The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-02-18
Ancient and Modern Water Works and
Tunnels.


hence it is good thing sometimes 10 recall
what the old engineers have accomplished,
as healthful slimulant to excite our modern
engineers 10 greater efforts.
The old Roman aqueducts, for supplying
that city with water, in the days of its glory,
when compared with The greatest of modern
works Of this kind, dwarf them into insisniii-
cance. Rome had one queduc;-Aqua Apia
ten miles long all underground another
Anio Vetus-fofiy-lhre miles and nearly all
underground also; another-Aqua Marcia
fifty miles long, and the Anoi Ncvus ffiy-
u'ne miles long, with arches 1909 feet high.
There were also four other uqueducls o.
mounting TO nine altogether, for supplying
Rome with water by gravilation, !or there
were no steam engines IN those 10 pump it up
from the adjacent river Tiber Tor city use, II,
is now done in Philadelphia, Chicago, CIeye-
land aud other OF our cities.
The noblest work Of modern engine srinn
for supplying any city with water is undoub,-
edly the Crotou Water Works OF New York
Its artificial tunnels arc carried over valies,
through hills, and over Ivers distance Of
forty niles. The work is stupendous to be
sure, Tor it carries a condensed river from the
mountains into the City, bur compared to the
old Roman water tunnels is not SO much to
boast of
The city Of Montreal has recently finished
some g:eat work Of engineering for supplying
itself with in the same manner as the city OF
Philadelphia, by employing the water power
OF the river 10 pump itself up 10 an elevated
reservoir. The wafer from the ST. Lawrence
Immediately above the rapids, is connected
by canal five miles long 10 basin where two
large wheels SO feet in diameter work force
pumps, which drive the water through iron
ervoir situated on The mountain behind the
city, al a height Of 900 feet above the river
level. These reservoirs contain 90 900 OO0
gallons, and were cut out of the solid rock -
Thus from the elevation of 200 feet the va.
Ter is conducted through the whole city -
Next TO the Croton Water works those Of Mon
treal, we understand are the greatest OF tie
| kind in our continent.
From present indications there are a mum.
ber OF cities in the United States which will
I ye, surpass OLD Rome in extent and popula.
ton, and which must be supplied with wa,cl
from distant sources. AS no city can be KEEP
clean and healthy without a good supply o'
water, we tell them to 90 10 Rome for er,
couragement and example.
Some great works OF tunnelinG or boring
! through mountains, have, within n few year,,
been executed in Europe aud in our own coua-
Try, FOR carrying railroads lhro' hem, and The
tunnel now boring through The Green Noun.
tains, three miles long, is considered 10 be
| the most expensive work of the kind ever
attempted by our engineers; but we have
only begun 10 cXecu'e works of this kind,
and we require 10 he stimulated. The Ale
| ghcnies, the Rocky Mountains and orhef
mountains have yet TO be lunneled 10 make
pathways through them for the "lron shred. Il
Look at what the old Romans did They cut
tunnel as part Of drain for Lake Fuc!nus.
and it was bored ope mile through a noun.
tain OF hard comedian. Ii was in the form
oil an arch, ine feet VIDE and nineleea feet
high. There was no gunPowder then 10 as
Sis, The miners in blasting; all The work OF
cutting was executed inch by inch by steady
labor with The pick, wedge and chisel. Con-
sldering The amount of labor required Tor this
work, our engineers have much to inci.e
them -Seient0c american.