Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-01

HI sTUMBLRs THRouGH THE SLOPPY coNpurr AND xx.
AhNKs THE EVIDENCES OF BAD woRK-A CAVITY
BIG ENOUGH 10 ACCOMMODATE FAMILY.
Lieut. Townsend took up to-day the investigation
In the aQueduct tunnel where he left on saturday
evening. As stated In Saturdays STAR he found q
hole during the afternoon above the lining In the
section near the Champlain avenue shart con-
structed under the inspection OF Subinspector
Lucas, the discharged sublnspector, whose charges
nrst called attention to the bad work In the tun-
mel Afterward Lieut. Townsend cut out the
bricks and a piece OF stone that was In the way
and discovered o cavernous aperture In the dark
ness IL seemed to have sides or top. This was the
biggest hole yet discovered. Lieut. Townsend then
Degan drilling In section further east, inspected
as he went Saturday afternoon discovered nothing
but good work.
MAJOR LYDHcKRR IN THE sIoPPY TUNNEL
When Lieut.. Townsend arrived at the Cham
plain avenue shaft this morning he had some one
with him in his buggy. It was Major Lydecker,
the engineer OF the aqueduct, and Lieut. Town.
long rubber overcoat pair OF rubber boots and q
soft felt hat. He took in his hand one OF the
greasy narlng tunnel lamps, and was lowered los
shaft. He stumbled with Lieut.. Townsend, Mr..
kerlin, the chief inspector, and two STAR report
ers through the sloppy tunnel This was
THE MAJORS FIRST VISIT
to the tunnel since Lieut.. Townsend began his In
vestigation there. and he spent some time prying
into and sounding holes driven into the wall by
the lieutenant. They explored the tunnel before
noon to distance OF about a thousand feet east
OF Champlain avenue shaft. Then returning to
Inspector Lucas work was discovered saturday,
Major Lydecker gave directions TO have the arch
cut away at that point He set other men at work
drilling into the side walls OF the arch on section
OF the work inspected by OBrien 360 feet east
OF the shaft. So far this work had
progressed at noon, when the men stopped Tor dln
ner, nothing but solid masonry was found. MaJoi
Lydecker was anxious 10 discover this morning
whether these cavities were continuous. When
the bricks under the big hole at 250 were removed
1t showed that on the sides OF the cavity was solid
masonry, well and strongly laid In cement When
the men stopped work Major Lydecker got upon
the Scaffold and 1ared his lamp into the dark
cavity There Is room. /" he said, ~for family to
go In and sleep" The work in this shaft was re.
sumed this afternoon.
WHAT MAJOR LYDEcKER SAYS ABOUT AWARDING THE
Major Lydecker, when asked by q STAR reporter
respecting the charges that favoritism had been
shown Beckwith Quackenbush in awarding the
original tunnel contract, notwithstanding that
Devices Co. made bid S., 600 lower than Beck
present time TO say anything on the subject Al
the proper time, be said, he would give his state
ment. 'Ir would be fruitless," he said 'to under.
take to answer everything that may be said
through the newspapers" Major Lydecker re-
marked that he hoped the whole matter would be
thoroughly investigated by q competent tribunal
that could require men TO testify under oath. "Al
dltion Of the work. We cannot compel men TO tell
US the TRUTH