New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-13
SUFFER IN TUNNEL TRIP
ONE WhN Is OVERCOME.
1oyruev Under North Ri0er PAINFUL
for Those CaaSed TO 1t.

o, oa7o,als and soma forty newspaper men,
= ,o- the nonce in yellow caps and oisSiT's'
80, crossed from the state OF New-Jersey 10
= e.s.s ~ New York beneath the North RIVER
...-sav in the new No-ton-st- tunnel
-. -,s.sr.sner men al least had an expert
t;.b rhey conceded. outclassed anythins
~ their checkercd careers. The Original
TO- was about forty-three. but one mem
-. d, the craft balke3 al the entrance one 'ne
.,,.,~,a- refused and another was carried OUT
-, he tunnel attacked by n variety OF me
s,sea bends" The officials were w u. NC
-. --esise-,- ~ the New York and New-Jer-
,.y Ranroad. builder OF the tunnel Charles N.
-, .be chief engineer: J. W. Herbert OF
=. Niagara 81 Carherine's and Toronto Rail-
-. Alf-ea noble. CHIEF engineer OF the Penn
-. railroads East River tunnel; J. F.
-, .,isf engineer Of the Dock Department;
"a ~o7rers. president OF the Knickerbocker
,,.-,a-f company. and DR. A. T. LOOMS,
=, ,,nDer rrvsirian. with the exception OF w.
: ,,,Adoo,s afteen-year-old son, who appeared
:, -slisb greatly the novelty, the party was
.,-,rosad mostly of New-Nork reporters ana
.s,,ocranhers. They wondered az the elaoorate
,-sosrtions prescribed on the notice boards for
she ,se ~ laborers in the tunnel, at ne reason
so- donrirg oilskans and arctics. az the prelfa-
,,s-v medical examinations ana az the other
stories of the bends"
An +his and more. including labor under con-
si,iors of compressed afr. they were shortly 10
dtscover-no few OK them 20 their cost When
sbev entered the tunnel they stiu felt the tonic
-, ,ns liver breeze. They enjoyed the reporters
essential acuteness Of hearing Within sixty
minutes twoscore men emerged from an airloclL
their faces and hands beaded with sweat, al
buf stone deaf Compressed air explained f.
Neyr- eh,~e VAS touched at 30
O'Clock. the party debarlSed and picked their
way across cosling wharf 20 q monster quasi
machine shop-the tunnel terminus. Here such
blunt caution notices as Never enter the tun-
me- on an empty stomach Take warm coffee
freely" Exercise little possible after com
ing out" lent the most foolhardy an inkling OF
the undertakings nature. The hospital. a few
see; away. too. Endorsed the need Of precaution-
TREATMENT FOR THE BENDS"
In this small iron chamber laborer stricken
with the bends" is hurried in al haste from
she tunnel below. and the compressed air Is
gradually forced into the chamber and with
drawn 10 the normal until the man straightens
and revives. Again such Of the party as were
troubled with weak hearts or slack nerves had
now 10 confront the doctors stethoscope. All
examined withstood the test-au save one. who
was told he navigated the tunnel at his peril.
and wisely forbore to make the trip. Be
fore descending the party was divided IN two
Gnd ordered 10 change their clothes Derbies
and overcoats. some with fur collars were all
discarded for cleaning yellow oilskins. and
tou'westers o. the same saffron hue; shoes. pat
ent leather and walking customs" alike were
szchanges Tor thigh high ruBber boots.
ResoyY sang Mr.. McAdoo. and two freight
eieVs'orfpls Of explorers sank down hundred
feet 10 the tunnels mouth II was here the
cautious reporter decided = would be unUise 10
undertake the journey. IN view OF an appoint
ment suddenly recalled elsewhere. The part,
piiee into fatcars. and with a word of warn
ing and an An aboard the cars sid along
lne oahie' ana The voyage beneath the North
River had begun.
twenty feet wide and "A bare seven zee, 70 tho
TOP Of the arch, with wet. discolored walls and
a iine Of dim electrios festooniDr the so,,,,,.r,
"sIi-such was the perspective when the trir.
began il was Ike peering down a rife barrel
for al the variety II displayed.
Slowly and cautiously the string n, cs-s .o,.
us way beneath the river bottom. For the e..
eighteen hundred feet the slight difference q,
the pressure was scarcely perceptible. exoar- %,
slight coolness IN the air. At the end % .r,s
distance the tunnel appeared 70 come sb-,,,,.I,,
70 an end. The party was confronted h,, a., -,
wall not unlike furnace face with . ,,,,.,,,.-
disk Of glass resembling a small por,holo h.
into its surface
This was the first air lock the sunra-,e ~
Deal To withstand the pressure IN the .,,,,,,,,
beyond the lock, the visitor from the outer v-o,l
has 10 become used 70 an air pressure not =,
fourteen and seven-tenths pounds 10 the ,,ot
NE normal. but Of at least tventy-one pounds
10 this end u was necessary 10 enter the as,
usht chamber till the pressure had beer g-ss
nolly Increased 10 the higher figure and b.s
Injured the visitor 20 the regular high r~ass,,~,
beyond
snail eoor midway iu the furnace, e,oo
was now opened. disclosing an iron cha-,to~
tone twenty feet by tea fitted az the end win,
compressed air pumping tackle. and NJ the si5os
"'A iaioeis OF low tron pipes. Into this cravle5
thieen of the party. their curiosity struepIi,,,
VIZ doubt, and doubt IN turn with spprebe,-
tm
THE ORDEAL BEGINS.
4hv disposed themselves. crouchinr IN ~.
- Epes. their knees midway to tbe,- ct,-s
4ns door slammed. The engineer +,,-ned a
Sank setting loose a deafening thrush ,f ,,-,
Pressed a,r. The ordeal had begun. u las,o5
y nctuslity Tor some four minutes st ,nost
but 20 each of the parties OF s,r.een !,
seemed an eternity. Slowly. gradually ca,,o
q tightening OF the ear drums; smiling So
froze haH way. The Tightening sncreasas 81,
II seemed 10 many that boiling oil was ha,rs,
poured into their ears. Pinch your nostri,s
exhaie through your ears" was the engineers