Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-02-20
sTAUNTON VA. WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 90 1850 -
PRIMROSE HILL TUNNEL.

q The London and Birmingham Railway has beer
called the greatest public work ever executed ei-
ther in ancient or modern times. five estimate its
Importance by the labor alone which has been ex
pended on il, perhaps the great Chinese wall might
| compete with il; but when we consider the great
outlay Of capital which il has required, the great
and various talents which have been employed upon
the work during the whole offs progress-togeheI
with the unprecedented engineering difficulties,
which were TO be overcome-the gigantic work ci
the Chinese sinks wholly into the shade.
An ingenious comparison has been made between
this railway and the great Pyramid Of Egypt,
in order to illustrate the magnitude of the under
taking.
After making the necessary allowances for the
foundations, galleries, ect and reducing the whole
To one uniform denomination, it will be found that
the labor expended on the great Pyramid was equiv
alent to lifting Is, ,733 millions cubic feet Of stone
one foot high. This labor was performed according
to Dodorus Siculus, by 100000; to Herodotus, by
100 900 men, and il required for its execution twen
ty years. If we reduce in the same manner the Ia.
Dor expended in constructing the London and Bir-
mingham Railway to one common denomination,
the results $4,000 million cubic feet of material
| (reduced 10 the same weight as that used in CON-
structing the Pyramid) lifted one foot high, or g.,
million cuoic feet more than lifted one jot high
in the construction of the Pyramid yet this i'm
mense undertaking was performed by about e, 900
men in less than five years!
From the above calculation have been omitted all
the tunneing, culverts drains, ballastng and fenc-
ing and all the heavy work at the various stations,
and also the labor expended on engines, carriages,
wagons ETC.. these are set offaganst the labor of
drawing the materials Of the Pyramid from the
quarries to the spot where they were 10 be used-a
much larger allowance than is necessary
One of the wonders Of this road is the tunnel
through Primrose Hill. On approaching it the dark
cavern has peculiar appearance from the steam,
which has been left by passing trains anc not clear
ing out if the weather is dull and heavy, remains
in the tunnel and to which lurid tint is at times
given by the at the opposite end, so as almost
10 make one think that lhetunnel is furnace. The
entrance has been handsomely constructed, having
finished facing of the finest Portland stone. II cost
S35, 900. Here is situated the lodge Of policeman
who hulds constant communication with another at
the opposite end by means of an electric telegraph
constructed for the purpose. He also informs the
policemen Of the arrival of trains from the north as
soon as they enter the tunnel. The face the tel
egraph has on il the words "train in "train out"
''line clear" ''line closed, !" any Of which commu.
nicatioas he makes to his colleagues with the pas
sage of every train according as the may be;
and in this way perfect order and regularity are OBJ
served. Fastened against The framework of the
tunnels large bell, according to rough estimate
about three quarters ofa yard in diameter, weighing
ten cwt AS soon as The bell Of the telegraph at
this end rings the policeman knows that commu
nication is made ffpn the opposite end, and looking
to the pointers he finds that there is strain in"
the tunnel. Acknowledging the information, he
proceeds a, once to the great bell and pulling rope
attached to it, which acts in similar manner 10
the drawing up clock, the bell is set ''a ringing"
some twenty or thirty times. and gives due notice
to all the people at the opposite station; who make
the necessary arrangements for the reception Of the
train, and the examination Of the tickets Of the
travellers.
The tunnel is $50 yards long, twenty five feet
high, and twenty-five feet wide, and is ventilated
by FIVE shafts, eight feet in diameter. In some
places The line is fifty feet below the surface. 1t cost
100000.