The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-04-30

chasms in the bed Of the river were fll-
ed by bags of clay, and when the tunnel
was cleared Of water, the structure was
found uninjured. The work, however,
was suspended for the want Of funds for
seven years:
"Other great specu1ations have been nursed,
Till want of proceeds laid them on the
Shelf
But the concern was at the worst,
When il began to liquidate itself"
Thus sang Tom Hood in an Ode to
Brunei, when the prosecution of the work
seemed doubtful. But Parliament sane.
toned loan in aid Of it, and il was re-
sumed in March, 1886. During this
year II feet were completed; in 1887,
only 20 feet; iu 1888, go feet in 1899,
1914 feet in 1910, co feet and 1s4l the
remaining distance was also accomplish
ed, to the shaft at Mapping. Ir Au-
gust, Brunei passed through the Tunnel,
from shore to shore His triumph was
complete. Victoria recognized it by
knighting him. In March, l843, it was
opened as public thoroughfare. Its
length from the shaft is 200 feet it's
width 35 feet each archway and foot.
path, clear width, about Ia feet thick
ness of earth between the crown Of the
Tunnel and the bed of the river about
Is feet.
The Tunnel cost E250 900. The dan
gers of the work were many, aud the mi
ners often suffered serious alarms.
Sometimes portions Of the "shield"
broke with the noise of a cannon shot,
then alarming cries told of some inter
ruption Of earth or water, but the exca.
vations we're more inconveIienced by
fire than water, gas explosions frequently
wrapping the place in sheet of fame,
strangely with tie water. and rendering
the workman insensiblc" Yet only sew
en- lives were lost making it.
The Tunnel. at present, is both sue
cess and a failure. As an example of
engineering skill, it is undoubtedly
great triumph But until it can be used
for vehicles as well as foot passengers,
it will not answer its original purpose.
1t is reached now by a winding staircase
down the shaft GU either side of the riv.
er, and is opned day and night for pass
engcrs at toll Of one penny each. 1t
| is IlSubCu WIN gas, anu oOulC VI lIo diCu-
es are occupied as small shops, and for.
the exhibition of works Of art. The ap-
proaches for vehicles are intended to be
circular, by shafts 200 feet in diameter
Their cost is estiuat at fIS0,000.
We do not understand that any proba-
bilty exists their early construction.
RESCUE OF BEAUTIFUL AMERICAN
GIRL FROM INDIAN CAPTivlTY-Ou the
10Th Of March, 1851, family Of emf
grants named Oatman, from Iowa, en-
route for California, composed Of Loren.
20 Oatman, wife and seven children, (tbree
boys and four girls while encamped
about one hundred and twenty-five miles
from the mouth of the Gila River, were
attacked by the Mohave Indians, and all
but one boy and two girls massocred in
cold blood The boy in the dark sue
ceeded in escaping, and was picked up
on the following day by company Of
emigrants, about forty miles from the
scene of the murder. The little fellow
was perfectly exhausted when found.
without hat or shoes, and covered with
blood After recovering sufficiently to
tell his tale, some of the men started on
to ascertain if anything could be done,
and on arriving at the fatal place, found
the boys version was, alas too true, the
bodies being then half eaten BY cayotes.
Enough ,however,was ascertained to show
that the two youngest girls were missing:
The boy is now living at the "Monte,"
near Los Angeles, and distinctly remem-
bers that horrible night
For years nothing had been heard of
these two young girls, and their fate ap-
peared to be wrapped in mystery About
FIVE months since an article or letter was
published in the Los Angeles Star, stat
ing that tho Yuma Indians had offered
to exchange two female prisoners with
the officers at Fort Yuma for beads,
blankets, &c. and that the latter had re-
fused to trade with or purchase the un-
fortunate sufferers froE the Indians.
Col Nauman, U. S. A., who was at that
time en- route for Fort Yuma, immedi-
ately inquired into the subject, but found
the charge against the officers wholly
witout foundation and fearful that, by
some possibility, there might be some
prisoners never before heard OF, sent out
runners to the different tribes, offering
heavy ransoms for their recovery in an
swer 10 which a Yuma Indian Of the
name Of Francisco came in, saying He
could find young girl ten days travel
from the fort" Beads, blankets, etc,
we're Immediately given him, aud in
twenty days ho returned with Miss Oat-
man. When brought in, she was dressed
as all the females of the Yuma Mohave
Indians, aud on a white man approaching
threw herself PROSTATE on the sand. aud
would not rise until suitable garments
were brought her. She has almost for
gotten her native tongue, being only
able to speak two or three words. Be-
ing asked in the Indian language her
name, she replied "OliVe Oatn,an"; is
tattoed on the chin, aud bears the marks
of hard slavery. Her arms, wrists aud
hands are largely developed. She was
slave for two years with the Mohaves,
who sold her to the Yumas. Her young
est sister died about six months before
the rescue of Miss Olive. The hair of