Two elderly ladies meet at the launderette after not seeing one another for some time. After inquiring about each other's health, one asked how the other's husband was doing.
"Oh! Ted died last week. He went out to the garden to dig up a cabbage for dinner, had a heart attack and dropped down dead right there in the middle of the vegetable patch!"
"Oh dear! I'm so very sorry," replied her friend. "What did you do?"
"Opened a can of peas instead."
East River Gas Tunnel StartIn 1892, work began on the East River Gas Tunnel under the East River, New York City, from the Long Island side. The New York end was started 10 Jul 1892. When both ends met, 11 Jul 1894, it became the first completed tunnel under the East River. (The East River was spanned by the Brooklyn Bridge that opened on 24 May 1883.) The 2550-ft tunnel was 8½-ft high by 10½-ft wide, smaller than one for public vehicle traffic, because it was intended for several gas mains. Illuminating gas from the works on Long Island could thus be distributed to Manhattan, which began on 15 Oct 1894. The tunnelling success also provided knowledge of local conditions and significant difficulties encountered, enabling future tunnels under the East River wherever needed. Work on four railroad tunnels commenced in 1904.« |
