The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-07-22
THE TUNNEL DISASTER.
MOre Details of the FrightiuI
Occurrence.
None of the Bodies OF the
Drowned Recovered.

Drowned Recovered.
New York, 21.-Thomss Vannos-
tranda, one OF the rescued men from
the tunnel in which tC-day's dliaster
occurred, said the main shaft ia sixty
feet deep, and from the bottom of this
shaft the entrance to the tunnel is
effected through cylindrical bar
eel, six feet in diameter and fourteen
feet in length. This is called an air
lock, and serves to preserve the dem
siiy of the atmosphere of the tunnel,
which, in turn Is secured By the for
cling OF air.through pipes from pumps.
There ia a door ia each end Of the
air look. They both open inward.
At each eide OF the dco.s are round
windows OF thick glass, through
which, from the outside OF the air
lock, view can be gained OF the
work and the workmen inside the
tunnel. There were tweniy-eight
,men at work in the tunnel. They
went In at IL o'clock last night for
an eight-hour shift. was at work
near the east end of the lock and in
the west end of the tunnel. At about
.4.3O O'Clock l heard the bolts snap
and braces give way at the same
time. felt rush OF air in my face.
I started back with seven OF the men
who we're near me and ran into the
lock. The air pressure crowded the
door shut at the east end. At first 1t
was locked by joist, which We pulled
out, and then the door slammed to.
Through the dead eyes We could
see the men inside the tun-
mel. The water was fast rushing
in. Peter Woodland, assistant super
intendent, stood at the door outside
the lock, which was stationary. 1t
would not move with Us without
knocking the dead eyes. This would
be fatal to the men outside, as the
water would rush in and drown the
men in an instant. Woodland knew
this, but stood at the door. His face
was ghastly white and ne realized the
terrible danger. He said to me:
"Tom, quick, burst the dead eyes,
and do what you Can Tor u.s."
knew it was death to Us all if | did
not, so 1 obeyed orders. AS the glass
broke the air rushed in, and the lock
shot out in the main shaft, leaving
the men to drown, as the space occu
pied by the shaft filled with water IN
an instant. We were wholly stripped
of our clothes when we orawled out.
[ heard rush OF water at cur backs.
It filed in fast, but distractions kept
1t back long enough for Us to escape
from the main shaft. 1t was all we
could do to save ourselves. Wood
land was standing in water up to his
waist when saw him. 1t was sure
death. and had to knock out the
dead eyes as l told you. He knew as
we'll as that it was all over with him.
l shall never forget the lock on his
face or the sound OF his voice as he
told us to save ourselves, though toe
very act was to insure his death. The
officers of the company, in explain
ing the accident, say the workmen,
in coming through the air lock, must
have exercised unusual carelessness,
and both doors of the air lock being
opened at the same time, the COM
pressed air was allowed to escape.
The compressed air serves a double
purpose, namely, to keep the water
out aud to support the roof OF the
tunnel, go when it escaped the catas-
trophe was inevitable. The workmen
we're busily engaged this afternoon in
rigging up q strong pump for the
purpose of drawing out the water
from the well-like structure; and also
for drawing the water out of the tun-
mel, which is filled to the extreme
limit. This hes been ascertaiEed for
a certainty By the engineer. by an
attempt to force compressed air into
the cavity. The water in the shaft
has fallen about ten feet since this
morning in consequence OF the
receding tide. Every now and
then the surface in the CEN
tire would be disturbed By
numerous air bubbles. and at times
would appear as if boiling. said to be
due TO the fact that some earth or
masonry is falling constantly within
the tunnel and, displacing air, pro
duced this effect. The engineers and
officials say it is impossible that any
imprisoned workmen may be alive,
as the water within the whole length
of the tunnel is filled to the roof and
even above it. The laborers who are
making excavations west of the shaft
will. however, not cease their lsbors
to get at where the bodies are sup
posed to lie; but it is impossible tc
force any air into the tunnel. as all
which has been forced in so far hsf
escaped through the shaft, in which
it made the water leap up two or three
feet above the surface. It is feared,
this afternoon, that only seven men.
instead of eight, have been saved, as
one named Thomas Grim Minis, who
was reported to have escaped, is nov
said TO be missing.