Ad-Free Blog
Previously taped and not released---November 29th, 2022.
This is Teresa for 'In Your Neighborhood' for Channel 7 Eyewitness News. Not since the 1986 Al Capone's Vault Opening has there been a historical investigation of this scope in a Chicago neighborhood.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
I'm here today in the damaged north side basement shop of Vickie's Vintage in the UpTown neighborhood. If you recall, it was just four weeks ago that an explosion and mysterious tunnel system was investigated with a series of cave-ins under and behind the popular Vickie's Vintage shop and Trish's Floral Shop. These businesses and they entire neighborhood have been under repair. Today we are going to eyewitness the opening of these damaged basement walls under these shops.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
We've been observing the last minute preparations for supporting the damaged walls to make sure everyone is safe.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
We are here with Sgt. Michelle from the Chicago Fire Department and
Jeffrey from the Chicago Building Department.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Michelle, what are the first concerns in doing excavations or repairs on these old buildings?
Michelle: Safety of course. I'm here to test the air and make sure there are no vapors or gas present to cause a fire or explosion. So far, we are all clear.
Teresa: Jeffrey, how involved has the City been on this project?
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Jeffrey: Very involved, Teresa. This has been an extensive project. Over two-hundred and seventy-five feet of tunnel have been opened and then filled in. The city has had to involve NiCor gas, water and sewer, Com-Ed, telephone companies, all before we could safely fill in the tunnels. The replacement of services has been extensive to the neighborhood, and more repairs will completed in the coming weeks.
Teresa: That IS a lot of repairs. Some have said the tunnels were from the prohibition days.
Jeffrey: That is true, but tunnels were used as early as the 1880's for moving goods, coal, to the thriving businesses in the area. We even found an underground livery stable with wagons and carts a block over from here.
Teresa: So, do we have any idea what we may find in this part of the tunnel system?
Jeffrey: We do know this building was a Speak Easy and a Talent Agency during the 1920's for a short time, so who knows? I'm excited to find out!
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Russell Pittman, contractor is here with his crew ready to open this area. Mr. Pittman what do you expect to find behind this damaged wall?
Russell: Well, Teresa, we have done exploratory bore-holes and have found there are actually different three areas of walled space behind here. Most of the wall damage shows an outline of a door which we plan to remove today once the safety check is completed. We do know there is a void behind the door area.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
(Meanwhile the crew continues to check all the braces. The electricity is off, so all the tools and lights are battery powered.)
Teresa: Detective Joe of Chicago PD stands by with night view glasses, if needed. We are also in an hard-hat zone and everyone is required to stay behind the braces.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Detective Joe have you been present on any of these tunnel repairs and what have you found?
Joe: Yes, Teresa, we have found just about everything from distillery equipment, beer barrels, a stable, an old spring-fed cistern system, a two lane bowling alley, carts on tracks for coal delivery, and an underground church abandoned in the 1930's.
Teresa: Wow, that is a history of the variety of tunnel uses.
 |
| bbarbieoldnewgreenredo |
Ian gets in position with the camera to give our viewers a great shot at seeing what is behind the wall, first, here on 'In YOUR Neighborhood.'
(Cut to commercial)
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Teresa: You can see the construction crew is going low-tech on the wall removal. An outline of the damaged 'door area' has been carefully cut with hand-saws, and now a worker attempts to pull the wall down with a long pick ax.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Teresa: They are expecting this first stage to be some sort of old cement wall board.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Russell: (with brace) Everyone stand back, now Scott, give it a pull, slow and easy.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Pulling, the team removes a large piece of wallboard and reveals more cracked walls of some sort of material.
 |
| barbieodlnewgreenredo |
Teresa: That seemed easy, what's next?
Russell: We've exposed the 6" plastered, concrete and rock composite wall. We should be able to dislodge these pieces, one at a time. We'll begin with the top-half first, and then remove the lower wall pieces after.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Teresa: Viewers you can see the cut edges on this wall board which came down in one piece.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Sgt.Michelle: My readings are all clear, it's a go.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
The team goes at the damaged blocks carefully removing them one at a time.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Big chunks of rock and concrete fall to the floor. The team continues to pull down the pieces and clean up as they go along!
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Ian: Can I get a closer shot in between you? There that's good. (He tapes as the entire doorway is exposed, revealing a stone wall tunnel corridor.)
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Scott: This is the easy part, we have been working here for two weeks. We got a safety okay, and the structure is safe at this point.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Russell: Proceed through the door, and we will be on hand with additional bracing if necessary.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Teresa: What will we find? The first to go in will be the Sgt. Michelle with the Chicago Fire Department to check the air quality and the tunnel safety.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Michelle: It's very dark. We will need an additional light source, the readings are all safe in this direction. The air quality is low on oxygen, but the open door will fill the tunnel with air.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Turning this way, I see a length of rock-lined walls and the faint outline of a broken wood door. It's very dark, the air quality is safe, the floor scattered with debris. We need more light. Detective do you want to try with your night vision googles, first.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Michelle whispers, I'm not sure what I saw, it's so dark. Here take my monitor.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Joe enters with the monitor, and disappears down the tunnel.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Craig and Scott make a bet on what he will find...we will see who wins. Detective Joe reappears, scowling.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Joe: Okay everyone step back, and stop the cameras.
Ian wants to continue filming.
Joe: I said stop and turn that off! This is now a possible crime scene, I need to call a forensic team and the Coroner.
Teresa recording sound only: We are at Vickie's Vintage lower level, we have seen the wall opened, but will not be filming further. Detective Joe has declared the tunnel a possible crime scene...more later on Eyewitness news, this is Tersesa for Channel 7 Chicago.
Cut!
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Russell: What a goat rope, I suppose we won't be able to continue with demo or construction?
Detective Joe: Nope, look at this way Russ, you don't have to tell your wife---your the one who stopped construction on her business. I do. Now I have to call for a Forensic Team and the Coroner.
Teresa: Joe, can we just get a lead-in for a later story?
Joe: Sure, just hold this back, we don't want to end up like Geraldo, I don't know what we have for sure.
Teresa: (Oh, golly no! Get this extra bit, Ian.) Roll! WE are here at the Northside tunnel demolition, which has now been declared a possible crime scene. Forensics and the Coroner have been called in by Detective Joe, Chicago PD from the Third Precinct. This is Teresa on the scene and more later for Eye Witness News.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Detective Joe: Okay, everybody out of here, and Teresa---you will wait on broadcasting until we know what we have here, and we can do a follow-up. This may get really interesting, that's all I can say for now.
This post is part 6 of the At the Bijou Mystery
(TO BE CONTINUED)
CAST:
Russell, Craig, Joe--Vintage GI Joes from thrift stores.
Scott: Sean Connery doll-thrift store
Teresa, Michelle, Ian are all thrift store Mattel dolls.
DIORAMA: all walls and floor foam core pinned/taped together.
Damaged wall, actual wall from old Vickie's Basement shop.
Wallboard---painted black foam core board -$$Store
Rocks---1" scraps of insulation board, distressed and painted with 'snow tex' texture paint and acrylic. I removed the coverings on the foam before painting.
Braces-miscellaneous scraps from my craft wood supplies. These are all double-stick foam taped to the walls, floor.
Cement floor-dull silver poster board taped to foam core.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
If you enjoyed this post(s), please join me by email- at FOLLOW IT---in the upper right hand corner of this blog.
I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions or products shown, or from where I shop.
Please Join me at these Fine Blog Parties!
Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks so much for each and every comment, and I will try and answer any questions you may have.