River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-08-05

can be read from the inside. In the
interior of the air lock are what are
called "equalizing" pipes, for regulating
| the air pressure IN harmony with that
in the tunnel, as may be desired. The
| operation of the air lock Is extremely
simple On entering the tunnel one
steps into it, rs in Il sort of ante-cham-
Der, where it would be dark were it not
for such light as is given by candle;
| the inner door, connecting with the
tunnel, is closed, and when the outer
| door is closed the compressed air is
gradually let into the lock, either from
| the tunnel itself or from the air reser-
voir From five to ten minutes is gen
orally taken for this purpose, so that
the change will not be too sudden, and
| particularly care is taken in this re-
spect when those who have never
been III before are entering the tun-
nell
| 1t was at the critical point of the
| change in gangs of men yesterday that
the accident occurred. Superintendent
Anderson said that before the disaster
he thought it impossible that such II
| thing could occur, and he was unable to
account for it on any known theory.
| The air-lock, which is ID feet by 6 feet,
| has two doors, one opening inward
| through the side of the shaft, and the
other opening from the lock into the
| temporary entrance TO the tunnel. The
| air in these compartments is compress
ed by three engines and forced in
through pipes The air so forced in is
intended by lis pressure to prevent the
water and the silt or mud overhead
from coming into the tunnel. The
patent process for this novel use of air
is owned by Col d. c, Haskin, the pres
ident of the company.
The only way | can account for the
accident" said the superintendent yes
terday, sis that through neglect or
through some unknown cause, the air
was allowed to escape between the
| brick wall and the temporary work
erected beyond the air-lock The water
must have washed in between the door
and the silt, but how the men escaped
do not know except from hCarsay."
At present the work has been carried
forward about 300 feet from the shaft,
or distance of over 200 feet under the
river beyond the edge of the dock The
water at this point is comparatively
shallow, and the head of the tunnel
where the men have been recently en-
gagged in the work, is about twenty-five
feet from the bottom of the river.
The officers of the company for the
present year are rs follows: President
ID. c. Haskin; treasurer-C. G. Lincoln;
secretary-L. C. Fowler; directors
Charles q. Francklyn, Trenor w. Park,
G. G. Lincoln, j. |. Wethered, William
NJ. Force, L. c. Fowler, D., G. Haskin;
engineers in charge-Spielmann and
Brush; consulting engineer-Col. VIII
liam H. Paine; superintendent. F.
| Andersen.
| Col Haskin is an old Californian who
has been interested in the building of
railroads and in mining tunnels on the
Pacific slope. Col Paine, the consult
ing engineer, is well known in connec-
ton with the East River bridge. Spiel
mann and Brush, the constructing en-
gineers, both belong to this city. An
derson. the superintendent, is a Swede,
and has mad much experience in Gals
son work, having conducted the diff
cult task Of laying the foundations for
bridges in Omaha and other parts of
| the country.