The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-10-04
SIXTY FEET UNDER WATER.
Startling Experience of Seven
Men ON the New IL. o.

An accident occurred at the Cecil end of
the Is. & o. railroad companys new bridge
over the Susquehanna river on Wednesday
last, of rather unusual character, when
although no lives were lost, a very narrow
shave was made. The scene of the occur
renee was at pier No. 9, the shore pier on
this side of the river at Frenchtown, a short
distance above Perryville. The contractors
are Gen. w. Soey Smith & Son with Mr.
Il. E. Thomas as superintendent. Three
weeks ago the contractor began to sink the
caisson. 1t has already been sunk sixty
feet, ten or more of which are in mud, and
it will have to so twenty feet deeper before
bed rock is reached, on which to base the
pier. The caisson is great wooden box
bottom upwards. Its dimensions are Is
by Al feet. 1t goes down like tumbler in
verified in water. Compressed air is pumped
in continuously TO keep out the water AS
it sinks a coffer-dam is extended above In
side of this masonry and concrete are built
That part of the caisson next to the rivers
bottom is working chamber, into which
workmen descend through a shaft of boiler
iron four feet in diameter. Another shaft
is provided for sending down material
There are large pipes also for air and for
pumping out the mud, Sc, as the caisson
sinks. The caisson and operating appliances
afford working space for gang of eighteen
men at any depth under the waters of the
river as safe as coal mine, and lighted by
electricity work is pursued night and day,
the shifts being at regular stated hours
The following are the men composing the
gang who were imprisoned: Patrick Ma
guire, Michael Dillon, VIM. Shortall, NJ.
Welsh, j. Flynn, p. Kelly, I. Kelly. The
gang went down at midnight and assembled
at A. NJ. for brea kfast. They went down
again at A. NJ. and were imprisoned until
nearly noon.
The accident was caused by the with
drawal of too much air from the working
chamber, causing the casson to settle six or
seven feet very rapid ly, instead of two feet,
as was desired. In settling the east side of
the.calSSon went much deeper into the mud
than its opposite side, thus causing the
whole structure to careen. The coffer-tlam
dUouI ILe llldlu SlldIt was damaged and the
water closed over the top. The workmep
below had barely time to make the main
shaft for security. The shaft is provided
with three trap-doors for security in each
of the compartments or chambers Only
the one section above them was filled with
water, and they were free from the mud
below. The air-supplying and other ma
chinery went on without interruption. The
imprisoned workmen were safe, but in very
close quarters-in boiler iron cylinder
feet in diameter and Is feet long, for five
hours, GO feet beneath water, is not pleas
ant experience.
temporary cofferdam was built and
the damage to the work repaired quickly.
The upper section was soon relieved of the
super-incum bent waite. The lock i'm the
shaft was reached and opened and the way
being made thus clear, the imprisoned work.
men were brought forth one by one until
all were safely on deck. Only one, Kelly.
the & .ng foreman, was injured, and that
but slightly
One of the party gives the following az
count of his Imprisonment: The caisson
began to sink rapidly and my mates made