Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-19
Tunneling Through Ice.
A REMARKABLE PIECE OF ENGINEERING.

very remarkable piece OF engineering
came to an end at Niagara Falls Monday II
was the tunneling of the ice mountain at the
foot of the American Falls. The work was
undertaken Ly Supt WEIGH of the State fark
and his assistants, in order, II possible, 10 re-
cover the body of L.G. Dewitt of New YORK
who fell from the ice mountain on Feb. rs.
The ice mountain this year has not been as
high as usual, and its bulk formed nearer the
bank than last winter. 1t is nothing but the
accumulated frozen spray of the falls. AT
present its top is 100 feet above the level OF
the river. By Thursday of last week change
had taken place in the ice, and the body of
the man could be seen from the top of the
bank 1t was lying apparently on the left
side, with the face toward the falls. 1t looked
at first as if the head was bound with white
handkerchief and that started the report that
Dewitt must have been alive for some time
after he fell, and placed the handkerchief
around his head for protection, and that he
persisted from exposure, instead OF by the
fall After the body was discovered the ques-
ton arose as to how it could be reached So
rapidly did the ice seem to be wearing away
it was thought the body might drop into the
water and float down where it could be picked
up with boat.
Friday morning the body sill remaining
in view, Superintendent WEIGH decided t.
adopt some plan for getting it. That OF
blasting away a portion of the mountain was
thought best, and the work was begun. G.
Reisig, who has had considerable experience
in The use of dynamite, assisted by Messrs.
John McCloy and John Conroy did the work,
using ll4 pound cartridges. Finding that
the blasting did not give the desired result,
the work was abandoned Superintendent
Welch then came to the conclusion that the
only way the body could be reached would be
by a tunne! through the mountain. aud on
Saturday morning about nine o'clock, the
work was begun. MIR. WEIGH was assisted in
laying out the tunnel by Messrs. Ware and
Harrington. 1t was no easy problem. Here
was mass of solid ice to tunnel through with
one great assure to cross and perhaps Others
which could not be seen from the top of the
bank. 1t was comparatively easy to Chamber
up the long. slippery, spray-swept slope OF
the mountain. But to approach its crest to-
ward the Falls was, perhaps to share the fate
of Dewitt, for the thawing weather made the
overhanglng ledge of ice liable to break of
ut anv point. The wind is always strong a.
the foot of the Falls and the icy spray i.
binding. 1t was impossible TO drop lin,
over the face of the mountain. The PROPOSE
ton was made to let rope ladder over, ant
there were several men who volunteered t.
descend it even for so small a snm as 81
cents, but Superintendent Welch didn't wan
any more dead men on his hands.
! II was estimated that the body lay abou
40 feet from the top of the ice mountain, ant
with this bearing the work began. They
started in on the slope Of the ice mountain
back about 60 feet from the face of the ic'
cliff. They cut a tunnel feet Wide and
feet high. The men worked with picks
shovels and ice breakers. The ice wa
sometimes hard, like river ice, and sometime
would shovel out like meal The mel
worked in gangs of two, each gang throwing
back the pickngs of the gang ahead. B
noon Sunday the tunnel had been carried for
ward 40 feet and downward a few feet. /
section of gaspipe was driven through tn
heading. 1t failed to pierce the face of tn
mountain, and second piece was driven in
1t was found that there yet remained % fee
of ice to pierce through, but the gas pipe ha
come through the ice wall about 20 feet abov
the narrow shelf where the body of Dewitt
Law. The work was carried on all day Sur
day and Monday. About o'clock Monda
evening an opening was struck, and the clou
of spray which rushed in seemed to indicat
that the work was nearly at an end. 1t ha
grown extremely hazardous. They wei
practically tunneling through great mass
ice which was separated from the main mouI
tain by wide assures, and which might detac
itself and be precipitated into the river b.
low at any moment.
When the face of the ice mountain towaI
the laundering fall was finally broken throue
the foremost men found the body on lit
ledge of ice about foot below them. The
put A rope about the body and it was draw
into the tunnel and so to the bank above.