The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-05
Hoods Pills family a cataaIae. "a &C. a"'

Mr.. Holden leads the way. You step over
the mouth OF the shaft, and shudder
when you think of the 50 feet of
space beneath, and reach the ladder.
1t ia n narrow, rusty, iron ladder, all
covered with mud and water and the
rounds are very slippery. 1t extends
straig hit down for few feet and then the
shaft suddenly widens and the ladder
turns obliquely inward at an angle OF
about 30 degrees. IL you lose your
strength now you are lost. il is q terrible
place. You get safely over it and get
down to the bottom at last, after lodging
the heavy bucket which swings danger
ously near your head.
1t is not really the "bottom," for there
is brick sump five feet lower which Is
intended to catch the solid material which
precipitates with the sewerage. Ii Is on
level with the mouth OF the tunnel which
is TO run 500 feet across the river, to India
street, and you find four men
digging mud through an opening
in the side of the iron cylinder.
There are candles stuck in inches in the
mud for all the world like mine, al
though the shaft is fairly well lighted by
incsndescents, having 60-lamp power
each. The vapor is not quite as dense
down here and it is cooler. You cannot
whistle, though, no matter how much you
pucker, aud in order to make yourself
heard you have to yell.
The trip up the ladder is not calculated
to give feeling of security, either, and
you are glad when you get to the top.
Then comes another ''experience." The
air must be let out of the outer compart-
ment before the door can be opened that
admits to freedom and tho relief is al
most as uncomfortable as the induction,
but much more rapid.
The manner OF sinking the shaft and
digging the tunnel 10 unique, aside FIR om
the part the air lock plays. The iron
shaft is from seven to eight feet in diam
eter inside. After 1t is started and the air
lock in place curved iron plates with
fianges on the inner side are set in cir
cular trench and bolted together TO form
ring. The earth is then dug
out aud sent up in bucket
which is attached TO a cable running
through "stufiing box" in the top OF the
center OF the air lock. And SO on, one
plate being put in place at time until
the desired depth Is reached.
In excavating the tunnel tho
work is similar, except that mar
rover plates are used and that
which goes at tue top is inserted
into the bank first. The shaft and tun-
mel will bo brickod inside and the meas
urements will then be Ave feet in diam
eter for the shaft and four feet for the
tunnel.
The tunnel is Is or more feet under the
bed OF the river at the dock and seven feet
below it at the thinnest place.
Just before reaching the bottom of the
shaft the men struck coarse, hard
ground stratum, which makes the best
foundation possible, and out of il sprsng
pure, fresh water. They ran across a bed
of old oyster shells, sle feet thick, farther
up, showing this TO be made land.
In fact the shells came from
the oyster house which stood
shells had no value An old pile was also
found aud sawed off ia two places.
r The rest OF tho plant comprises the two
air compressors with their double boilers,
and the electric light dynamo. Water is
used with the comprossors TO cool the air,
which would otherwise be very hot.
The tunnel section is called No. 10 and
Charles A. Haskins is the contractor.
AhN hAANo tsP0NAehy WIS
work, and will not have anybody around
who drinks alcoholic liquors.
The section across India Point is No
IL, and work was begun on that section
Tuesday afternoon, about the same time
the tunnel was begun.
IL is interesting TO note how the en-
gineers get their line for the tunnel. 1t
il easy TO draw the lines on paper, but
when the men get down into the shaft
they cannot see the point on
tho other side OF the river that
they aim to reach. There is n hole
In the roof OF the air lock shed in di-
rect line with the stakes across the river
Two plumb bobs were dropped down the
shaft in juxta position aud their posi-
tions marked on the inside OF tbs shaft.
Two fine wires were suspended. one from
each mark, and by hanging them straight
line passing through both indicated the
direction the center OF the tunnel should
take.
In connection with the air lock ma.
chincry the engineer has a home made
automatic tide register. A cask on the
river surface rises and falls with the tide
and line attached indicates in the engine
room the movement. When the tide Is
low less air pressure is needed in the shaft.
--...-aaaa.-a.aaa-
An alarm OF fire was sent i'm from Box
ID al 3 o'clock this morning for chimney