The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-26
DOWN IN THE TUNNEL.
A Visit to the Lake Union
Sewer Main.
CROPPING BENEATH THE EARTH.
How the North Part of the City Is to Be
Drained-A Year and Halfs Dark
Work in Prospect.

AT the intersection of Lombard and Republi-
can streets, in the lowest part of the valley gen.
orally known as the Lake Union basin, are
three or four wooden buildings, in one OF which
Is a steam engine. III their midst are seen the
beams and uprights of a hoisting apparatus,
from which runs narrow gauge line OF rails.
1t looks altogether like the mouth OF a mine.
1t is the shaft OF the Lake Union sewer tunnel,
now in course of construction.
Day and night the work goes on increasingly;
the pumps and hoist are ever busy, and down
In the depths. far off beneath the rising ground
on either side, the pick OF the miner is steadily
pied through the entire tweuty-tour hours.
The plan is TO construct the tunnel from
point sixty feet below the lowest level OF the
valley; one extreme will be at the intersection
OF Alton and Republican. 1t will run along
and below Republican until it reaches LON
bard, where it viii curve toward the south aud
make It's way to the sound just south OF Depot
street. 1t will be altogether 5,400 feet long and
cannot be finished under year and half. BY
means OF this great artery the whole OF the city
north Of Madison street and west OF Broadway
can be drained, and it will be large enough to
answer all purposes, even when that entire por-
ton of the city is fully built up.
On sunday there is no work done on the tun-
mel except what is absolutely necessary, the
rapid accumulation of water compelling the
pumps to be in constant action. Yesterday was
an Unusually busy day as it had become desir-
able TO put in an air pumping outfit. City En-
glneer Albro Gardner was engaged all day super
intending that part of the work, and took the
opportunity afforded by the cessation of MIN
ing TO inspect the entire length of the burrow.
Putting on rubber coats, and arming themselves
with small oil lanterns, Mr. Gardner
and reporter of the PosT-INrELLIGENCER
descended the shaft to the depth
OF sixty feet and found themselves at the bot
tom OF the 'well," whence on either side the
tunnel is being bored. Turning into the dark
avenue, only dimly lighted by the Pickering
Wick, their steps were picked over the soft,
moist soil, water dripping from the roof and
making the oil-light sputter while the steady
trickle OF ooziug moisture was magnified by the
reveroersting walls OF earth. The tunnel has
been driven in $50 feet and is seven feet four
inches wide and the same height, so that walk
ing is perfectly comfortable, even the cross
beams being far above mans head. Along one
side OF the temporary track runs ditch carry
ing the collecting water TO the foot OF the shaft,
where the pumps suck it up and cast il out into
a creek which runs into Denny's ditch and is
carried Off to Lake Union.
The tunnel is timber-shored as the work pro-
crosses. carpenters following the miners as they
dig their way forward. No faster progress can
be made, as the space only admits OF two miners
working at time, and they are aided by a la
borer who shovels the earth into trucks running
on rails which convey them to the shaft TO be
holsted TO the surface. Every shift shows three
ieet further excavation, and unless a rocky
formation be struck the time OF the completion
OF the work can be pretty accurately determined.
Retraclng their steps, City Engineer Gardner
and his companion went to the opposite end,
where the tunnel is being driven to the bay. In
that direction distance of 800 feet has been COW
cred, the same amount of work being done each
way daily
The only peculiar feature of the tunnel is the
large number of small springs of water which
looks. deiciously clear and sparkling but is
found to be strongly impregnated with a min
eral which corrodes the hardest steel. Great
steel hammers and massive shovels are finely
honeycombed as If a myriad tiny teredos were
at work, and the water stains the earth with
reddlsh-yeliow such as may be found in mineral
earths. 1t may be a combination of iron and
sulphur One of the men, tempted by its APP
pearance, drank some, but it gave him severe
stomachic pains, and now all new men are
warned not to taste it,
The work requires, under the direction of the
city engineer, foreman and a general me-
chanlc-Mr. J. Stephens, who is thoroughly ex-
perienced in every branch OF such construction
eighteen miners, nine laborers. three carpenters,
three engineers, one blacksmith and one tool
boy. The cost is found to be 1876 a foot, which
is lower by s.. 90 a foot than the lowest bid
offered by contractors.
Mr.. Gardner remarked that much had been
said OF contractors being able to get ten hours
work out OF their men, but he doubted the
economy OF attempting it, and he was sure of
the inhumanity OF il.
81 consider" he said, "that when a man has
done eight hours work in the damp earth, dig
glng with pick, in a more or less cramped po-
sitlon, II is as much as he should be expected TO
do, and as much, believe, as he can do. MY
experience is that for eight hours a man can do
this kind of work well, and after that his
strength begins TO fail and he becomes worn
ont. have fine gang of skilled, industrious
miners, and they do a good days work and al
ways satisfactorily. When the carpenters fol-
low them there is no time lost through faulty
work"
At the Depot street entrance about 900 feet of
earth has been dug out, but instead of the min
ers having to carry little lanterns in their hats
as at Lombard street the tunnel is lighted by
electricity, and Mr.. Gardner believes it will be
found more economical. The dripping water
often extinguishes the oiled wicks. The men
work IN three eight-hour shifts; two miners and
a lab0rer working At each breast
hen sufficient amount of earth has been
excavated and the dry weather sets in, which
Will lesson the quantity of surface water per-
colating through roof and walls, the work of
building the sewer Will commence. 1t will be
almost d circle, formed of hard cement blocks
or with a cement body faced with vi,rlfed brick
as may be decided alter investigation OF the ex-
perience of other cities.
Ventilation is obtained by means OF A
blower at the surface operated hy water
motor which, in turn, is run by the water
pumped from the tunnel. The air is convened
down the shaft by an iron pipe and run through
square wooden troushs or conduIts which open
at the breast where the men work, and it clears
the tunnel by is own force in working its way
back to the shaft
The water pump works at the rate OF seventy
strokes minute each stroke carrying off three
gallons or 2lo gallons a minute, equal 10 S01 100
gallons every tweuty-four hours