The morning times., 1895-08-25
is An AID TO STATESMEN
How Books Will Be Carried From
the New Library.
CONNECTED BY A TUNNEL
Other Excaveting Schemes Recalled
by II Novel Feature of the Big
Structure-BEisban Pneumatic
Shaft and It's Failure, Not to Men
tion Lydecker's Hole in the Ground.

Three tunnels have been built within
is pregnant with interesting features. or
the famous Lydecker tunnel so much has
been said and written that the merest
mention will suffice in this connection.
AS is well known it was planned by
Major Garrett j LydeCker, consumed five
years in it's construction and evaporated
two and half millions of dollars through
its many pores and interstices. 1t was
intended TO increase the water supply
OF the District forming a connecting link
from the Georgetown receiving reservoir
TO n receiving reservoir at Howard Univer-
sIty. The Standpipe at the head of Sixteenth
street was temporary eXpedieDt to benefit
the residents OF the high levels of the city.
Major Lydecker engineered from the
Washington Club House, and Lieut. Hoxie
was under his control. The reservoir and
shaft at Howard University, which was the
work OF Lieut.. HoXie has proven good
in every respect. He had nothing to do
with the tunnel, of which Major Lydecker
was in full control. 1t is possible that
the labor and amount already expended
viii not prove a total loss, but that wa Us
ana means may be found to utilize it as
originally intended, with perhaps some
additional expenditures TO replace the de-
fective contract work.
The second tunnel, If il may be dignified
by such name, was intended 10 convey
papers, parcels and public documents TO
and from the Capitol and Government
Printing Office.
Mr. Albert Brisbane. OF New York, q
prominent local poltciiian and inventor
OF considerable talent and ingenuity, ap-
piled for Il patent for a pneumatic tube
through which a hollow sphere with a two
bushel capacity was to be propelled by
air pressure.
The patent was granted June %, 1863,
and Mr. Brisbane proceeded TO solicit the
aid of Congress to demonstrate the util-
ity of his patent After several years
bill, engineered by Major Ben. Perley
Poore, passed both houses of Congress and
was approved June 10, 1872, authoriz-
ing the construction OF the pneumatic tube
and appointing n committee To meet a t the
office OF the Architect Of the Capitol EXten-
sion to confer regarding it,
GOT HIS APPROPRIATIONS.
Congress appropriated $4,000 for the
purpose, and the contract was warded by
the Architect of the Capitol, Mr.. Edward
Clark, TO Mr., Albert Brisbane. the inventor,
and was approved by the Secretary of the
Interior, Hon. Columbus Delano. IL was
stipulated that the tube should be COM
pleted and ready for use on or before the
30th day OF June, 1873, and that twenty
per cent of the amount should be withheld
until the terms ef the contract were complied
with
BY these terms the tube was to be cylin-
drical, twenty-four inches in diameter,
made OF dressed timber one and a half
inches thick, and hcoped at intervals of four
feet with bands Of iron. The wood was TO
be stepped in oil and given coating of
asphaltum
Eight days prior to the date on which the
tube should have been completed Mr. Bris-
bane wrote to the Secretary of the Interior
requesting an extension of time. The Sec
retary then appointed a committee Of gen
tlemen possessing the necessary qualifi-
cations. both from a scientific and prac-
tical standpoint, to investigate the cundi-
ton of the work and the circumstances
of its non-cumpletion The committee was
Smithsonian Institute, General o. E Bah
cock, superintendent of public buildings
and Mr.. A. NJ. Clapp, Congressional Printer
Mr.. Brisbane had already received S12,-
600 of the sum appropriated, and he offered
TO complete the work at his own expense
should the time be extended
The committee appointed by Secretary
DelanO found that the terms of the con-
tract had been complied with, excepting
that the tube instead of being twenty
four inches was thirty-two in diameter
They also reported that the contractor
had met with many difficulties. The
tube had been buried in the ground at
depth varying from four to seye nteen
feet, and was completed about 1000 feet
northward OF the Capitol, this being about
two-thirds of the entire length, and that all
the lumber and necessary machinery for
its completion had been purchased
In the progress OF the work the con-
tractor encountered number of springs,
which he found it impossible TO drain on
account OF the street grading The great
depth with the bulk of earth made heavier
by the water Of these springs percolating
thrOughit - crushed the tube as to prevent
the propulsion q! the sphere through it,
and rendered IL inIpra acticable.
WAS A FLAT FAILURE.
The committee, however, recommended
that the time should be extended and the
work completed, provided no further ap-
priation asked of Congress.
Mr.. Brisbane made several further at
tempts, and sacrificed much of his property
to carry out his scheme. The tunnel
started from the cellar in the northeast cor
ner of the Senate wing and proceeded due