The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1877-06-08
A Narrow Escape in the eroton Aqusduct

Once year, or oftener, usually in No
vember, an exploration is made of the
interior of the aqueduct from end to end
by Mr.. Benjamin S. Church, tie resident
engineer, who for over twenty years has
been IN charge of this part of the work.
The water is shut off at the Croton dam,
and the aqueduct is emptied by the waste
wiers which Ihave described. Many strange
and exciting adventures befall the men de-
tailed for this service; and though but one
life has ever been lost, large parties have
sometimes been in imminent danger. The
man. holes having been opened previously,
the laborers, under charge of Mr.. Church,
dressed in rough suits, enter the aqueduct
at the dam, and travel downward either
afoot or in an ingenious car propelled by a
crank like the hand cars used on q railway.
Some of the men carry torches, whose
smoke and quiyering blaze curl and flash
in the darkness and throw fantastic shad-
ows and reflections ON the damp walls.
The voices reverberate like peals of thunder
and seem to awaken responsive vibrations
in the massive stone and brickwork itself.
In some conditions of the atmosphere, la
borers repairing the masonry five miles be-
low can be distinctly heard by those at the
entrance, and at all times the human voice
pitched in an ordinary key can be heard at
a distance of two or three miles in long and
low rumbles. A broad halo of light frames
the men in, and behind there is an impen
etrable darkness, so dense that an inexpe
rienced person takes every step with the
most extreme caution. There are few
greater promoters of terror than the power
of darkness, and the simple, superstitious
Irishmen descending the ladder leave sun
shine, sky and fields above in no cheerful
mood. The short clay pipes are allowed
to go out and few words are spoken. It is
business to be done as soon as possible.
Thousands Of tons of water are pressing on
the gates at the entrance, and should bar
give way or an order be misunderstood,
the flood would rush down upon the un-
fortunates and engulf them with irresisti-
BILE force. Once in fact, an order was mis-
uderstood, and twenty men narrowly esca-
ped with their lives. Mr.. Church. with
this number oflaborers, entered the aque-
duct to make some repairs, and instructed
the gatekeeper at the dam to let the water
flow in at II p. m. The party was making
some repairs at a point some distance be-
low the entrance at 12 d. m., when Mr.. c.,
noticed gradual rise IN the water. Afraid
of causing panic, he did not say anything
to the men, but urged them ON in the hope
that the work might be completed that
morning. The water continued to rise,
however, first submerging their feet, and
then creeping up toward their knees with
dreadful certainty. The situation was that
of a shipwrecked crew cast upon rock
which is beng slowly covered by an in
coming tide. The engineer now realized
the fact that his order had been misunder
stood, that the water had been turned on
at the wrong time and would soon be with
in few inches of the roof of the aqueduct.
By this time the men were in a highly ner-
vous condition, and Mr.. Church had to use
his authority to prevsnt them from ma
king confused retreat for the nearest
exit, which was some distance away. In
the meanwhile the water had made its
way up to their knees, and was rushing
the aquduct with a velocity of two and
quarter miles per hour. It was no easy
task walkirg against such current as it,
and the progress made toward the man.
hole was unavoidably slow. The torches
were successfully put out by the splash
until only one renamed, and that threw
dim, yellow, uncertain flicker on the dark
surroundings. There was one danger that
Mr.. Church foresaw and vas particularly
anxious to avert. If the men were not kept
under control each would make disorder
ly struggle to reach the manhole, and a de-
lay would result that might prove fatal.
AS the watel increased in depth, the great
er of course became their terror, and when
the gray light of the opening came into
view their bodies were submerged to their
waists, while the current almost lifted
them from their feet. By reasoning with
them and encouraging them, however Mr..
Church allayed their fear, and they gained
the ladder and assembled it, one by one, in
safety.-Scri5ner for June.