Scientific American Supplement, No. 344, August 5, 1882Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 344, August 5, 1882
Various
Science -- Periodicals
_The Weehawken Tunnel_--This tunnel is now being cut through the
trap-rock for the New York, Ontario, and Western Railroad, and will
be completed in a few months, but will, probably, be available as a
mineralogical locality for a year to come. It is located about half a
mile south of the Weehawken Ferry from Forty-second Street, New York
city, and the place where to climb upon the hill to get to the shafts
leading to it is made prominent by the large body of light-colored rock
on the dump, a few rods north of where the east entrance is to be. The
western end is in the village of New Durham, on the New Jersey Northern
Railroad, and recognized by the immense earth excavations. A pass is
necessary to gain admittance down the shafts, and this can be procured
from the office of the company, between the third and fourth shafts to
the tunnel, in the grocery and provision store just to the north of
the tramway connecting the shafts on the surface. As it will not be
necessary to go down in any of the shafts besides the first and second
in order to fulfill the objects of this paper, no difficulty need be
encountered in procuring the pass if this is stated.
These two shafts are about eight hundred feet apart and one hundred and
seventy feet deep. A platform elevator is the mode of access to the
tunneled portion below, and a free shower-bath is included in the
descent; consequently, a rubber-coat and water tight boots are
necessary. A pair of overalls should be worn if one is to engage in
any active exploration below; candles should also be provided, as the
electric lights, at the face of the headings, give but little light, and
remind one very forcibly of a dim flash light with a foliaged tree in
front of it. The electric wires for supplying these arrangements run
along the north side of the tunnel for those on the east headings, and
on the south side for the west. They are excellent things to keep clear
of, as they have sufficient current passing through them to knock one
down; thus their position can be readily ascertained.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account