspaper article. The tunnel
is entered near the foot of the apron. On enter
ing this tunnel, as we ave pleased to call 1t, we
were astonished at how far short our conceived
ideas of the situation were from the facts.
Here we have a cavern three hundred and thirty
feet long by twelve feet wide and sixteen feet
high This Is known as the new tunnel, and
follows the course made by the break OF July
last.
The work of lining in the branch is about
completed and may be briefly described as fol-
lows: Walls of timber and plank are erected in
a manner that would seem TO defy all weight to
crush. These walls are placed at distance of
Il few inches from the rock on either side of the
tunnel aud in the space so formed pieces OfStOne
are put and over them is poured what is called
hydralic cement. This forms grout that is as
hard as the rock ITSELF and should the wooden
walls from any cause be disturbed this 9rounng
would be a shield to the walls of the tunnel. In
other words, it forms another lining. The bot
TOM when completed. will be of plank laid in
from above, SO as to prevent them from being
disturbed by any upward pressure. The main
tunnel is being eXcayated to the same depth as
the one Just alluded to. Every loose piece of
rock or other substance is being carefully re-
moved. 1t is proposed TO DIG out and line the
main tnnpel to point about one hundred feet
below where it forms junction with the branch,
1t is not deemed absolutely necessary that it be
done so far as that for less distance will carry
the work below the fails, and no ha! m need be
apprehended below that point.
Three hundred feet above the junction of the
tunnels we come TO Il vast sunterranean room
of more than 100X60 feet, The main tunnel
| ranges in width from 20 to go feet, and is not
less than 500 feet long. This long line of cav
ern is being thoroughly eXcavated, and 1t will
| he lined in the same manner as the branch tHn-
| mel. Let 1t be unders, God that the main tunnel
uns up aud down the river, while The branch
| leads off to the right, forming letter Y. The
water which dripS into tie tUnnel is carried
way bv flame about 700 feet long. The eXca-
vdtions are Gained out on a portable railway,
and in the same manner timber, plank and &C.
mCnt are carried in The rocky ceiling is sup
ported tmore as matter of precauti0n than ne
cesSity) by timbers, which will, at proper
time, give place TO something more substantial.
bulkhead will be made at the head ofthe tun-
mel, which will resist all pressure from above.
The point is now well protected, and when the
work Is completed as contemplated the wafer
mel is concerned There VIII he gate at each
end of the tunnel; through one the water VIII
pass in, and through the other it will pass out.
The mineral springs are worthy of special
mention. They come into the tunnel at differ
ent points, and it is ascertained that BY no power
can their flow be stopped. To meet this emer-
gency an iron tube, two feet in diameter, will be
50 constructed as to carry away the wafer flow
ing from these springs. When the lining is
| completed, the walls constructed, and the tube
put IN place, the tunnel will be filed with water
aud kept so to prevent the timOerS from rotIing.
| The wafer can be drawn off at any time by clos.
| mr. the gate at the bulkbead and opening he
gate at the lower end of the tunnel. AT present
IT has the appearance OF a two-story house, in
either OF which men are at work finishing it off,
An engine is kept busy heating water with which
to take frost out of sand and bricks. Gas fix
| lures extend from one end TO the other, and
| everything that ingenuity can suggest has been
done to expedite The Labor, The four weeks
that were lost were golden days; but Engineer
| Stevens expresses high hopes for the future, and
| If the good wishes OF the people OF two cities,
aud, indeed, Of the people of the whole STA te,
will do him any good, his work will be lully ac-
| compishgd before spring.