Page:Walker (1888) The Severn Tunnel.djvu/183

110 In the month of May, the large open cutting on the Gloucestershire side of the river was commenced.

In the original contract the quantity to be excavated in this cutting was only 366,000 yards; but by the lowering of the gradient the quantity had been increased to upwards of 800,000 yards. About 200,000 yards of this was to be used in forming the sea-bank around the cutting to protect it from any extraordinary tides, and this work, which was done by wheeling out from the sides of the cutting, was carried on through the whole of the year.

On Saturday, the 2nd December, six days after the mission-room had been destroyed by fire, I had been to the hospital to see some men who were there, when, coming, out of the hospital just before one o’clock, I was met by one of my people from the office, with a face exhibiting the most complete signs of terror. On asking what was the matter, he said: ‘The river is in, the tunnel is in!’ and this was all the answer I could get.

‘Where are the men?’

‘They are just coming up the shaft.’

I hurried to the top of the main shaft, and there I found between 300 and 400 men evidently in the greatest terror and distress. Some had lost part of their clothing; hardly one of them could speak from exhaustion; and they were anxiously watching for