New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-30
THE NORTH RIVER TUNNEL DESERTED.
NO WORK DONE SINCE JCLY-A MAN AND CAT
on GUARD IN NEw-YoRK.

NO WORK DONE SINCE JCLY-A MAN AND A CAT
ON GUARD N NEw-YoRK.
PEOPLE going to or coming from the pier OF
the French Line Of steamers must have observed. night
in the middle Of West-s mass OF low buildings oi curl
GUS appearance surrounded by IL high board fence the
whole painted n reddish chocolate color The street
Arabs chase each other round the fence ana cD over
bo roof, OF the buildings In reckless and law denying
manner door Of a peculiarly modest and unobtrus'e
character coucoas itself in the fence and can only be dis
covered by keen observation There are chnneyS but
no smoke comes from them nor are there jets OF steam ia
any quarter. The place seems abandoned TRIBUNE
reporter asked ariyer-sdo man who works among the
doc As what the place was used for
Nothing now" tho answer, but II used Ia be the
end Of the North River Tunnel. They amt worhn nos"
hint tbe'- au, some inside tan' care OF The prem
es That door amt fastened and Yer can go IN II yer
wants to"
Inside the place presented neat but somewhat dismal
appearancc There were buildings ana Shcls on tf'e
rs Of the square, hut and fourth side were
vacant At the end the buildings were constructed
over shed partly ned with small bags OF sawdust On
n r those cat of a starved appearance had made Its
he'd IL rose np arched its back which presented series
NJ knobs and then emitted some plalhtNe meo"s'
brood step ladder went upward to the building with
sir that the Office OF the North River Tunnel Company
@ n.tairk Regardless Of the starved eats appeal for
food the reporter assembled the stairs and entered the
onicc where he found mild and pleasant old gentleman
with fringe Of handsome gray whsker, trotting brsdy
nm and down the room apparently for warmth The
n,,uson Crusoe OF tho North River Iunnol seehe" ne
ughtcd to see q human face. and explained with much
eernc. that the works had been stopped since the last
day Of July. >,
How far have yOu penetrated uhucr tuo rNoi
asked the reporter.
. About two hundred feet" answered the solitary so
,orncr; ut II yon anything you will have
., co 10 the Jersey CITY end Of the tunnel where the men
really have something 10 show
- Are they stil working that end then |"
ooh no! They stopped about "a year ago. bnt tu'
works there are very substantial and will give sou a"
/ ilra of the enterprise. ..--, ~, 49,, ~,
Rnt cannot see your part Of the tunnel T. asked III"
Ss certainly II you wish to- answered the old gen
,io,au with Quiet SMILE he led the way toward the
eastern end Of the nclsure, the starved eat to.oMns IN
hTi-L excited way II mice OF hNcr or sot thE Vu
Iic ,nW,t necessarily follow so much unusual sur ana
n n The three approached hole in the ground UNI
Dust nm nil four sides aud filled with black looking
c,i chain Tor lowering material. The water hiu all
save the upper end OF TINS Gna from ,b lc@isncv Of
IN. w wG9t9. hi. 2" asked the reporter.
' w,trr ia i'm the caisson 50 that you see moth
, Ru iNty feet below the surface i the entrance 10
inE' ,in a OF coursc il Is all mll of wafer now"
-" And when are you going to resume Work aSAeh ''
relT3,5ont know" said the old gentleman: You should
1'Ttb,r cXncctrd him to-day at half past ~
r b. leaked mctaiiycly down into the hole AMI ut
,h l,ck wafer as II bordering II there were iNh inert.
~ al gentleman looked at the reporter " ith quiet
n,tcols air as II ready to answer any questions u'l
t he naked But the reporter asked none save ~ 10
H. ncotinn of the Jersey city end oi Tue tunnel wa"
s occnratrly explained Theu lac ten the eat ana tht
Nj "cnIIcn,an IN their solitude. AMI emerged nom Thai
i,a,Tnv nlarr into the hustle and lie ~ NJ ~.
IInlnkPn a wilderness o n'i country " iHt
iIeI with the North River. where Is nothing save ran
ai tracks It Is perfect 1idirnn OF rails Foll"" M
10 ~ these the reporter came o the brink oI t'
r where II makes its bend. Here WAS the building %
nv. Eorth RIVER Tunnel lie opened door, uaycrSs
|ar,e shop filled with engines. all silent most OF then
,"t Passing through smother door he came upon IN
lat sbaft-an immense circular opening wrll-Dlirkch
Zinc IKE "A huge well. At the bottom was Moor %
,,i,ntiTg upon which pumping machinery, whlc
- ,,,n,, vlgorOusly Two were here. looking Hitc
bin,s aud them held IN bis hand ANN 10
Inspecting tue TWO vi tho t"iN
mi he willingly went back with the reporter
az" Y"u see said he this pipe that runs along IN
onud ON our right hand. That contains condensed All
hi uino ON our lett hand contains water from the nOl
Gallery which has accumulated ana which we are pun
Inc ant zee how broad the gallery Is. Inc lueh Is
run cars through these galleries. They seem low 10 yo
hut this a. the top We work downward, ana the Tot
S@ight when finished will he sixteen feet. The wau
[ ~ through our brickwork. Where tho Dicks az
COM "a with concrete there Is less leakage In place
VNo are fastened with iron tie-rOds. The ground
tn. 49,, because only commenced pumping ie
L % 80 mr. shortly Will lie quite hnId Al picrel
! .a,,,ot NO .ar into the interior ON account Oi u
Az Tits nolnt as tito mud was considerably beyond
r,as ,e rei,ortel nfccded ~ the Suggestion that
4 IaI seen ali lao wis 20 see. ana ietraced us siela ~
iaying seen single dry siot ON VOL OF rYO III we ho
K | tunnel Every whore the wafer seePsu tu!pusn "
n brioK-work and fell In tesIe ~ uleked GOWN 'nn curve