The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-09-27

at was an uncanny- looking hole.
but in short time, seeing his guide en-
Ter. the reporter followed, and found
himself in q small cramped cOmpart-
ment. The outer door was shut, aud
there they crouched like rats in trap.
while his companion told the scribe how
to do when the compressed air was let
In. Then, turning cock near the Inn
er door, in it came, Kissing hot At
first it seemed as If the head would
burst; the breath came in quick, short
gasps, and q sharp agonizing pain filled
the ears. Following the directions re-
ceived the reporter held his nose and
mouth shut and blew with all his
might. This filled the cavities behind
the ear-drums with compressed air and
relieved the pain, but the heat remained
intense and a heavy sufocating weight
seemed to Cypress the lungs. Al this
moment the inner door was opened and,
candle in hand, the visitors entered the
inner columns. Twinkling lights were
seen away down below, and after
squeezing through the contracted en-
trance, the descent down the ladder was
begun. AT first everything was dry
and hot, and the reporter was ready to
swear that thermometer would have
registered about two hundred degrees
on the north side of the concern. As
the descent continued, the heat became
less intense, and on reaching the bot
tom, some fifty-eight feet below the sur
face of the water, the heat was beara-
BILE, though the sweat continued to flow
in trickling streams. Stepping from
the ladder the visitors sank above their
knees in the soft mud, and looking
about the reporter found himself in q
box some thirty feet square, while
from the center of the roof extended
the chimney-like passageway down
which the descent had been made.
Here and there on every hand the work
men, each with q daring candle, plowed
about through the mud, carrying it in
armfuls and on shovels, heaping it to-
ward the center, where an iron pipe
the internal continuation of the blow
pipe seen outside-extended down from
the cylinder above.
Compressed air has . tendency to
escape, and. the way through the pipe
being open. through this it rushed.
bearing with it the mud and water
heaped about the mouth of the pipe.
The air is forced into the caisson all the
time, and. making its escape in this
manner, keeps the pressure and the
temperature at about the same point
while it discharges into the upper air
the loads thrown in its way. 1t was
now plain to be seen how the pier was
built. At the top of the water the
works are laid upon the box and built
up as it settles down. all the masonry
work thus being done above water, and
settled down below. as the work pro-
crosses. When bed rock is struck, the
large apartment at the bottom will be
filled with concrete, forming q solid
foundation After taking it all in. the
reporter gave q parting look at the
glistening, steaming workmen, and
pulling his legs from the mud encasne
them. was holsted up to the ladder by 9
friendly hand, began the ascent, reach.
ing the top dripping with sweat and
covered with mud. Entering the little
outer chamber again with his compan-
ion, the inside door was closed, and q
cock in the outer wall being turned. the
pure air entered the chamber, striking
chill to the very bones ofthe steamine
scribe. and filing the apartment with :
dense fog. The outer door opened
with clang. and weak aud cranped
he crawled through the hole and down
the ladder upon the stone-work,
wreaths of steam clinging to his gar
ments and circling about him in the
air. With ringing ears and . sharp
pain in his chest. he thought of the
1900 pounds weight, and it looked 4
little more probable. Inquiring what
the pressure was inside, he was disap.
pointed to hear sixteen pounds ~
Little Rock DIRK Gasette.