Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-04-11
THE BERGEN TUNNEL.

This magnificent work, now in construction
by the Long Dock Company for the New York
and Erie Railroad, will be, when completed,
the largest work OF the kind in the United
States, with the single exception Of the Hoosac
Mountain Tunnel. 1t is intended 10 connect
the Long Dock in Jersey City with the Depot
of its Erie Road at Bergen, thus obviaiing the
necessity for the trains of the latter road 10 run
over the track of the New Jersey Railroad
To form some idea of the grandeur of the work
we give the result Of observations made on the
occasion of visit to the Tunnel.
Turning TO the right at the Hudson City
Courthouse, short walk brought us TO shaft,
where we found the son Of the contractor, ].
ii. Mallery, Esq, who conducted US through
the whole line Of operations. The mode of
operations in this work is 10 commence a, each
end in an open cut and simultaneously to sink
different shafts of Is by 25 feet, into the sol.
id rock, 10 depth varying from 80 10 l le feet.
Into The latter shaft we descended by means Of
a tub, suspended by one inch wire rope, and
propelled by steam engine. This tub raises
about half ton of the stone quarried in the
shaft at a time. At the bolton Of these shafts
four gangs Of men are employed in drilling
holes into the solid rocks, sufficiently wide TO
admit the powder necessary for blasting the
rock Two gangs Of these men work to the
eastward while the other two work 10 the west
ward. There are two classes Of men in each
gang, one the heading men who are the most
skilful in mining and working at The top of the
tunnel while the others, the bottom drillers,
drill the holes for admitting the fuses for blast
ing the rocks at the bottom. Eight times in
twen,y-four hours these blasts are fred bnt the
hours are tnus selected, and such shelter is pro-
vided that an accident is almost impossible.-
The rock loosened by these blasts is conveyed
by cars to the shafts, where they are hoisted
by the steam-engine into the cars running on a
rail through Hudson City to a dumping place
facing Jersey City, dumped there, and by an:
other railroad car conveyed to the Long Dock
at Jersey City, where they are used in the con-
struciion of the docks. Ascending this shaft
by ladder, we entered a blacksmiih-shop, one
of which is always attached to each shaft for
the purpose of sharpening the drills. Two
backsmilh-shops for general jobbing are al each
end OF the line, also carpenter shop where
the cars are prepared, and all jobbng is done.
About l4O0 men are employed, day and night,
on this tunnel, which will be about 4600 feet
in length, and runs in due East-West direc-
ton through solid mass of Graywache, rock
harder than Granite. The height from the
grade to the roof is twenty-five feet, and the
width twenty-eight feet, which is sufficient to
admit the laying of double track AS can
be easily imagined some very strict regulations
are necessary to secure the contractor, who pays
the best wages for mining in the United States,
viz ten 10 twelve shillines, agains any loss
that may arise by the non-completion of his con-
tract within the specified time, January, 1858,
and for this purpose he has SO foremen, who in
turn oversee the men, and guard them against
accidents which, we are happy to say, are few
compared with the number and character of the
men employed-three cases only having termi
mated fatally since June last, when the work
was commenced. Though the greatest vigil
ance is exercised, about $1,000 worth of s,ee
, tools have been distracted by the laborers.
simple mode Of paying this vast array of mer
is adopted on the 10Th of each month. Tn,
! wages earned by the different men in the pre-
, ceding month are paid, but 10 prevent want