Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-07-02
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Terrible Experience or Three LAB ,rers
on the Omaha Bridge An Accident to
the valve.
| Omaha Bee. 80: 4 thrilling incident
occurred yesterday in one OF the caissons
of the Omaha Ooupcil Bluffs bridge,
ROW In coarse of construction, that
| would have resulted in the death OF
three workmnn had il not been for the
heroic efforts OF thsir fellows. AS il is
one of them is III a very critical eondi-
sion and may not survive the injuries rs-
ceived.
The esissons are huge cylinders, some-
thing on the principle Of u diving bell !,
that are sunk into the rlyer, and in
these the leborers dig below the bed OF
the river and then build up the piers for
the bridge. There IL no bottom to the
caisson, and to keep the water from
pouring In sufficient compressed air ls
forced into the oaisson TO keep the water
back, To retain the compressed air in
the cylinder two air-tight valves are put
in between the large chamber where the
men work and the outer air. One of
these valves or doors is about ten feet
above the other, making small chamber
between them. To pass from the upper
air into the large chamber a person de.
scsnds ladder to the upper valve,
opens 1t and passes into the
ten-foot chamber. He then
fsstens the valve securely be-
hind him before opening the lower
valve. The lower one is then opened
and the ocnpressed air comes rushing
IN from the large chamber below. The
In VaI I've 10 lafe
the Workmen wish to return to the upper
Cir, when process vice versa to the
one above is gone through with. The
compressed cir is very Injurious snd ia
often the cause OF great fatalities. The
only two hours at a time and then are
relieved.
Yesterday morning three laborers
named John Hurley. James Dow4y and
John Brody, who were on the first shift,
entered the caiaeon at z o'clock. The
place where they were working was
seventy feet below the breast OF the
river, All 8 o'clock, the end OF their
shift, they did not emerge. but instead
signsled that they were unable TO come
out. They h' d been filing the large
chamber with concrete, and had filed
valve. They did not dare TO open the
upper valve, as the compressed air would
Immediately escape, end the water rush.
ing up from below would drown them.
The workmen above readily compre
hended the situation, and it was
finally deoided to construot another
valve above the fret one. making
thereby Q new cir lock. The piece
OF work was an exactipg one, and ge-
quired the greatest precision in fitting it
exactly 10 the cylinder. Two or three
attempts proved failures on account of
the haste with which the valves were
constructed. Meanwhile the imprisoned
workmen eignaied by raps that they
were still alive. and raps of encourage
ment were given back IN reply.
Shortly before O'Clock the new valve
was finally finished and found to work
perfectly. With loud shout OF Joy the
workmen shut it tight, opened the old
valve below and found the three prison
ers still alive, They were carried to the
upper air and laid on the grass. Stimu-
Brady both finally recovered sufficiently
from the shock to walk to their homes.
Hurley, however, was completely para
n1ous nuASKAb& Wnat is AuOWu among
the workmen as the "bends." He was
taken to his home at 1113 South Thlr-
teenth street. and given proper attend
anoe. he ia in q preosrious condition,
end if he survives the shock it will be q
good many months before he will heabie
to walk again. Dowdy enf Brady are
both sure to beprostrated with violent
attack of oaisson fever as result Of their
living entombment.