Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-08

L
for excavating and embankment at the reservoir
| was believed to be ample. Gen. Newton, then
Chief OF Engineers approved the project provision
nations, confirming the opinion that solid rock
would be found generally along the proposed line.
ald MOT cy
work OF sinking trial shaft at the easterly ter
| minus OF the proposed tunnel was commenced
Of this work. and reported July ., 1881 that he
had concluded an examination OF the materials by
means OF this shaft, which was sunk TO depth OF
| las feet He had found conclusive evidence OF the
existence OF solid rock on the line OF the proposed
tunnel at depth OF 116 feet below the surface, or
rial was composed OF eight strata OF sand and clay
OF different varieties. Maj. Lydecker, In his re-
port to the Chief Of Engineers, covering that Of
| and study this question the more l am convinced
in the opinion that for facility time, and cost of
construction, security against damage from ma
tural causes or the violence OF man. indeed In
every material respect, the tunnel project Is the
best one" The reservoir as planned would have a
cover SO acres, with a depth Of 80 feet, and its
surface be las feet above tide AT the bottom,
the report said there would be stratum OF I'M
permeabe hard clay.
THE TUNNEL PROJECT APPROVED.
Upon this report the project was finally ap-
proved by the Chief OF Engineers July 30, 1888
From this point the tunnel became the principal
subject OF discussion, and the other features Of
the project, the dam the reservoir, and the mains
ever, encountered In the purchase OF the land
necessary for the reservoir owing to certain legal
difficulties that arose. The Acknowledgement rem
taken by the Government in August, the appro-
pr1ation OF S35,2o0 falling short or the awards to
the amount or $l7O,624
proposals Tor tue construction OF the tunnel
were received and opened october 8, 1854 The
contract for the work was awarded to MessrA
beckWlCh QuackenbuSh, OF Mohawk, n. Y, on
the 29th OF october, at prices which made the es-
slnaIe1 cost OF the tunnel $o4S 100. The contract
for the construction OF the dam was awarded to
Cnttenden BROS, OF this city, Tor $9A 293 rs, and
that for the reservoir to Maloney 4 Gleason, also
OF washington, for prices making the total esti-
mated cost $29S, $50.
BEGINNING THE WORK.
Active operations under these contracts were
commenced in November, 1885, Ground was flrst
broken on the tunnel at Foundry Branch on De-
cember IL, at Rock Creek and Champlain avenue
Ine next DAY, ana at the new reservoir January q
nneSe were Inc sites OF the working shafts by
means Oh which the tunnel level was reached.
Inc plan was to sink a connecting shaft at the
distributing reservoir to a depth OF 20 feet above
nean nign tlde, the level OF which was taken as
the datum line. The tunnel having a normal
cross-Sectlon OF S2h square feet would then start
eastward on It's air line for the new reservoir dip
ping 10 within 2Ss feet OF the datum line al the
rounury Branch shaft, distance OF 2,4l6 feet,
linen rising slightly TO an air shaft at Fayette
street, where it should dip suddenly to avoid the
Deu OF ROCK Greek, g, 437 feet from Foundry
Branch. At this point it goes below the line about
80 leet, ana then rises sufficiently to clear 1t Jew
ioot dC an AR SndlC midway between the creek and
Champlain avenue, where the tunnel rests on the
Inc anu another working shaft Is sunk. From
t tins point to the eastern terminus, a
distance OF 6,65S feet, the tunnel is
almost level, rising about IA seet. There is an air.
smart at 13tn street. The work of tunneling was
begun February 10, 1884, and June 30 1854, ,591
Ieet OF tunnel had been driven At the close or the
fscal year ending June, 1884, Major Lydecker re-
ported such progress ''as tustifes the expectation
vi completing all essential parts OF the work dur
ing the fall OF 1885" An additional appropriation
Ol required to pay for lands taken for the
reservoir, was asked. with TINS exception" the
prlated will suf1ice TO complete the works on
hand" The report also said: 'Our expectations
as TO the possibility Of the tunnel and the prOba-
Dlllty OF carrying II In good rock has been more
than realized" This report likewise gave some
interesting details about the tunnel and the
voir. The new reservoir was mainly a question Of
excavation and embankment, the excavated ma
ter1al being used TO form q dam at the lower end
Of the valley in which the reservoir is 'lOcated.
This dam is about $50 feet long, 10 feet high ITO
feet wide ON top, and 425 feet wide at the bottom
The thickness at the water line, 10 feet below the
Top OF the dam, Is $50 leet To provide motive
rect long, To carry compressed air. the longest ever
worked In this country, was constructed.
A CALL FOR MORE MONEY.
The following year Qss5) the tone Of the report
was not SO hopeful. Difficulties met during the
year indicated that the cost of the work would
largely exceed the estimates and the time re-
quired would be much greater than expected
The report stated that the tunnel had been com.
pleted for total distance OF ID 500 feet OF which
% Tns
June 80 1885, but the report said that its compile
ton at that time was not likely at the then rate
OF progress. An additional appropriation Of
1895 600 was asked for the tunnel and one OF $780,.
900 for tine reservoir Major Lydecker explained
that the work during the early part Of the year,
developing the character OF the rock and the ef-
feet OF its exposure to air and water made IL EVIL
dent that the cost Of completing the tunnel would
largely exceed the original estimate. lie called
III hat 20 INN uG,ich
the appropriation was made were prepared In the
office OF the Engineer commissioner or the Dis
trtct, and hot in The War Department.
Gas the work advanced be said. sit was found
that the shafts had to be sunk to greater depths
In order to reach good rock. and that the vary ing
character OF the rock developed in excavating the
tunnel would require its being lined to q much
greater extent than Lad been anticipated; great
increase In the amount OF excavation has thereby
resulted, OF which no account was taken In the
original estimates, as well as In the amount OF
masonry 10 be placed as lining. Besides the Orgi,
s3y for cementing the inside shaft at the westerly
end-of the tunnel with the receiving reservoir no
contemplate the completion OF all the working
shafts La such manner to admit OF their future
use in flushing the tunnel, or In draining and re-
pairing 1t II Necessary, course which, IRON the
nature OF the rock excavaJed, has become q pre-
caut0nary measure OF the greatest Importance ~
The additional appropriation for the reservoir
was made necessary because the character OF the
slopes uncovered made an unexpected amount OF
pudding necessary; then the stone from the Jun-
nel which IL was intended TO use in the cOnstruc-
tion found unsuitable, and provision had to be
ade for diverting three small streams that flowed
along the bed OF the reservoir.
THE APPROPRIATION EXHAUSTED.
In the following year the appropriation was ex-
hausted by February, and the work Of tunneling
was suspended. The report for the fiscal wear,
ended June 80 1885, therefore recorded a total
length attained Of 1S,53S.2, OF which l4S0 60 feet
were lined. deficiency appropriation was asked,
ana while congressional committees were looking
into the matter an appropriation of $1,000 fOr
made.
The report for 1887 showed that the work on the
dam at Cheat Falls was completed IN August 1856
This Is a solid masonry dam, 2,877 feet long from
TO 20 feet high, backed with riprap. The gem
eral deficiency bill approved August f. 1885, appro.
sumed and the excavation Of the tunnel COM
pleted Up to June 80, 1887 6, HOS feet OF tunnel
had been lined The Developments OF the year
showed the necessity OF much more lining than had
been estimated for, and the cost OF this work had
Deen Increased by the recommendations of tie
consider the matter. Hence an additional appro-
pr1atl0n OF $500, 600 was called for.
THE RECENT OPERATIONS
Major Lydecker's last report, covering operations
up to June 80 last, reported that work had been
suspended September 30, 1887, on account OF the
exhaustion of the appropriation, but upon the
passage OF the general deficiency bill Approved
March 30, 1888, appropriating S297, $50 for the
continuance OF the work, operations were resumed
1t having been decided to line the tunnel through
out, the work was In progress In every section.
The total length lined to June 30 last was 10 O99S
feet. There then remained IO62dS feet 10 ~
mel up to June 30. 1855 was 81 oil ,S73 49, work
on the excavation OF the reservoir was comniata6