The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-10-27
H E d Tsp ATCH.
iohspAf Af MORNING. ........... :. OCTOBER n. lssy.
The Work at the Blue Ridge Tam

Aietter appeared in the stauaton rindicator,
whch that paper says 10 from a director of the
.en'rai Railroad, who has every opportunity Of
knowing what he writes abont lie has visited tho
biae Ridge Tunnel and thus describes the visit:
on the 18th inst, In company with q friend from
shfeat, visited the Tunnel, In part for the pur.
pose OF satisfying myself TO the condition Of the
worn We were highly gratihed TO find that the
very unreasonable reports that are aoat as TO the
incomplete condition ofthe Tunnel are unfounded
The marvellous story that, the distinguished Epei.
neer in charge, had committed the objectionable
biunder of making the Tunnel too narrow by two
feet, for one Thousand feet, is utterly false The
Engineer and contractors are now engaged In
dressing up this stupendous work, which Is a n i'm
perishable monument 20 their skill and energy
They are now passing over the track frame struc-
ture as wide and high the largest cars. for the
purpose of detecting every projecting point of rock
that might come in contact with the cars by anv
accidental change in the track, while In use This
however, is nearly done reouirjnp only f.., da,s
TO finish. 49,
The Tunnel, where IL is not already arched. ap-
pears TO he cut through continuous rock of re-
markahle hardness aud soundness, with the excep.
zion OF few fissares veins at one or two places
where out Of abundant caution il will be arched
with brick. The archns can be continued with
very little inconvenience while the track IL in use
the Tunnel being l6 feet In width and the cars
only about 10 feet wide The surface Of the Tunnel
is not cut like dressed rock fora building but is
irregular, in consequence of the blasts tearing Sn
to different depths, owing to the strength and con.
diton Of the rock ranging from six inches to two
feet. TO make this surface smooth would cost a
vast sum of money, and would be wholly unueces-
sary,-the mean width Of the aperture being l6
feet. Col. Crozet, with his assistant and the con.
tractors, being present, they very politely showed
us the whole work, and measured the narIowest
places which VIC discovered. and which proved
those points within few feet of the base. l5%
feet wide. There are places where the Tunnel
would measuos IS feet. We were satisfied that the
Tunnel is wide enough aud would be safely used
10y the Central Railroad Company, If desired.
This. work has: been conducted under the most
embarrassing circumstances, on account of a de-
ficiency Of funds. State bondes being under par
the Board of Public Works were, at times unable
to supply means TO carry on the works, and but
for the private funds Of the contractors which they
employed, the work must have becn suspended. We
had learned before, from reliable authority, that
the reason why the whole Blue Ridge Road is NOT
now used by the Central Railroad Company, is that
the Board of the latter did not agree with the Board
Of Public Works rs to the probabilities Of a great
side which is threatened from the side ofthe moIn
tain upon the track near one of the small tunnels,
and also, as to the probable settling of the high
fills on the Blue Ridge Road 1t is hoped. that the
Boards will agree at their next meeting, and the
Road will so Immediately into successful opora-
ton.