Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-10-23
THE 5LUE RIDGE TUNNEL.

| The c.st OF this great work, whose influence
in --veloping The resources OF The State and 10
! uniting Eastern and Western Virginia in feeling
and interest, can scarcely be conceived will be
So per cubic yard, lar below Kupers estimate
To show The difficulty and expense OF construct.
ing such giant work, we repnbIish from The
Poughkeepse (N. ~ Journal a sketch oil lun
mel now in progress, which IS much less exen.
sive Than our own
TaE GREAT TUNNEL At NEw HAMBURGER
Having heard that hole had been made
through where this mighty work is soon 10 be
finished for the Hudson River Rail Road, we
started the other day 10 take view Of il. Arri>
we'd al The gror nd, We soon found The gentleman
ly contractor Mr. Ward, who, without any hes
!a,on, leit his work and slarled 10 pilot Us
through and point out The VIZ nders, duty which
none eau discharge bnl one ell acquainted with
the localities.
To describe the work in proper order, we
would safe that the tunnel itself is $50 feet long
and through solid rock. Al the south end is a
cut 500 feet long, 30 feet wide and SO leel deep
all through the rock, before reaching The tunnel
Through tae tunnel The passage is gloomy enough
10 represent the most dangerous regions, darkness.
being relieved only BY The light Of candles and
through Two shafts sunk 10 il, one 10 ieet in
deph, the other Sc; through which glimpse oil
daylight may be obtained, but on emerging al
The norlh end, one other deep cut is found, near
ly as formidable as that al the south, being 200
long and 10 deep, making the entire deep cutting
through the rock all inclusive, no less Than 1880
iee One who has not seen The work, can form
no conception oil lis magnitude, and it nay be
pat down as one OF the greatest curiosiies in this
part OF The country
To cary on this magnificent work. Messrs.
Wald, Wells & Co., the contractors, now EN-.
ploy 400 men, keep in steady operation nine
blacksmihs' shops, with Two fires each, 10 re.
pair and temper the tools; have $4,000 pounds
OF cast steel in drills and tools in constant use
and have consumed 6,000 kegs OF powder, Of Is
pounds ca b, 10 fourteen months. The tunnel is
10 leet hgh and "a feet wide, where finished
and will be co ell The way through.
The work goes on night and day, aud with
perfect system and order. the men, all of whom
are sober and industrious, appear 10 observe as
much order as their employers and vic with
them in the regularity OF their operations. Hard.
ly loud WORD is spoken, but every thing goes on
with The steadness Of machinery, every where
II is a luxury 10 look upon such scene as is
prssented upon every hand.
Messrs. Ward, Wells s. Co. have been al
this Job fourteen monlbs, and have accomplished
bic. Yel 50 great is their skill and perseverance,
that il is confidently expected they will te lhfous
in lime TO meet The wants OF III. Company They
have altogether, Including The tunnel, four miles
OF road 10 finish. with three miles OF sea wall; but
nearly all on side Of The grea, work Is completed.
WP TUNSTALL, Esq.-This gentleman
addressed quite an assemblase Of our ciiiz rs
on "Wednesday evening, al BoSbsr's Hall, upon
the subjec, Of tn extension OF The Richmond and
Danyille Railroad, from the point OF its junction
with the bridge OF The Company over James Ri
yer, to The Coal Vharyes at The lover end Of
Manchester.
MIR T also urged, in some very iudicious req
marks, the importance OF Railroad Improvements
fyr;he prosperity OF The Siale and The advantages
commercially and agricul'urally, which must
enure to Virginia from The construction OF The
Richmond and Danville Railroad.-( Waig.
PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE.
II is now fully ascerlained that The Democrats
in Pennsylvania have maturity on joint ballo;
in The Legislature.