Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-11-21
IN THE AQUEDUCT TUNNEL.
How the Connection was Made Betweel
Two Headings.

IN THE AQUEDUCT TUNNEL.
How the Connection was Made Between
Two Headings.
| THE SCENE AT THE MOMENT WHEN THE BOOK
BARRIER WAS BLOWN AwAY-FACTs ABOUT
THE WORK IN THE TUNNEL-MULES THAT
LIVE UNDERGROUND.
One OF the greatest engineering feats yet un.
oertaken at the national capital is the construc-
ton OF the water works extension tunnel. For
nve miles this tunnel extends, or will extend
wnen completed, through bed rock. 1t begins
at the distributing reservoir and terminates AT
the new reservoir near the Soldiers home. The
distance beneath the surface Of the ground
ranges from IS to 40 feet. There are five
shafts on the line Of construction-one at the
distributing reservoir, one at Foundry branch,
one at Rock creek, one at Champlain avenue,
ana one Mt Howard university. Ever since the
work was begun it has been carried forward
the termini, the work has been prosecuted In
notn directions, east and west. For each smart
In the OF Soa fSs otSeT the
evening. The machinery is run By compressed
air. A complete description of the entire works
set In motion. Powerful engines at the aque-
duct bridge, over Rock creek, compress the air
ana S drive 1t through pipes which extend to
DESCENDING SHAFT.
A STAR reporter visited the Rock creek
shaft to witness the breaking of the last wall of
rock between the eastern heading Of that shaft
ana the western heading of the Champlain
avenue SHAFT. First providing himself with
carrying miners lamp, stepped on the plat
form or cage of the elevator. A few moments
OF descent and the bottom Of the shaft was
| reached. Then came n trudge through mud,
muck and water for more than three-t1fths of
mile up 70 the eastern heading: The pickering
n i'm fxyn fr1nr
only to make the darkness more visible. Now
and then with iunge THE STAR man would go
was reached and clambering over huge pile OF
loose stone the reporter reached
THE DIVIDING WALL
between the two sections Of tunnel. The drills
were busily at work with their changing noise.
These drills are diamond pointed, and they
From the mouth of the shaft the compressed
air Is conveyed into and along the tunnel
| through a four-inch pipe. Near the heading a
Though tbs to the drs Th,s
being adjustable enables the wOr;<men to at
at work boring holes about two inches in
diameter The drills work with a jerky
motion, thrusting backwards and forwards,
and With semi-revOlutiOn simultaneously.
MOMENT OF TRIUMPH.
Amid the clashing of drills and din OF picks
one of the workmen gave yell of triumph and
proclaimed that his drill had penetrated to the
next shaft. An examination showed this to be
time for several days past work has been sus.
pended In the western heading OF the Cham
plain avenue shaft. The blasting could not he
safely carried OH from two directions when the
connection between the two headings was SO
nearly made. A blast set Off in one heading.
unknown y, to the Workm , In the adjacent tun.
to prosecute the work from the Rock Creek tun-
mel. However, the superintendent Of the
Champlain avenue section was In watch, and
within Il few moments .fter the drill pierced
the dividing wall his voice was heard extend
ing his CONGRATULATIONS A measurement
rock between the two headings. The drills
were again set to work and Kept going until
fourteen holes were pierced through the dlvid-
ing vail.
BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIER.
Then the cartridges were set and everything
made ready for the final blast. Some hours
later, when everything was made ready for the
firing" the setting off of the blast is called,
the word was passed TO retreat. The workmen,
headed by the reporter, who was specially anx-
iOuS TO get away from IL location set With dyna-
mite, went down the tunnel some distance.
The word was given, the blast set Oft and, with
a laundering crumbling noise, the wall be-
tween the two headings tumbled. When the
| smoke cleared away there was an open passage
between the two sections OF tunnel. TIE
debris, consisting OF broken rock, almost
blocked the opening, but there was space
by Inspector Woodward and the foreman, to
crawl through. The work Of removing the
broken rock was promptly begun and, without
any sort of ceremony, the connection between
| two sections OF the tunnel was made. The
tunnel is made seven feet high by eleven feet
| across as near as can be regulated. From each
| heading down TO the shaft a tramway is laid,
| and the rock that is blasted out is conveyed
| down on small cars.
SLIDING DOWN HILL.
| In the Rock creek shaft the grade ascends
each way from the shaft. This incline had to
be made in order to pass under the bed of the
creek. The cars when loaded at the heading go
down to the shaft without any motive power.
The decline is sufficient to send them down
with all the velocity necessary. In each heud-
ing nine cars are employed. Three are loaded
at a time and dispatched on the downward
grade. But they are not trusted to run the
muck . unaded. a man is put in charge with
his hand on the brake wheel, and he checks the
train at the broken points. At certain iuter-
walls there are switches wberc the loaded cars
must stop and wait for the upward trains. The
empty cars returning to the heading are drawn
up by mules.
sUBTERRANEAN MULES.
For each heading two mules are used, and for
thirteen months these animals have been in the
bowels of the earth. They seem to have become
accustomed to their subterranean habitation,
and to rather enjoy it.
.'Why not have blind mules?' inquired THE
STAR reporter OF Inspe' tor Woodward.
.Oh, that would never do he replied.
Though 1t is dark down here, these mules de-
rive some benefit from their eyesigtt. You
ought to see them when pulling up empty cars
and train of loaded cars is coming down,
They hear the sound and know how to get on
the switch as soon, or sooner than the drives"
Between the shaft and the eastern heading of
the tunnel, there is pipe ten inches in diane.
ter leading from the tunnel directly through
to the surface of the ground above This is Tor
yentilatiOn and il lied the s.yyidOyy