New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-16

frightened. But Mr.. Ricc's GOODNESS encouraged
him. On the profile of the hill, in full view of
the inhabitants, everyday clothes were exchanged
for rubbcrs, which by this time had become
familiar, and the peTiOus descent was begun
The mouth of the shaft was some five feet above
ground aud the tourists had TO climb up the
outside before they could climb down the inside
IL was a ticklsh business going over that cope
stone and feeling about for the ladder with both
feet 4 slip meant-lethc \ descent OF thirty
feet brought the tourists to an iron PLATFORM
which covered an area the size of an ordinary
room. Here they fingered while Mr.. Rice cX-
planned to the reporter that he stood in the safety
valve of the Aqucduct. The upper part OF the
shaft is divided into two sections, from one of
which large pipes lead TO the river few feet above
the hydraulic grade line the wall between the
sections terminates. If, for any reason the gate
house at e-hundred-and-t thirty -hfth-st. should
be suddenly closed, the water in the tunnel would
force itself up this shaft till it climbed this wall
over which it would flow into the escape pipes
doing no harm. But if the wall and the pipes
not there something might burst. This
safetyvalve is another illustration of Mr. Fteleys
iar-seeing foresight.
DOWN COLD AND DANGEROUS LADDER.
Leaving the valve, the descent began in earn
est. The rungs of the ladder were as cold as ice
and the fingers soon benumbed. 1t was
impossible to retain firm hold without OCCASION
ally hooking the elbow over rung. The re-
porter paused frequently to prop himself in this
way, so that he could blow his breath on his hands
10 warm them. The descent seemed to occupy
him about six hours as a matter Of fact, it did
not occupy him six minutes. Mr.. Rice, who went
first, frequently shouted back:
" Don't step on my fingers
The distractions spoken of by the inspector
were very troublesome. They stood out from the
ladder horizontally, distance of about fourteen
inches, and the task of climbing around them sus-
pended between heaven and carth-Or between
earth and the bottomless pit-waS terrifying
There were three of them, each more appalling
than its predecessor. But patience and endurance
conquered, and after many hordshlps the tourists
stood on "sub-tcrra -frmcr,' looking skyward
! at the lofty region through which they had
passed.
walk northward of 525 feet brought them
TO Shaft No. %, down whose solemn black throat
they peered, imagining how 1t would feel TO Jump
Then, turning southwark they strolled toward
the gate-hOuSc at ne-hundred-and y-nltn-st
two miles and a half away.
This part of the tunnel is round. twelve feet
and three inches in diameter and the tuning
fork found it, in the key of &. The upward
slope from the river is gradual, only clcht ana
two-ffths inches in the mile, except rghJ al thc
gate-housc where the grade is very steep Tor
hundred feet. AS the tourists toiled on through
mud and slime which was thlgh-dcep TOT nearly
q milc-thc worst walking on the whole Iln'-
the tunnel spoke 10 them. It's voice was clrN
and distinct, its language unmist2kanle inc
sound of the splashiug water. magnlhed 'hou11
Sand-fOld, resolved itself into tie KEY OF ~ am
hummed and sang and pleaded for recognition
A cough. on no key AT all, only harsh, hacking
cough, wandered and grew nj It became cE
licious chord i'm G.. The scratching OF a natch
than which there is nothing less musical, became
| q melody in G.. 1t like visit 10 enchanted
regions. ,.;,,.d . low,
weeks ago Mr. Rice said. and he began 10 LOOK
| on tbc walls 10 see if sign had been left But
even the blood had been washed away. Inc il"H
had fallen down Shaft No. %.
Near shaft 30 the tunnel makes a reverse curve.
the only one the Aoueduct. snort nsl l.iI
north Of il is the boiler" a section linen whoIE
with boiler iron. the ground being so soft ana
wet that il was feared the masonry alone Mltu
not he sufficient protection against II, Al u, ~
| work south Of No 81 is under the charge 0l T.
Wegmann, jr., division engineer
IN THE GATEHoUsE.
The beautiful gate-house at One-hundred-and-
| thirtv-ffth-st was reached at noon The tunuel
hores rapidly upward. bringing the tourists IN the
lght of day at the bottom OF shaft NO. 81. inns
is simply and oycrgrown well, provided with
ladder. UP which the climbing was easy. Al IT'S
mouth a magnificent stone pier rose uh WIZ"
grooves on either side for the reception oil sop
| plank The stop-plauk system on the AqueHu''
seems very extensive Passing 10 one Side on '"e
pier the tourists stood IN grand ana l"ll\ 'h'H-
Der. The northern wall was llal an" "lI''
Against the southern. six great pillars stood uP,
side by side mammoth scntincls guarding c!-H,
big gates, behind winch the reporter 0p.AIuea
,liInpscs OF eight monster pipes, gaping wth thIst
Tie tunnel had ended the pipc Inc had begun.
ladder at the west end of the chamber lea up
ward 10 a smaller apartment here NE tourists
entered a small hole IN the ground, IN "mch lhcl
had 10 duck their heads and JourneNcd IN " Hol'h-
westerly direction for some 300 feet, when they
=. THIS tnnncl Mr. Rice explained, connects
with the Old CrotOn aqucduct IN lenth-aNc. u
is but few feet away. When the new A1ueduct
is opeued this wall will be pierced and the Ola
stream will be turned into tie eate-house
How insignificant the little tunnel was IN com
harrison with the great hole through which the
reporter had been iourncylng for twenty hour'
RIO now Aoueduct would hold about four OF the
old As the old stream is turned INTO 'he gaze
house, 50 it is again turned out ana bich mo
the old conduit through pipes leading nom tne
small upper apartment Inc diversion - hinnPN
matter Of economy and convenience II "ill q"
away with the ugly old gaiehouse th3t now stahas
in the middle Of lcnth-aFc, an OnsUuc4oH 10
travel and an cyesore ,r
There is not much more 10 be said Inc
water leaving the tunnel in big round column,
is split by tie gatchousc into eight small streams
and sent on It's way 10 Central Park through el4n'
pines living side by side a few feet beneath The
canacitv Of 81 $50 900 gallons day. At One
hundrcd-andt wenty-f that on the eastern
most side leaves tie main llne carrying ltS ~
600 gallons in the direction OF Iast RIVER 10
supply that part Of Harlem. Al Mnnhattan-ave
the second pipe switches of ~ the southeast
| A. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the pipe on the
west is sidctrackcd, distributing Us supply over
the hill in the direction OF BloOmlngdalc Asylum
| and CarcmOnt At One-hundTedth-st, the
second pipe on tie west breaks away from the Inc.
carving water TO all that region lying between
the Park and Riverside Drive
| These descrtons leave only four pipes TO go
IN the Central Park distributing reservoirs. Thus
we have vast reduction In the volume of wnt"r
between the beginning and the end Of the o1ucduct
The stream begins its Journey at Croton LAKE,
flowing AT the rate Of 81 100000 gallons day.
At Jerome Park Gs.ooo;o 600 are drawn on at
! Inns at Nanbattan-aye 81 $50, 900, at Onc-hun-
| dred.and -tcnth-st 31,250.000, and at One-hun-
dredth-st 81 $50 900. This leaves only l25,0O0,
| 600 gallons "A day for the reservoirs.
! The mines were not i'm a condition to be jour
| neved through, 50 the reporter Contcntcd himself
with journeying over item and going into man
holes here and there TO explore gates and valves
ride The engineers use a little vclocpcde, driven
! by hand levers, which they make excellent
time.
no OTHER TUNNEL CAN COMPARE WITH IT
In al the world no work OF a similar char