Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

progress is being made and when they may hope
for 70 the fruition of long-deferred hope. Capt.
two coal Oil lamps provided with handles and
somewhat resembling tin dippers of small
the he M OIL end
and they stood upon the cage or elevator to the
shaft. Capt Kirlin touched bell and the
below the surface Of the earth. Halfway down
a steady trickling of water fell like summer
the bottom Of the shaft Dark? Yes, it was dark
as Erebus. and the tunnel atmosphere had no
night bi"oming .cereus odOr about it.
Then follows a long description of the
experiences of The Star man and this
significant explanation of the lining, that
when the, plan of sinking shafts and
running tunnel through the solid rock
was adopted 1t was not believed by the
engineer that a lining Of the tunnel would
be necessary: 1t was found that the
atmosphere decomposed the rock and
softened it, and besides a number of
deep assures in the rock. filled with clay,
were found even at that depth. The
tunnel lining walls were of stone and the
arch of brick. The side walls were of
stone. picked pieces, taken out of the
tunnel. The Irregularities in the contour,
due to blasting. falling and numerous
other causes. were filled with packing
behind the walls and above the arch.
Soon after the publication of this ac-
count in The Star, although in no way
caused by anything contained in the ar
ticle, stories began to circulate that the
work in the aqueduct tunnel. especially
in the work of lining it, had been fiimsily
done. In The Star Of Tuesday, September
Is, 1883. this appeared:
Senator Spooner has received another cOmmuni
cation In regard to the character OF the WORE
lone inside the new aqueduct Of the water works.
1t is charged by some persons that the lining Is
being constructed In slOyenly, inferior manner;
the natural walls or roof of the tunnel is con-
structed In careless cheap manner. The last
communication is from an attorney who purports
to represent the cOmpainants and who alleges
that he liz prepared TO substantiate all thu
charges made. Senator Spooner has nat brought
Will do should he become satisfied that the
subject merits inquiry.
The following Monday. September a.
1888, The Star contained half-column
news article of which this is the intro
ductory paragraph:
The charges to the character OF the work
done in the new aqueduct tunnel which, as I h.
Star has stated. have been presented to members
formerly employed on the work. will probably b,
thoroughly Investigated, il not by the Senate
charge Lieut. Townsend. who as Maj. Lydeck-
er's assistant has immediate supervision Of the
to make Of the
mel sounding and drilling holes at short dis
tances: to make, in fact. an examination such as
could not fail TO detect any defects that may
exist in the work Lieut.. Townsend, in converse
tion, with The Star reporter, said he felt very
well satisfied that the work in the tunnel had
been done carefully and thoroughly
The matter was now assuming the pro-
portions of a great scandal. The Star
carried a long story-for that time-every
day. and it's editorials were demanding
rigid investigation and the prompt plac-
ing of the responsibility. Lieut.. Town