New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-02
SUNDAY slTwENrYTwo PAGES

were sprung every day, and large force OF
was kept constantly at work on repairs.
A break meant a water famine in New-York. How
near such a horror the city was It's inhaDltants
may never know Only the most diligent watch
ing avertcd IT, The Bronx River pipe line came
TO TIE old aqueduct's relief, but its 20,O0OoO0
gallons disappeared rapidly as rain In the great
desert, and the people clamOred Tor more. Inc
total supply of 115,O0O,00O gallons day Ialled
t. rinse the faucets on the second floor oftener
than twice in the twenty-four hours. The public
fountains thirsted in van and at last, losing all
hope cracked their parched basins into geometricai
shapes, like mud rivers bank in time OF
drouth. The streets could not be sprinkled be-
cause there was no water TO spare, and the eyes
of all the people were blinded with dust -,
A new water supply was talked of for several
years. and numerous plans were suggested. flnally
O new Croton aqueduct was decided on ne
spillwsy at Croton Lake was wasting daily millions
of gallons which the old aqueduct could not bring
to the CITY, This water must be saved.
UP SHAFT NO. IN BUCKET
But to return to the tour Between shafts
No and No 3 the tunnel is $40 feet under
ground Shaft No. 2 is $40 feet deep, and NO.
800 feet The tunnel changes not whit as the
miles are scored. 1t is decided to make an exit at
No. 4. and to resume the journey on the morrow
At tine bottom of the shaft there is PLATFORM
above the water, with dozen barrels OF ceinenS
around the edges and q pile OF Drlcks on one
corner. In the centre sits an iron DucKeG US Dig
as q hogshead, and wire rope an lnch tnlck
is fastened in the Topped handle. This rope leads
the eve up the shaft distance of GAG 12 feet
where IL seems TO go through hole aDouI Ihe
size Of silver dollar. The lower end OF inc
shaft about thirty feet of it, is spread out iiat
like whiskey flask, but all the rest 2i6 1eeb Is
round, the whole resembling bottle with very
long neck, such neck as the hentucklans IKE Ike
when they liquor up" There Is an iron laoaer
fastened to the lining from top to bottom, but
the rungs are greasy with moisture, and an aScen-
sion by means of them is not inviting A cllmo
of 246 LIZ feet up q perpendicular LADDER, even
when 1t is dry is not diversion that appeals to
the tunnel tourist The bucket has many ad-
Vantages.
Mr.. Rice gets in first, then the reporter clam
bers in, followed by Mr.. GOwen. The bucket Is
waist deep. An inspector, who has been walt,
ing on the platform, climbs upon the rim and
stays there all the way up, holding to the rope
with one hand while with the other against the
---rer he keeps the bucket from swaying or
turning.
takes in his candles.
The Inspector jerks the signal rope
four times, the rope becomes taut in
an Instant and the bucket begins to rise; After
passing the flask and getting Wei INTO the meek .
coat tails fly up and hats have to be held on with
both hands As the silver dollar at the top draws
near, 1t gradually expands till 1t looks as large
as q cart-whee The bucket stops, with It's rim
on level with the copestone, and the inspector
steps off. followed by Mr.. Gowen. without wall
ing for Instructions the reporter proceeds to 90
manages to get 10th feet on the rim. Then, reach
ing out his right foot he plants 1t on the cope
stone placing himself in the a savs f 20 the
opposite side of the shaft and turns snghIR'
opening a gap as black as the bottomiess plC'
When 1t sways back to its proper place the re-
porter throws his weight on ohs right 1901, gives
a ouisk push with his left and Is snfe on the cope
stone Mr.. Gowen heaves a sigh of relief:
IT'S all right, now that you're safe, ne says
"but that isn't orthodox" ,. %
He then explains that the orthodox way Oh
leaving bucket at the mouth OF SnalS ID w
begin by taking firm hold OF knoCte S aUpr
fastened to a stanchon for the purpose anu IT,.
such precautions, misstep, a slipping Oh Oh. VIC
foot fitting of the bucket, would mean oel''iN
death. :, .;,,os
The open air is frosty, but before It strikes
70 the marrow the tourists, buttonlng tnelr d dup
beers tightly, start off on run Tor the Trmee,
which il not more than half q mile away, There
they find jim" the faithful hostler.an11pI, VIA VIA
has brought their clothes over from the LAKE, ana
into these they jump in short order Zen r mn,
utes later they find Jim IN the ulhs I'LL
And il is attacked No quarter is given for a
time it seems as if the spoons and forks are III
danger. 49,. IT,, o, Mr. Pice
inquiries 4. , Tim roD,,cs with the promptuess
NJ one who has been keeping count. And yet the
ogos are only a small part of the dinner.
tnnnel tour for an appetitel There's nothing IKE
T. is now o'clock. A drive to Sing Sing
Grst dav In town the reporter finds himself
uncomfortable on the sidewalks. His legs falI
70 understand him properly They want an meme me
or stepoT The left seems to De aoolC SIN
inches shorter than the re er1nS with his right
foot in the gutter and his left on the curbstone
This harmonzes everything
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