Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-03-05
THE BLUE RIDGE TUNNEL.


Having business in the neighborhood of The Blue
Ridge Tunnel, one day last week, we took adVan-,
age ofihe opportunity to visit and examine THIS great
work. The contractors have now been employed
upon il about year, and although very little pro-
prsss has been made in the perioratlon OF the noun
tsm, the preliminary work Of cutting, filing &c.,
which has been accomplished, shows a vast amount
Of labour. On both sides, temporary wooden rail.
WAYS ars constructed, and cars drawn by horses a~
xsed for conveying off The earth and stone
We crossed the mountain and fra visited the East
ern ori6ce Here the .or.fance is through the solid
rock, and ssnding before the portal the visitor is
ready to imagine il the work OF the Cyclops whose
abode is within The miners have penetrated on this
side bu, short distance They have not got through
,hs rock, of which we have heard so much Of late,
as we stated two or three weeks ago, but it has be-
come softer and they now able TO progress with
more ease and expedition. While we were there
ssysral blasts were discharged in the tunnel and the
effect was almost sublime. The ground rembled as
10 from an earthquake, aud the explosion was like
the believing of giant in pain. Il was here tha!
two trishnaen were recently killed. The labourers
work day and might've sets Of hands relieving
such other at regular intervals.
On the Western side the arch is propped for some
distance with heavy TIMBER and the uiting rocks and
earth looking as if they were ready TO fall upon
slight touch, visitors do not feel encouraged to
ter. Wishing all that was TO be seen, however,
we procured one of the small lamps used by the mi
nsrs, and proceeded along the narrow "heading" to
witness their operations. They have penetrated
about two hundred and twenty feet into the bowels
The mountain, the greater part oil the distance
ise6ugh solid rock After cropping our way short
distance we lost sight of the oriice and were envel
oped in darkness The atmosphere is lurid and sui
phurous from the use Of gunpowder in blasting, and
a lamp eliminates but a few feet around Present.
ly we came in sight Of the lamps of the miners, and
soon found by the clanking Of implements and the
sound of voices that were within two or three
yards OF them, but their forms could not be discern
ed We stood for some time wondering how they
could work in such total darkness, but before we left
our vision improved and We were able to see the
outlines Of their figures. They were delving into
the rock with drill, and crow-bar, and pick, every
now and then passing their dimly burning lamps a
round the sides and head, 10 where to strike
aud how 10 proceed. Seven men are here employed,
making with those working at the entrance, the
"shoslder," thirty in all on this side of the noun
tain. They have heretofore worked only during The
day, but we were informed that as soon as the
shoulder" was advanced nearer the miners they
would be employed night and day.
We are sorry to say that the general impression
10 that the work at the Tunnel has not been prose-
sutsd as energelically as it might have BEEN Wheth
er the fan is with the the Engineer, the Contractors
or the Board Of Public Works, or whsther, indeed,
shsrs is any fault The part of any one, we
able to say. The large amount of money which has
Aeen expended and the heavy work already done on
ths road on The faith that the Tunnel would be
plstsd at an early period, seem to require that no
pains should be- spared in urging it forward. We
confess we were surprised to fad only miners,
on this side of the mountain, working twelve hours
day, when the length of the Tunnel to be made is
more than four thousand feet The idea has been
suggested in quarters Of suspending or entirely
abandoning the enterprise, and such result might
be highly gratifying to those who originally oppos-
ed the scheme but it is too preposterous to be ser
ously entertained The Stale of Virginia is fully
committed to the undertaking, and she cannot with
credit give il up. 1t only remains that she should
see to it that those engaged upon the work, shall
prosecute it with due diligence.
The contractors on the section OF the road be-
tween the Mountain and Wsynesborough, MessrS.
WALKER s. Co., have large force now employed.
Their work is very heavy but they expect to finish
il, including the bridge over South River, by July,
1882