Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-06-10
Tuesday, June 10, 1919.
as1isesllaneuus 8saains.
MECHANICAL MOLE"
Invention of Texas Man May be Used
to pia Channel Tunnel.

to QiQ Channel unnei.
Should England and France agree
upon construction of the proposed tun-
mel beneath the English channel tc
connect Dover with Calais and other
continental cities, 1t is possible that
"Dana's Mechanical Mole" the inven-
ton of Frank L. Dana, chief clerk Oh
the Houston street and bridge depart
ment, will figure in the work.
The London Daily Mail, In recent
issue, said Mr.. Bonar Law proposed
to approach the French government
with a view of beginning Immediately
construction of the channel tunnel TO
proyide work for discharged soldiers.
The tunnel will be about thirty-two
miles long, including approaches.
When America entered the war In
1917 Mr.. Dana. who is or an inventive
turn of mind, conceived a machine the
use of which would enable the Allies
ouickly to construct and connect an un-
dersround system of tunnels or trench
&C and which could also be used In
"sapping" under the German trenches
IN order to blow them UP with hlgh ex-
nlosiyes. He communicated details Oh
his machine to Newton d. Baker, Sec
retary of war, who acknowledged its
practicability. Owing to government
tai "red tape" no arrangements 1or
utilization of the machine as war
instrument were concluded.
With the announcement by England
of her determination to connect the
island with the continent OF Europe
Mr.. Dana conceived the idea or COM
municating with Sir Arthur Fell, mem
ber Of the house of commons, and
chairman of the committee In charge
of preliminary arrangements Tor the
tunnel He described his machine ana
.ubmitted tentative outlines OF how the
work could be accomplished by use Oh
his mechanical MOLE" application Tor a
patent for which is now pending IN the
United States Office.
Sir Arthur Fell responded with In
terest, and asked for further details Oh
Mr. Dana,s machine, and for estimates
~ cost of the tunnel. They were pre-
pared and sent to Sir Arthur, ana MI
Dana now awaits reply from England
announcing whether or not his machihe
will be used in making the underground
borins through a strata Of chalk.
The proposal of Mr.: Dana was tnat
nrospect of pilot tunnel of about seven
and one-half feet diameter be poreo
from England to France to ascertain
tbe nature of subterranean strata under
the channel, and also for later use In
TRANSPORTING materials and men when
constructing the main tunnel IL is
nronosed two of the latter be built, one
for traffic from England, the otner
for traffic from the continent each
to be about twenty feet in diameter
Mr. Dana estimated the pilot tunnel
Nth newer facilities established on
both the English and French coasts
could be driven and completed withln
100 days, while the English estlmaee
of least one year will be required IN
the work.
The nroblem OF conveying dirt ana
rock removed from the tunnel TO the
surface for disposal. which has long
nroyed a stumbling block in similar
nroiects, is also provided for in Mr.
-Hana,s calculation of the plan. he
would construct a series OF enoless
belts, operated by electric motors
n,aced 100 feet apart. The belt Is de-
signed to run on concave pulleys, ana
would be so placed with relation to the
boring machine as to automatically
nick up and remove the debris as the
machine advanced. Mr.. Dana esti-
mates the total cost Of constructing
the pilot tunnel would be approx
mately s4,SOs,OOO. depending largely
npon the prices of labor and materials
This cost includes a concrete rem
forced lining Of one-foot thickness. he
estimates a cost of sS6,542,oOO for the
main tunnel.
Mr.. Dana also includes in his plans
a drainage tunnel to.be somewhat low
or than the main tunnels, into WHICH
all seepage or other moisture would
flow. The plans proposed by the Eng
lish engineers also include the DRAIN
sse tunnel, but indicate that the lat
ter would be an adaptation of the pi.
lot tunnel.
Mr.. Dana has offered to go to Eng
land and set his plans before the Eng
lish engineers. provided his expenses
are paid. The practicability Of his
machine has been repeatedly attesteo
by engineers, two of whom, represent
ing machinery houses, have offered
to purchase the patent and provide
ROYALTIES. Former City Engineer E. F.
Sands said if he had had ma
patterned after Mr.. Dana's mocei
when the city was boring the sew
eraI large drainage tubes now In
nse, one on Austin street, SlOO'ooo
could have been saved in the work.
One engineer came to Chicago TO go
over the specifications and offered TO
negotiate a purchase of the patent