Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1857-09-05

between nature and art which so Strlklngly
marks the progress of our mountain roads.
1t is not long since the little cove at the
head of which the portal stands, was nota-
bic for its sccluson aud wldncss and the
effect was heightened by cascade of 100
feet fall WHICH passed the waters of the
ridge down to Cane Creek. But the syl-
van features of the place are now fast re-
ceding before the wants of the work The
slopes of the cove are studded with railroad
shantics, Cearings and garden patches
arc crowding back the oak dlaurcl growth
The hills, rock and earth, have been so
changed by the cuts and cmbankments of
the railroad, that the old spot seems to have
gone; and completing this strange blending
of what was and what must be, the little
lssaquena Fall has been turned to drive a
powder mill
At the eastern portal, visitors have a
view of the mo2us opcrondi, in tunnel
work, The tools are simply the drill, sri-
king hammer and sledgc. Holes are drilled,
loaded and fired, and foot by foot, night
and day, the work advances slowly but
steadily to its consummaton. The full
tunnel section O6 feet in width, and 20
feet in height to the crown of the arch, J
has been carried in 420 feet, and at the
present rate of progress, the party working
west from the portal will meet the party
working eastward from the shaft sometime
in December next.
= Under shaft No. /, (162 feet deep, and
Finished the tunnel work is being driven
westward as we'll as eastward
SHAFT No. 2 has been sunk 146 feet, and
so feet remain to the tunnel roof The
rock in this shaft Ca quartzose gneiss) has
been thus far the hardest upon the work.
Shaft No. 3 has been sunk SS feet and
125 feet remain to be cxcavatcd.
Shaft No. 4, 1S9 feet in depth, is fin
ishcd and the tunnel below is commenced
At the western portal, from which the
line passes out in Chatiooga creek, 172 feet
have been driven in. A turnpike has been
located from this point of the railroad to
Cashiers Valley, North Carolina, under a
charter granted last winter to Col. VIM.
Sloan and others. The distance is but 81
miles and over favorable ground. 1t will
be commenced probably during the coming
year, and the completion of the railroad
will place this delightful summer retreat
within few hours ride of the lower sec
tions of the State. Cashiers and Fairfield
Valley, and the enclosing mountains, the
White-side and Chimney-top, are in full
view from the Stump-house
The machinery of the tunnel consists of
three hosting and two blowing engines
Shaft No. l has been worked by horse pow
er; but this will be discontinued during
the winter, the cxcayatcd material then
passing through the East End At shafts
2 and 4, horizontal engines Of IL horse
power hoist the material; and ventilation
is provided by two iron blowers or fans
turned by small oscillating engines supplied
by an independent connection from the
boiler attached 10 tho larger engine. Tlnu
ventilation is tus disconnected from the
regular shaft operations, and constant and
powerful current of freeh air descends, and
drives out the smoke and tuul air. At SHAFT
No 3, an engine of 25 horsepower is USED
for two distinct services, hosting and pun
ping. The pump is worked directly from
the main shaft, which by " sleeve and
and clutch" connection also turns the hoist
ing gearing. At the present depth, one
pipe and piston rod arc required but at
the full depth 233 feet to the tunnel -four,
two pipes Cor in fact two pumpsl will be
used with reservoir at half depth. The
pipes have an interior section of 8 inches
diameter and with feet stroke will sup
ply q working capacity much beyond the
present or prospective wants of the work
The machinery of this shaft was shipped
from Philadelphia in January last, but in
consequence of accidents to the vessel, did
not reach the tunnel until late spring. The
engine (and all the machinery of the con
tracO is of superior quality, and has been
worked from thc outset without accident
In this connection, it may be stated, that
but one life has been lost on the work un-
der the new contractor by the
dropping of hammer into shaft No. 4 at
night, and under circumstances not likely
to reeur. .
There are at present engaged upon the
tunnel from 200 to $50 hands, who, with
their families compose the residents of quite
a little village on the summit OF this
force the larger portion is foreign. chiefly
from the mining districts of England and
Ireland, and Germany; bat no inconsider-
able. part comes from the vicinity and from
North Carolina and Georgia; and some of
the best workmcn of the contract are from
this class. The high wages paid, from ST.
10 to SEG2 per diem, according to capaci-
ty aslaborer, qDarrylnan or miner, are draw
ing q fair supply of hands from the public
works of Pennsylvania, Virginia aad Ten
ncssce. There is still room for more OF the
better class. Heretofore the want of hands
has been serious drawback to the work
The rock thus far encountered may be
described as an irregular gnoiss, approach