The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-19

sunk and from that point the tunnel was
rapidly pushed out into the lake at a depth
of nearly so feet below the level of the
lake.
AS only a limited number of men could
be placed at work at the same time it
would be reasonable to presume that FIVE
years would be consumed in building the
five miles of tunnel, as the first milo was
completed only a short time ago. The
city or the contractors had no desire. how
ever, to lose that much time ON the con-
struction of the tunnel and steps were at
once taken Co push the matter. 1t was de-
| cided to place in position two temporary
working cribs in the lake in order to ex-
pedite matters and then later begin work
whore the permanent crib is to be situated,
making in all four points from which the
work on the tunnel could be done.
Two Of these cribs are already in posi-
tion and the third one will be placed in
position within a few weeks. By working
night and day it is thought that the entire
tunnel viii be finished and turned over to
the city a year from the coming summer.
The first temporary crib was sunk in tho
lake two miles or more from shore and the
second a mile farther out. The third crib
| will be exactly five miles from the shore
line of the lake and as soon as tho tunnel
is completed the permanent crib will be
erected. At the first crib the men are
working in both directions, and the same
will be lone at the second. AS the third
is the greatest distance from shore work
will only he done In one direction, and that
toward shore. That will make three
| points at which it will be necessary TO join
the tunnel together. The difficulty of
the feat may be imagined when it is stated
| that at the point where the tunnel meets
there will be no greater variation than
two to four inches.
The cribs are large wooden affairs on
structed of immense timbers somewhat
after the style n shape of tho present
| permanent crib. In the center of this is
| the steel shaft for the elevator, on which
the men and supplies are lowered to the
| tunnel below.
The "ground'' floor of the crib, or that
part which is about Is feet above tho wa
ter level, is floored over with heavy plank
ing, and below the waves beat and surge,
| excepting for that portion about the edge,
which is anchored to the bed of the lake
| by tons Of stone in a hollow framework.
In one corner Of the ground" floor is the
engine room, where are located the engines
" pumping diiA WIN ia VAN
| tunnel, for running the dynamos, pumps
| and many other things of necessity, chief
of which is the shaft elevator. On the
| same floor are stored the construction sup
| plies, which it is found impossible to trans
port every day, owing to the bad weather
or the formation of ice on the lake.
The workmen are well fed and we'll ak
en- care of in every way. Each man has a
| small room of his own IN the second floor
| of the crib, furnished with a single white
iron bedstead and plenty of blankets. The
| food provided is of the best. This is not
because the contractors are particularly
| charitable, but for the reason that 1t is
somewhat difficult to get skilled men to
do the work under such circumstances. In
the first place, they must spend many
hours each day in the tunnel where they
work under high air pressure. Then there
is some danger connected with it all, for
cribs have been known to be wrecked dur
ing severe storms.
Virtually the men at work on these
two cribs and the tunnels beneath them
are prisoners, but prisoners OF a willing