New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-09
THROUGH THE AQUEDUCT.
CONTINUATION OF THE TOUR.
SCENES IN THE GREAT TUNNEL FROM
SHAFT NO. A TO HARLEM RIVER.

HOW sTUPENDoUs FRAUDS WERE PERpLTRATED
discovery OF THE FALSE WORK AND ITS
CoNSEQUENCES-THE OLDEST 1NHABI.
TANr- BLOW OFFS AND WASTE
VERSA GLIMPSE OF GEN.
ERAL DUANE.
In the account of his journey through the new
Croton Aqueduct, begun in last Sundays Tribune.
the reporter got only as far as Shaft No A. out of
which he rode in a big iron bucket in company of
Mr. Rice deputy chicf-cngineCr, and Mr. GOwcn,
division engineer. The next morning the tour
was continued from the mouth of that shalt.
Everyday clothes were exchanged for rubbers' as
before, and, also before, the tourists presented
a rather frightful appearance. which. however.
concerned them not. rs they were not out for 0D-
servation. The bucket went down very scdately.
descending upon the invcrt as softly as dew upon
the mown grass. Mr.. Gowcn took the TN re-
fector, as the first day, while Mr.. Rice and the
reporter took candles. There was strong
draught and the warm. moist air of the tunnel
sweeping up the cold shaft in great volume
so packed it with vapOry clouds that the bright
daylight was suddenly shut out. leaving the bot
tom of the well in semi-darknoSs. The shaft
steamed at the top like the eXhauStplpe OF
great engine The tourists FASTENED their steps
TO get beyond the draught, which wet them ana
chilled them at the same time, and put enormous
letters in the candles, with leaning from the
windward side Mr. Rice had q trick OF swinging
his candle between the second and third fingers
of his right hand and forming with the back
of the same hand a shield 10 keep of the wind
1t seemed so easy to do that the reporter tried
it, Result; One coat cuff demolished one shirt
cuff scorched one palm blistcred and the tunnel
filed with a refined odor of burnt rubber Added
TO this misery was an affection of the ankle bones
and heels. due to the side-hi boots, but as a ear
horse warns out of his lameness, 50 the reporter
warmed out of his, and at last To-
comotion became melancholy pleasure
on the slippery, sloping banks of the
diverted Croton. \ hatfnl Of water poured into
the bootleg at the end of every mile prevented
spontaneous combustion.
THE OLDEST INHABITANT.
The tunnel was grotesquclN dark for a quarter
OF an hour, the lights penetrating nowhere, tie
ewes seeing only their faint Pickering When this
condition partly passed away the nebulouS cone
reappeared BY and by grinding, crrnching
sound was heard. 1t seemed TO come from a spot
some fifty feet distant, but after walking in lis
direction for half a mile the tourists still heard
it in front of them \ dull red star appeared
To the reporter il looked mile of. Mr. Rice
thought it about 500 feet away, and Mr.. Gowen
guessed that it /, 500 1t proved 10 be Just
700 The atmosphere was smoky and deceptive
The crunching sound and the star were found at
the same spot. An Italian, wearing miners
lamp in his hatband. was shovclling grout into
a car. As the reporter approached the place
something black and big, like tie ghost OF the
departed Jumbo, rose mp before him. and he
!, f.rI. HON fool
his way There is nothing more desirable in sub
terranean corridors than q proper degree of eau
ton. But for the extended right hand there
would have been collision between two un-
equally matched faces-the face of reporter
and the face of a mule. The result might have
been disastrous 10 the mule. The strangers
beamed lovingly on each other Both were
probably from Georgia, and YOU know how
friendly TO another strangers always feel
when they meet in a strange land. Tie mule
eyes. closely examined by candleleht, were
lusreless. Their color was an INDIGO blue, the
color of the nebulous cone that forever opened I'm
advance Of them. The c5ndle blinded Them and
there was a great winking and blinking. Tie
animals coat was shaggy. but he was fat and
good natured. permitting himself 10 be handled
from ear TO hOof. The water was nearly mp u
his knees as he stood in the middle Of the
The reporter picked up his feet and saw that
he was well shOd.
"How long has this fellow been down here p
the Italian asked.
Two year-a, he answered.
IL was even 50. That mule is the oldest it
habitant of the tunnel For two years he has
yeen no daylight, except such faint rays as steal
through shaft to be swallowed by the black
throated hole Near Shaft No. the tourists came
upon his stable, wooden bench three feet wide
and ten feet long raised above the wateT-linc on
the west side of the tunnel At the north end
there is a box containing the remnant Of his
breakfast, wisp Of hay and quart Of oats. At
evening, when his days work is done, the mule
sha kes the CrotOn water of his hOOfs and asccnds
10 his little bunk, where he passes the night in
solemn silence. AS ne cannot hear the chickens
crow 400 feet above him and is not provided with
q clock, the question is, How does he tell the
hour? Verify, that Oldest inhabitants lot is not
desirable one yet il has It's advantages, and
possibly its consultations. 1t is not every mule
that can sleep on a bunk in tunnel; nor is il
every mule that can hop out of his bunk into
stream of Croton water and paddle about in il all
day.
This mule, when the reporter had the pleasure
of meeting him. was htchcd to dunp-car which
was nearly as wide the tunnel. The wheels.
made of wood, had tread Of SIN inches and we're
without tires. in order that they might do no
damage 10 the pavement for there was no track
for them TO roll On. Once upon a time they were
round, but now il was noticed that they had worn
themselves square Each presented four sharp
corners and four fiat Sides condition unusual
with wheels of any description How and why
they should have given themselves this shape is
one of the tunnel mysteries. No man on the work
pretends to explain it.
HOW THE WORK WAS SCAMPED.
The tourists badc the mule farewell and con
tinued their journey. The wafer decpcncd rapid
ly, overspreading the banks and climbing up the
side walls The current stopped, the stream