The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-06-14


and not III ,ught OF the vessels plying
back and forth sixty feet over their
heads. Behind came the brickers build.
ing the tunnel wall (for the brick tube
was always kept complete within 0
Few feet Of the tunnels end, the pipe.
hnen with their wrenchcs and tho elec.
tricians adding light after light TO the
long row at the tunnel roof. Barclay
rubbed his hands with glce, thinking
Of bis profits. and Gregson lay by and
lot Jernlgan do the work. II was tun.
mel building according to the books.
But one day the Swsdc. Swanson,
driving his pick for shovelfui Of sand.
brought down cart load. Where tho
earth lny bare underneath II gllstcned
with tiny rivulets Of water. and pres.
entity the sand began TO slough down
nolselessly, loosenhg more and more.
growing more fluid All OF the men
sprung 10 the end OF the plank road.
| way, An Italian who went by the
/ name Of Macaroni for the sake OF uni
formlty yelled Justify for Jernigan.
what you squallIn' forT demanded
the snb'boss. ITS only pocket OF
quicksand.
| Up 10 that time the mir lock had not
been used. but now the men rushed
from the deep workings. the inner steel
door OF the lock was clapped shut, and
the compressed nir was turned In
With depth Of sixty feet II was nee.
esaary 10 use pressure OF over thirty
pounds TO the square inch 1.-TWO atmos
pheres) In order TO make the pressure
Of air within the tunnel equal 10 the
pressure Of earth and water without.
thereby tending TO keep the soft earth
at the tunnels end from cavIng In.
"Now. byes,' said Jernigan, well
swallcr air"
Twenty men crowded into the lock.
and the outer steel door was closed.
Jerngan turned a valve and the air
came kissing In. the men held their
noses, blew into their cheeks, swallow.
cd Justify with nothing TO swallow,
that they might equallze the pressure
inside their bodies with that without.
Terrible sharp pains shot through their
heads. and sometimes II seemed as
though their eardrums must burst. But
nj last the limit OF pressure was reach
cd. aud the pain gradually passed
away. The door leading TO the pres.
sure workings was opened and In they
went
| Jernigan's men were all young and
sound. None other can bear the strain
aud fatigue of this most wearing OF
toll The tunnel had grown misty, 10
that the lights shone through halos Of
haze, aud the compression OF the air
had generated 10 much heat that the
men began to strip. Jernigan's voice
sounded thin and high In the thick
air; II was an effort 10 speak aloud.
Paddock. who was an inveternte whis.
tier, could not blow a sound.
shes stopped slobberln'." remarked
Jcrnigan as they reached the tunnels
end Most OF the men began digging
cautiously and shoyeling the mud into
the tram cars. Swanson. the Swede.
sat at one side and industrlously made
small round balls OF clay. a little lar
ger than croquet balls. II seemed like
chlld's work. and Jernlgan kept up a
steady stream OF raillery at the ex.
pense OF the big swede.
Swanson could have put his big fiat
thumb on Jernigan and smashed him
and done with II. for be was so tall
be couldn't stand straight on the road.
way Of the tunnel without hitting his
head--a huge hulk Of man, tow head.
ed, blue eyed, slow Of speech. faithful.
lie called the sub-boss always "Mees.
ter YernIgan:" Jernigan had at least
twenty names for him and not one Of
them ut all complimentary. And yet
no dog ever served master more
faithfully than Swanson served the
subboss
And suddenly. as they worked, the
tunnel began to grumble, and there
was Jernlgan barring the passageway
TO safety like rock,
give It TO her, byes,' he shouted.
Swanson was already on his feet.
with his arms full Of the clay balls,
and he and three of the other men be.
gan throwing them swiftly and vigor,
ously at the spot where the air was es.
| Gaping Each flattencd out near the
tunnel rim like n thick corn cake, and
when the rattling ceased Swanson
sprang Into the mud and pommeled the
clay into the break. The heavy air in
the tunnel helped to hold the patch in
| place. Then the work went on again,
the Italians picking and shovellng;
Billy, the tram mule tlapplng his long
ears; Swanson soberly patting mud pei.
lets, and Jernigan directing everything
with cheerful unconcern, Once more
during the shift the tunnel grumbled,
once more there was battery of clay
balls and once more the men won the
victory against the water
"Ye're n pretty pitcher, Monty"
shouted Jern!gan. "Why don't you
throw over the home plate? Here,
Swanson, you Swede, climb up there
and paddle
At the end Of three hours of the heavy
air and the heavier work the men re,
turned to the air lock, suffered again