The following is quoted from the report of Mr. C.M. Jacobs, Chief
Engineer of the East River Gas Tunnel, built in 1892-93:

"We found that the material which had heretofore been firm or stiff
had, under erosion, obtained a soup-like consistency, and that a
huge cavity some 3 ft. wide and 26 ft. deep had been washed up
toward the river bed."

This would probably be a fair description of much of the material of
this class met with in such work, if compressed air had not been used.
The writer believes that in soft material surrounding submerged
structures the water actually contained in the voids is not
infrequently, after a prolonged period of rest, cut off absolutely from
its sources of pressure and that contact with these sources of pressure
will not again be resumed until a leak takes place through the
structure; and, even when there is a small flow or trickling of water
through such material, it confines itself to certain paths or channels,
and is largely excluded from the general mass.

The broad principle of the bearing power of soil has been made the
subject of too many experiments and too much controversy to be
considered in a paper which is intended to be a description of
experiments and observed data and notes therefrom. The writer is of the
opinion, however, that entirely too little attention has been given to
this bearing power of the soil; that while progress has been made in our
knowledge of all classes of materials for structures, very little has
been done which leads to any real knowledge of the material on which the
foundation rests. For instance, it is inconceivable that 1 or 2 tons may
sometimes be allowed on a square foot of soft clay, while the load on