The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-07-19

heads. Behind came the brickers build
ing the tunnel wall (for the brick tube
was always kept complete within u
few feet of the tunnels end), the pipe
men with their wrenches and the cleo
tricians adding light after light to the
long row at the tunnel roof. Barclay
rubbed his hands with glee, thinking
of his profits. and Gregson lay by and
let Jernigan do the work. 1t was tun-
mel building according to the books.
But one day the Swede. Swanson,
driving his pick for Il shovelful of sand,
brought down Il cart load. Where the
earth lay bare underneath it glistcned
with tiny rivulets of water, and pres.
emily the sand began to slough down
noisclessly, loosening more and more,
growing more fluid All of the men
sprang to the end of the plank road
way. An italian who went by the
name of Macaroni-for the sake of uni
formity-yelled Justify for Jernigan.
What YOU squallin' for?' demanded
the sub-boss. Its only pocket of
Quicksand."
Up to that time the air 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 air was turned in.
With a depth of sixty feet it was nee
essary to 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 to the
pressure of earth and water without.
thereby tending to keep the soft earth
at the tunnels end from caving in.
"Now, byes,' said Jeraisan, well
swaller air."
Twenty E,cn crowded into the lock.
and the outer steel door was closed
Jernigan tur:ied Il valve. and the air
came Missing il. the L.el held their
noses. blew Into their checks swallow
ed Justify N'..h :lo.hiils to swallow,
that they E.;:ht cluali.e the pressure
inside their bodies With that without.
Terrible sharp pains shot through their
heads, and sometimes it seemed as
though their e.lr,....l::.:.s laust burst But
at last the LIMIT o. pressure was reach
ed, ana the pain gradually passed
away. The Goor lea,..ns to Ill, pres
sure workings w;ss opened aaI i'll they
went.
Jcraigaa's mel wa.c al yoCa., and
sound. Noaa Other ca:l bear the stain
and fatigue Of this I2ost wcali.ls; OF
toll. The tu:.:l2l had grown aisty. so
that the liss.!ts s..oae through halos of
haze. AID the compression OF the air
| had generated SO l..gc,l heat t.i.lt the
men began TO strip. .jeTli sans voice
sounded thin and hi:-h in the thick
air; it was an effort to spe:sk aloud.
Paddock. who WAS al iavcterate wills
tier, coull Tot blow Il SQUAD.
shes STOPPED sloo1clin'," remarked
Jernigan as they reached the tunnels
end. Most of the mcl began digging
cautiously and sioTcl:ng The mud into
the tram cars SWANSON the Swede,
sat at one side :sld industriously made
small round balls of clay. Il little lar
ger than croquet balls. 1t seemed like
child's work, and Jernigan kept up
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 it, for lie was so tall
he couldn't stand straight on the road
way of the tunnel without hitting his
head-a huge hulk Of Il man, tow head
ed, blue eyed, slow Of speech, faithful.
He called the sub-boss always 'AIees-
ter Yernisan;' Jernigan had at least
twenty names for him and not one of
them at all complimentary. And yet
no dog ever served a master more
faithfully than Swanson served the
sub-boss.
And suddenly. as they worked, the
tunnel began to grumble, and there
was .Jernigan barring the passageway
to safety like Il rock.
Give it to her, byes," he shouted
Swanson was already on his feet,
with his arms full of the clay balls,
and lie and three of the other men be-
gan throwing them swiftly and vigor-
ously at the spot where the air was es-
Gaping. Each flattened out near the
tunnel rim like a thick corn cake, and
when the rafting 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 shovcling;
Billy, the tram mule, Tapping his long
ears; Swanson soberly patting mud pei
let's, 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 a pretty, pitcher. Monty"
shouted Jernigan. 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
the pain of reducing pressure and went
into free air. wet and shivering with
cold. T.lc.' We're taken instantly to
hot roon!, where they We're given guam
| titles Of steaming black coffee and