Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-07-04
Narrsv Escape in the Crstsn Aqne-
duet.

4 Narrsv Escape In the Crstsn Aque-
duet. -
Once a year, or oftener, usually in
November, an exploration is made of
theinterior Of the aqueduct from end
to end, by Mr.. Benjamin. s. Church,
the 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 wastewieIs which have
described. Many strange and exciting
adventures betall the men detailed for
this service and though but one life
has eyer been lost, large parties have
sometimes been in imminent danger.
The man-hsles having been opened
previously, the laborers under charge
ofMr. Church. dressed in rough suits,
enter the aqueduct at the dam, and
travel downward either afoot or in an
ingenious car propelled bya crank like
the hand-cars used on railway. The
ELECTS weired and awe-inspiring.-
Some Of the men carry torches whose
smoke and wavering blaze curl and fash
in the darkness and throw fantastic
shadows and reflections on the moist
walls. The voices reverberate like
peals of thunder, and seems to awake
responsive vibrations in the massive
stone and brick work itself. In some
conditions Of the atmosphere. laborers
repairing the masonry five miles below
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 low rumbles. A broad
halo of light frames the men in, and
behind this there is an inpenetrable
blackness, 80 dense that an inexper-
fenced person takes every step with
extreme caution. There are few
greater promoters of terror than the
power Of darkness, and the simple, su-
perstitious Irishman descending the
ladder at the entrance leaves sunshine,
sky and fields above in no cheerful
mood. The short clay pipes are allowed
to 60 out and few words are spoken. 1t
is business to be done with as soon as
possible. Thousands of tons Of water
are pressing against 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
irresistible force. Once, in fact. an
order was misunderstood, and twenty
men narrowly escaped with their lives.
Mr.. Church with this number Of laborers
entered the acqueduct to make some
repairs, and instructed the keeper at
the dam to let the water flow in again
at II P. NJ. The party were making
some repairs at point some distance
below the entrance at IL A, NJ. when
Mr.. Church noticed gradual rise in
the water. Afraid of causing panic
he did not say anything to his men, but
urged them on in the hope that the
work might be completed that morn
ing. The water continued to rise,
however, first submerging their feet, and
then creeping up toward their knees
with terrible stealth and certainty. The
situation was that Of a shipwrecked
crew cast upon rock which is being
slowly covered by an incoming tide
The engineer now realized the fact that
his order had been misunderstood, and
that the water had been turned on at
the wrong time, and would soon be
within few inches Of the roof of the
aqueduct. By this time the men were
in a highly nervous condition, and Mr..
Church had TO use his authority in pre-
venting them from making confused
retreat for the nearest exit, which was
some distance away. Meanwhile the
water had made its way above their
knees and was rushing through the
aqueduct with velocity of two miles
and quarter per hour, 1t was no
easy work walking against such . cur.
rent as this, and the progress made
toward the man-hole was unavoidably
slow. The torches were successfully
put out by the splash until one remain
ed, and that threw slim, yellow, I'M
certain flicker on the dark surround
ings. There was one danger which Mr..
Church foresaw and was particularly
anxious to avert. If the men were not
kept under control, each would make a
disorderly struggle to reach the ladder
at the man-hole, and a delay would re-
suit that might prove fatal. As the
water increased in depth the greater, 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 off their feet. By reason.
ing with them and encouraging them,
however. Mr., Church allayed their
fears and they gained the ladder, ana
assembled it, one by enc, in safety.
This is the way the prohibitory law
is enforced In Maine: The other day a