New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-26
NO WATER IN THE SHAFT.

,pocREss OF THE WORK AT THE IuNNhi
- VISITORS AT TIE SCENE on HE AO@i'hSi-
NAM r,p PUMP ACCOMPLISHED IFS TASK
,,n,xc THE CoFFER-rAM AS FAST As POSI-
BILE 80. ~ . &C .ho
,,,dreds of persons visited the scene OIL 'he
~ River Tunnel accident Yesterday the
h"''sl noing larger than nc any time before. Not
- tbe nremises surrounded. but at least 200
wy rore distributed over the high two-storN
P.Io work of the coal depot, from which they
"a 70, an excellent view OF everything dong at
.,,,cl works below. While the visitors en-
,'-.osd all classes including great many women
ii Oh Vdfen il was noticeable that the moso
80 them were working people. and from ther CON
s..rsotion II could be seen that the calamity hau
node a deep impression upon them some h'u
,.,ru some of the dead workmen, and reconnted
.lo,c recent savings and dOlngs; Others VINO hau
-, read the published accounts OF the disaster
,,s,ened while melancholy incidents were retoid'
I'D there were not a few faces that bore 1ear-stihs
ofterUard Almost everyone had something 10 say
about the brave Woodland. and there We're many
u.ssions of sympathy for the families of the men
who persisted. III,
r The working shaft had been pumped dry,
and one of the tunnel pumps was working at the
hott,m The interior of the shaft looked forbddlng.
Tho sides which had been painted white, were
so,eared with Shiny black mud. Away down IN the
hottom amid a network of timber. pipes and ma
hinayv the ar-lock could be projecting
dozen feet from the wall. Little streams of water
from crevices about the planked-up bullseyes ran
down the front and under the floor. but one OF the
tunnel pumps a. side of the lock, removed TINS
water though working al only 1.-THE OF ITS tul
capacitv The large pump still swang in the bottom
Of the shaft hut its wheels were resting. Many
visitors gathered around the shaft and peered INTO
its DEPTHS While the reporter was LOOKING down.
James Hayes who was this last man to leave the
alr-lock when the disaste; occurred leaned over
and pointing into the well, said " Ny poor chums
see lust at the other end of that air-lock. Sa"
them coming that morning, and know just where
they are l, Is hard to think that their bodies are
20 near us now. and yet that can't get the Door
fellows out" woman standing by, who over
heard the remarks, began crying bitterly. Her hus-
hand was buried behind the air-lock
Outside the building, part OF which had been
torn down 10 make room Tor the platform, one OF
the nile drivers was ut work putting IN the large
t,mbers for one side of the cOner-daIn. great
many men were busy about the place some work
ing with the piieGIvCr, others hauling the tmDers
into pOsition--all seeming impressed Win the luea
that they must get TO the bodies as soon as
The work begun on Saturday was continued
through nIgDt. Inc water was All Out VI nc
working shaft at 3 o'clock yesterday morning. Inc
funnel pump had been started two hours earlier
while If was vet covered with two feet OF wafer
and although under such singular circumstances. IL
Ind its work from the first. The pile driving was
begun early IN the morning. and seemingly as
matter of course there was au accident. lheIe
we're three pilc-lIvers with their engines on the
ground. and 10 expected To use TWO OF them
vestertav: hut while ore of the engines was Deing
fired M one of the baier-hues burst thus disabling
if for the day. The engine of the third pile-dI1Yer
lad not vet tcen unloaded from the boat, and upon
consideration il Was determined 10 work only one
of the pIe-dTycrs as 1t was thought there woqiu
be scarcely enough piles on the ground to employ
two, after all.
President Haskin spoke of the advancement Of
the work to a IElBUSr reporter.
Il mas seemed he said, " n II every thing was
ag3iust US from The hrSD We have had accident
after accident and almost every thing that could oc-
cnr 10 delay Us has occurred We are stralnlnQ
ev ~ point 10 reach the bodies as soon as poSs Die,
and these accidents petty IN themselves, have Deeh
much more l. than Mere annOyances. We know
how the relatives of the buried men feel. ana we
want to remove their suspense as soOu as possible.
Ifit were not for he pains we have taken and are
taking 10 reach the bodies, this accident need not
ave cost us over So 000 as 1t Is, 1t Will cost us at
t$15.O0O.'