The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-11-21
NEWARK A
NEAR DEATH
IN CONDUIT
Webb Drilled Hole
in Cement Around a
Corner

Drilling through hardened cement
around a corner is what a Newark
inventor with a Newark invention ac-
complished yesterday on the Brooklyn
end of the proposed new Manhattan
bridge over the East River at the risk
w. Webb, of Q Vernon avenue. Eastern
representative of the Webb Manufac-
turing Company, which manufactured
the twenty-fVe-foo flexible shat that
did the astonishing work.
1t seems that one of the important
drainage pipes in the anchorage at the
Brooklyn end of the bridge had be-
come clogged. rendering it useless. To
clean it out it was necessary to get a
shaft that would actually drill around
a corner The Webb Company, which
manufactures such shafts on a small
scale, was called upon to manufacture
one that would do the work, and Mr..
Webb, In whose district the trial was
to be made, was commissioned to do
the work.
Mr.. Webb had been in n narrow conduit
in the anchorage for three days drilling
away with the powerful yet very flexible
shaft. The instant that he had bored .he
hole yesterday 10000 gallons of water
rushed upon him. He managed to get out
of the conduit, however, to a shaft TINT
took him to safety. Not only did he ac-
complish much for his company but made
It possible for the contracting company
that had constructed the anchorage to COL
lect a last payment Of $500 that was due
them as soon as the drainage pipe had
been cleared.
Mr.. Webb could not be found at his
home today nor had his concern heard of
the successful issue of the enterprise.
A. A. Bergner. secretary of the Webb
Manufacturing Company, said that MI.
| Webb had been in New York for several
days on the work. The principle of this
flexible shaft he said was one of the ordi-
nary secrets of the concern.
To clean out the cement which had
topped up the drainage pipe was con-
trived a special drill, which is so powerful
and vet SO flexible that il can drill a
| straight hole for a certain distance and
then go at an angle Of forty-hve degrees.
The drill used yesterday was twenty-five
feet In length and only half an inch IN
diameter. 1t had a bit four inches In
length, and cleared out a slx-inch pipe.
Lying in water In q conduit, Webb forced
the drill up twenty feet, making a turn OF
almost forty-ive degrees and slowly bor-
ing through the hardened cement. The
drill is made Of elastic steel pieces so put
together that the drill can be bent and yet
work with great efficiency. i
The spot in which Webb did his work
was a dangerous one. He was beneath the
surface of the ground In a conduit that
runs into the stone achorage. The stone
structure is 250 feet long, almost as broad,
and 200 feet high. 1t is built Of massive
49, l.. ---.,.-. - - - estfR n RHl Z
strength to hold the great cables that will
stretch from pier to pier to hold up the
enormous bridge structure.
One discharged workman is thought to
have dumped cement into one of the pipes,
closing 1t effectually. Before the trouble
was discovered the work had progressed
TO n great extent and water had collected
in the room. BY the time the anchorage
was completed last week and the company
was ready to collect its last payment for
the job the representatives of the city
discovered the pool of water. There were
almost 1000 gallons, 1t was reported, and
the city demanded that the drain pipe be
cleaned out. Water sweeping down through
the cement would have ruined the struc-
ture gradually, 1t was said.
The building company tried many ways
of clearing the pipe, which ran DOWN
ward through the solid masonry and then
made a sharp turn running to a conduit
which in turn connected with the sewer
pipe. II found 1t impossible to reach the
clogged cement by a drill of the ordinary
kind and wasted two diamond drills in
their effort. 1t seemed as IL it would be
necessary TO tear down part of the struc-
ture until the Webb drill WINS suggested.
To reach the point where he had to work
he went down a shaft twenty feet and
then crawled on his hands and knees
through a conduit for seventy-flve feet
into the heart of the anchorage. There
he lay on his back. The drill was run
up through the slx-inch pipe and around
the corner and operated by electricity.
Water in the conduit occasionally touched
the frayed insulation of the wire and car
ried the current to the inventor, who re-
celved many shocks. Webb was In almost
utter darkness except for a small cleo
trio lamp. He knew that the moment ne
completed the boring of the pipe the water
would rush down upon him. On Tuesday
he thought he had struck water" and
started to scramble out, leaving the drill
and the motor, but he was mistaken. For
three days he remained at the task for
many hours each day and yesterday he
was determined to finish the work. He
worked zealously, paying no attention 10
the occasional shocks from the electricity
in the water. About 4 o'clock the drill
burst through the cement and a stream of
water six inches in diameter dashed down
upon him. 1t filed his mouth and eyes,
but ne preserved his presence Of mind
and, quickly turning face downward,
scrambled through the narrow conduit to
the shaft where n workman was waiting
70 null him nm.