I NEVER KNEW THAT - Part One, Tunnels at the BIS
Copyrighted 2010, Bill & Jean Venrick
Lancaster, Ohio

While we were researching the history of the Boys Industrial School (aka Fairfield School for Boys), we often found occasions to tell about unique pieces of that history. The usual response was truthfully, "I never knew that."; and in all honesty this writer often made the statement during our interviews. It quickly became obvious there was a lot to learn about the BIS and what went on through the years. The Boys Industrial School had been around since 1858, when it was known as The State Farm, and at any time of its existence such a reaction would be nothing less than normal even to natives in Lancaster, Ohio. Unless you were personally involved or knew someone who worked at the BIS throughout those 125 years much of what went on at the BIS was simply not common knowledge.

The farther back our historical digs went, the less familiar experiences in life and trades would surface, like blacksmithing, making hames (part of the harness for horses), broom-making, making brushes and shoe-making. Some trades like woodworking and sheet metal continued on through the later years and current trades were offered and taught at the BIS. The significant fact is whatever a boy could use once he left the BIS, that is what the institution wanted to be sure the boys could "take home with them"--a trade or occupation. The following story tells about the unique tunnel system at the BIS.

Miles of tunnels at the BIS provided lessons or work experience common in years gone by. In 1881 steam heat was installed in the buildings. The pipes were laid in a series of long wooden boxes or chases. Sixteen years later the long wooden boxes were rotting with age and exposure. It could be imagined that as they stood there looking at those rotting long wooden boxes -- "Eureka!" as the ancient sage exclaimed, "Why not build an underground tunnel!" According to printed reports by the State of Ohio, several stages of this project were involved, starting as early as 1897, and 31 years later new tunnels were dug and still more work was in progress in the late 1940's. Remember, there was a constant labor force available--the residents or inmates of the BIS. The following appeared in the Seventh Annual Report of the State (The Dept. of Public Welfare) 1928:

"During the past year the project of the new power plant and its connecting tunnels has been completed and put into operation. The construction of the power plant and the tunnels is the largest single operation ever attempted at the institution and considerable pride is taken in the fact that the work was carried out as per specifications and on schedule[ed] time. A very large part of the work was done by the boys of the institution under the supervision of the institutions own employees. ... The success in the construction of the tunnels is remarkable, as engineers had considered the project for years and some of the estimates had placed the cost at as high as $135,000 and only a few were favorable to the plan of letting the institution construct the tunnels [skilled workmen were thought to be needed]. But the institution, with no outside help except the services of two experienced miners for several months, has completed the tunnels totaling 3,300 feet, about 1500 of which were driven through solid rock and yet the construction cost alone is below $20,000."

A map of the tunnels, dated July 8, 1948, shows the location of the tunnels and how they exited at each building, typically in the basement. When inmates found the tunnels were useful in runaway attempts extra security measures were used but the tunnels still were an ingenious method of getting electric, water and steam heat all over the campus. Quite an improvement over electric and telephone poles as used in "regular" communities of that day. Exactly how many miles the tunnels takes up is either not known or is classified but it is no exaggeration to simply say, "miles of tunnels" were in that system originating at the power house which was at the lowest geographical point of the campus and everything goes up from that point. The photo below shows a tunnel with an interior of bricks and stone construction.

Originally the tunnels were constructed like a coal mine with wooden beam construction and early on it was changed to stone construction and actual drilling and blasting through solid stone. Later, brick and masonry was used in construction as well as still later poured concrete was used with forms familiar with modern concrete construction. The size of the tunnel (4.5 feet wide by 6 feet high) never became larger than sufficient space to walk in or through and enable pipes for steam heat, water and later telephone cables. It can never be overstated that this was probably the most professional system for such an institution. A more brilliant idea would have been hard to imagine.

The map shows a comparable short length to a Y in the system forking off into two directions and as the tunnel system continues; only rarely does a curve or slight turn exist. Wherever there was a building on the campus there was a tunnel entrance-exit. Today those entrance-exit places are heavily locked and identified in bright yellow paint for obvious reasons--the facility is now known as Southeastern Correctional Institution, whose residents are offenders with felony convictions.

MORE STORIES TO FOLLOW....THE WORDWRIGHT