The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-05-07
New York SUM

their loads Of city-faring clerks. The
days traffic was beginning to liven Up
me river: the workmen along the
"harves were beating the early morn
ing stiffness out Of their limbs. The
river was as quiet as a busy river may
be
suddenly someone leaning over the
rail of a ferryboat noticed a boiling
and bubbliHg on the surface of the wa
Ter Just OF shore. The workmen along
the river saw it, too, and stopped to
watch The bubbImg subsidized. seemed
ABOUT to stop altogether. Then a
stfaight geyser Of water shot up thirty
I'VE Ieet- On the crest Of the geysOr
was the WhlTling body of man. The
Eeyser subsided. The man turned over
IN the water and struck out feebIv as
a boat shot out from shore and hauled
him in.
Ihose early morning ferry passen-
gers mad seen the finish of the. queer
est accident that has happened since
man began TO dig in the earth. Rich
ara Hreegan, tunneler. had been
blown from a water tight Commandment
OF the new East river tunnel clear
through the bed of the river. through
the river itself and through thirty feet
OF the upper air. And he lived to TAX
drink Of whisky and ride home on a
trolley car
me Last river tunnel which is to
connect the Brooklyn and Manhattan
subway systems, IS being bored from
both sides of the river. On the Brook
Iyh end the men have worked to a noint
ABOUT 200 feet from the shaft and we'll
uhaef the water They are boring
through the mud with an immense tube
keeping the mud and water back vvfrb
pressure of compressed air of sixteen
pounds TO the square inch
iHSie are two sets of locks In the
81 compartment. formed by these
lothS. men are shOveling back the mud
ana qlrt- In the forward compartment
where the pressure IS so great that a
green man bleeds at the ears eight
Nofkmen keep clear the big blades
men are biting the river mud. A scat
IoidlnE- or apron, divides this comDart-|
ueht horizontally. Four men work
above it and four below.
II IS a position of honor, Of extra nav
anu OF some danger. Only that air
pressure keeps back the mud and w
ter Let there be a leak. LET the retain
ing air begin TO bubble out and the
river IS likely to come in on rhem-aDd
Inat Is all until the bodies are taken
Out The tunnelers keep bags of hsv|
and sand in the compartment To use
us cCrks I'm just such an emergency
IN the squad above the apron were
richard GTeegan of 6I5 Henderson
street, Jersey City: John ECsn Of 900
thirteenth street, Jersey City: John
PTldey Of S. Jefferson street. Hoboken.
ana John Hayes of IS Band street. Man
NATHAN Creegan, though only a. is an
expert tunnel worker. He is a small
pale wiry Irishman. and he knows all
the moods and lenses of under water
machinery.
The squad had just begun work when
Creegan caught an unusual sound above
the grind Of the machinery crack
ling and crumpling, intensified by the
heavy painful air. He began to search
the walls Above his head the ooze was
seethlng and shifting and water was
beginning 10 tTickIe fin big drops.
The bags, boys" yelled Creegsn.
Hayes damned a bag of hay against
the weakened spot and held hard.
Creegan started for another bag-aud
just then it all happened.
a jump of air like the breath Of an
explosion slung Hayes, Egan and Pri-i
dey against the wall but Creecan. with
his arms above his head, shot straight
Ip INTO the air His companions re-
covering from the shock. saw Creegan'S
feet and calves kicking vehemently.
hanging from a hole i'm the roof
For perhaps a quarter of minute
the three workmen hesitated. Creegan
was plugging that hole. IF they drew
oEt the plug in would come the river
All of a sudden. fate decided it. There
was rush and roar Creegan's feet
went ON up. and the river began 10 flood
the compartment. The rush stopped a &
zuddcnly Is it had begun. and their ears
sauE with the return of normal air
pressure in the chamber Just then
their comrades rushed in through the
.ock and rescued them
F7.-r
San. The leak had burst in an unex-
ParJ1d spot The compressed air had
rushed UP To find an outlet through the
river. and carried him with it. But
his body plugged the hole and there he
stuck. unable TO breathe with the mud ,
and pebbles of the river bed choking
him and the air pressing on him from
below
An eternal minute he hung there, and
did some awfully quick thinking. He
knew that he couldn't get back-the
air pressure was too strong His only
hope was to butt his way through the
river bed. He had gone up with his
hands above his head. FrantiCally he
iabbed and swung at the mud. And
just as he felt the last air in his lungs
going. ne got free
with an awful rush he went I'D. He
saw the light. he caught one glimpse
II the Brooklyn shore, and he was fiat
tened out on the river, trying feebIy to
get his breath and to swim at the same
time.
4 lot OF longshoremen OF the Wood |
ruff warehouse, at the foot OF Jorale-
mon street. saw the geyseT rise in the /
air. carrying mud, boards, rocks. hay /
and a man. They saw him splash back
into the water and try 10 swim. In two
seconds they had united q boat and
were rowing out to him. Creegan had J
strength to catch line and draw him
self into the boat.
Are you hUrt?" they said.
L am not said Creegau. but We
cUd skate on me, I'm that cold"
How did it happen2" they asked.
How did Paddy's pig get lOose2'' !
asked Creegsn. Get me something to
take away the taste O. mud. B-r-r!
I'm that cold"
The police and the ambulance sur
geons and the workmen all tried to do !
something for CTeegan, the hero, but !
there didn't seem to be much to DO. /
The three men who had stayed behind /
in the compartment, with their bruises I
and. their fright needed q great deal /
more attention CTeeEan had a cut on I
his head sewed up, accepted few /
drinks and permitted the company to 4
give him q day off to rest up They
wanted 70 send him over in Jersey in I
an ambulance.
What for?" asked Creegan. Escort /
ed by admiring friends, he took troll /
ley for Manhattan and a ferry for Jer- /
sey.
Now over in Henderson street. Jer- /
sey City, they are mostly tunnel work (
ers. The news came ahead Of Cree !
gan. Every tUnnel worker who was