Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-14
FAR UNDER THE GROUND.
The Curious Sights to be Seen fin the
AQueduct Tunnel.

ID,
The Curious Sights to be Seen I'm the
Aquediuct Tunnel.
HOW THE WORK IS DoNE-THE SENSATION
PRODUCED BY AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
FACTS ABOUT THE WORK.
Few persons realize the magnitude of the
Washington Aqueduct tunnel or know the diff
| hculties encountered and overcome by the engi-
neers and contractors prosecuting the work. In
making tour of inspection over the work one
should start at the west connecting shaft, near
| the reservoir, on the Conduit road, west Of
Georgetown. Here shaft has been sunk to q
depth of Lightweight feet, from the bottom Of
which the rock has been tunneled a distance Of
2O5 feet. portion of the tunnel is already
lined with brick work, and q force of men Is en-
gagged in lining the shaft with brick work. con-
crete, masonry and stone packing, making a
solid and substantial finish The work of lining
is made necessary from the character Of the
rock, which is assured and scanned in all direc-
! tons, and partially decomposed in some Of the
strata exposed in the tunnel. The next point Of
interest is what is called Foundry Branch shaft
located on the New Cut road, near Foundry
Branch. Here the mass of debris and broken
rock deposited In the immediate vicinity Of the
SHAFT and the appearance at frequent intervals
OF cars loaded with broken rock give evidence
that somewhere in the depth below the work Of
tunneling is progressing. Encased in rubber
coat and boots, with a sou'wester for headgear,
and miners lamps for light, STAR reporter
stepped on the cage and was lowered to the bot
tom OF the shaft. Here the wisdom of prepar-
ing for wet weather was demonstrated. The
water from the seams in the rock falling con-
siderable distance, broke into spray, and q
shower bath was constantly in operation. First,
proceeding westerly toward the reservoir at
Georgetown the reporter CROPPED his way along
| the railway track laid in the tunnel The water
| continually dripping from the jagged rock over
head made the gloom become blacker and the
silence more silent as he proceeded. Presently
FAINT RED SPARK
appears in front, growing brighter and brighter,
until finally out of the darkness emerges stall
| wart negro, carrying some steel bars upon his
| shoulders TO the blacksmith shop to be sharp
| ened. He has barely disappeared in the dark
| ness when "Whoop! whoop." greets the ear,
and the conductor says: "Step up close to the
| wall rock; here comes a car" And sure enough,
car whizzes by, with two negroes with lamps
| in their hats riding on it; one with brake over
| the wheel to prevent its getting too much head
| way. Getting into the track again, the visitor
| proceeds considerable distance, when dim
| lights in the distance, and the rattle Of ma
| chinery, indicates his near approach to the
working party. First he comes to two cars be-
| hIho Is d pie Ol TOck, lnaL lOur ueQ
| are busily engaged in loading into them.
| Crawling over this pile Of rock, the reporter
! came up to the boss of the heading and his
ock IL IS 6oes tn
| about; the noise made by the drilling ma
chimes and exhausting compressed air is deaf
| Interview in relation to his work in vain.
The air here, however, is cool and pure,
and the light good especially in contrast with
| the gloom in the tunnel, away from the head
| lngs. What surprised the explorer most was
the number of men working in so small a
and machinery, but all the men seemed to be
| happy and cheerful and working with a hearty
good win, not in the least minding the water
/ dripping from the rock above them.
THE TEMPERATURE
| in the tunnel remains the same, and stands at
| about sixty degrees Fahrenheit. Returning to-
ward the shaft, the reporter had about the same
experience as going, besides meeting car ctand-
ing on the turnout" waiting for loaded car to
| pass. Near the shaft the sharp sound Of escap-
! ing air broke upon the ear; the conductor said a
| plug had blown out Of the air pipe. By hunting
about it was finally found and replaced. The
air used for power and ventilation is conducted
creek, and is delivered to the drills under pres
| sure OF from do to so pounds to the square finch
The conductor next led the way to the east
heading Several cars were met on the way, and
party OF men putting in a turnout" in this
| heading. The same noise. activity and hustle
was manifest as in the west. Returning to the
porter was told that he had travelled under
ground Just one mile; the distance being, from
east heading, 1900 feet. The next point is the
ROCK creek shaft, situated in the valley Of Rock
creek north of Oak Hill cemetery. This shaft is
| located on the bank Of the stream, and is just
sufficiently deep to leave rock enough between
| the bed of the stream and the roof of the tunnel
| to insure safety from the streams breaking
| through. Here the cars. coming from the tun-
! mel, are drawn out to the end of the track by
mule power. The mule understands his busi-
/ fc Unrtv f1,or,&
guidance. In these headings the same expe-
Renee rsa as In Foundry Brsnch headings
put in to support the rock Large por>
lions of the tunnel will have to be lined With
masonry, as the action Of the air and water dis
| integrate the rock. Most of the rock that BE-
| comes loose near the heading Is shaken down
by the conclusion from the blasts. The rock lies
other in all shapes, the seams being ffIed with With
clay 10 some instances, and in others, with a
pae ke soft and This
| masonry. The distance from this shaft to the
west ST. heading Is $50 feet; to the east heading
| 1.402 feet. In the tunnel near the shaft small
| stable has been built.
| MULES MADE BLIND.
"Mules are to be put in in few days to tow
| the cars the shift boss said. "The mules be-
| come blind shortly, but keep the track all
| right" Men were also engaged in putting up
forge to sharpen the steel, used in the headings
| to expedite the delivery of sharpened steel
Returning to the outer world again the visitor
| cannot get the ring out Of bis ears produced by
the thunder and roar of the drilling machinery
| AT this shaft large number of teams has been
engaged IN hauling away the rock taken out of
| the tunnel. 1t is hauled to The reservoir, near
Howard university for use in that work. From
the immense pile deposited about the shaft, one
would think there was enough to supply the
whole city with material of this description for
long period. Leaving this shaft, the reporter
proceeded to the Champain avenue shaft To-
Gated north of the Boundary near the head of
18th street, where another enormous pile of rock
gave evidence of the struggle with the rocky
Lodges going on underneath the surface. Here
the reporter stopped to examine the magazine
and blacksmith shop, and the hosting appar
ratus and pumping machinery with which each
shaft Is provided. The ammunition used fs
what Is known as Atlantic giant powder
which is said to be the most reliable and
uniform in its action, and the most free from
noxious gases when burned in q small
heading. This powder is packed in boxes
holding fifty pounds, each box contains from
ninety to one hundred and Ave cartridges
| These cartridges about eight inches long
and one and one quarter inches in diam eter
the outer casing being, heavy glazed paper
covered with paraffine to prevent the off ron,
saturating the sawdust, in which the cartridges
are closely packed The powder is frozen before
being packed aud has to be thaWed out before IL
can be used.
THAWING PROCESS.
The thawing process is accomplished by plao-
ing the powder in box or barrel with q false
bottom, exhaust steam from O pipe entering
l, to~ 4la