The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-12-26

PROGRESS OF THE MOUNT Cr.Is TUNNEL.
r,ire We nnd some curious deis about the piercing Ct
the tunnel betwe Modane and Bardoaeohe:-
Il Is well known That tho whole length OF the tunnel
when completed, Will be ~, 220 metres Tho machine
used for the purpose Sommeers peforaior, set In
motion BY compressed air. II consists OF piston work
ing horizontally In cy0der and carrying chssl fixed
II like bayoret, which at zach stroke bushes with
violence against tho rock 10 be pierced Each time tbs
chisei reoo,s u turns round In tho hole. aud az tue
latter lie sunk deeret and deeier tho frame or
sh'cd, which carries NOT ono but nine perforatore,
advances In proportion. Whlo tho cbisci Is doihg
It's wok extraordinary rapidly, copper tube o.
small diameter keeps squirting water Toto the hole, ~
shield there In ieoder which, bv the aid 81 pump SET
Ia motion by compressed ar leeds all these tubes with
wassr The noise caused by tho simultaneous striking
the obseis against the rock In absolutely deaentng en-
bapond ~ u In by the echo OF tho tunnel.
AL At The noise ceases the shield rscedcs behind
t. and tho snrico OF the rock is perceived ridded with
eighty hoes varying IN depth between eighty aud nlcy
ccottnetrss. Those holes are now CHARGED WITH car
scs matches burning al the rate OF sixty ceot
metres per ptpae pssrtsd ara tno workmen retro
roots when att is over tho ground 'ouud covered
with fraameos Of the rock aud a" sav."e. .aa~' 20 sa-
On the Bardo0oobe side this the average advance
per month has boon ffty msrcs; on the hodnne sce Is
has exceeded tbirty caht tnetrcs month"; owing
70 the grcster hardness Of tho rock on nat side there
stH remains length OF about $3.50 IN tres 20 DO got
through When completed the tunnel viii have required
the piercing OF 220 600 holes, 900 600 kogammes or
gunpo~der $50 900 metres OF slow match the number
2.45o,oeO.
rnE CLIFTON (ENG.) susrsNI0 D'IpoE.
Iron the Manchester Guardian, lee.
The magnificent suspension bridge the Avon AT
Con, BY wh,ch the coutses OF Gloucester and Somsr
scsshirc Joined. opened on Thursday last with
great ceremony.
More than one hundred years ago Mr.. Alderman yiok
bccucated trus TO the Merchant venturers 100, TO
accumulate at interest, for the purpose OF bufdng
bridge the at clifton The bequct having, IN
1880, swollen TO $4,000, II was determined 1, take ste
nence ruc.ion OF bridge cS Goo
caurse Inadequate for the construction or bridge
aud Il was, tbereforo necessary TO provide for The re
rnsipdcr by means cf toll on those passing Tho
m however,
tempated free bridge, and one of etonc. Experience
having shown that an iron suspepson bridge won BE-
pre- cradle Ia such locality, application was madeito
Parliament, and the necessary powers obtinsd 10 Nay
1890, to BAUD a toll Iron BRIDGE
Numerous designs were supplied for the BRIDGE and
that OF Brunei accepted his object being to make the
cliffs the bridge ana he estmatee the cost Of his
scheme at r57 900 In 1881 The undcr.skiug was com
msnccf by the excavat OF the frst store then
the Bristol riots which mpoded this as every other un-
derakne 10 ard about Bristol In 1888 another and also
yccesgfu effort made 10 proceed and In 1885 tho
meeting OF the British WIZ held al Bristol and
the Prcsdont the Marquis OF Northampton laid the foun
daton OF the somerseishire or sout pier week pro
viously iron rod 90 which crado vas drawn to and
the work or time with spirit, bat crcnmst
dcred necessary for the trustees In 1887 to ke y IN
their hands, and In s+0 tbs Somerset pier was com
pe,ed. IN 1919 want Of funds nut stop to tho work Il
being md that eco 900 would be required to complete
H. In 1883 tho limit Excd b. the &c, OF Psrliament for
It's completion, tho works were abandoned ana the pros
pee, the OF tho bridge seemed as Gar OF ss
ever. In 1860, Mr. J. Hawkshaw ard Mr. w. u. far'ow
oppon that Hunger ord bridge was about
10 be pulled down. materials ght well DO used In the
construction clifton bridge. TIE opportunity seened
favorable that company was organized, WIN
capital OF OOO Tho chains and materials OF Hunger
totd bridge arnrt the peers we're purchased for
5000 In 1851 the company obtained its act aud
took TO the piers aud land One OF the arrangements Of
the mpany 10 10 lin the course OF tms) render tho
bridge free
The bridge Va suspended the the three high chains
on each side passing thu PIERS the ends being an
chored chamber seventy feet below tho level OF the
bridge in the so rock. From the sncboage TO the per
the Clifton side the distance two hundred and twenty
feet across hundred end three eet and
from the pisr the Lsga side the chains rresrond
with those the Clifton side. Tho weight OF unn USED 10
the bridge Ia less than one thousand hve huSo 90
tons t1e chabs weighing thousand one hundred
tons and the rods twenty tons
The links OF the chain inches broad and twenty
four feet long each link comp sed OF series OF bars
boled together the ends Four hur drcd bolts OF nearly
two inches IN diameter used Tor this purpose having
screw ends, by which they fixed With large iron
nut The bridge 10 painted Kind OF dark rcd now DO
coming generally used for such WORKS. aud tho best
possbio been shown not over decorating y
The uus and ends OF tho the Inks Of the
chain are alone gilt and form uniform and nea, relief
20 the VII le structure. From the chain the bridge
suspended by cue hundred aud sxtytso wrought iron
rods varying 10 length from sixty FIVE Get 70 three ei
and, teine only inch and bali IN diameter, give inc
structure very lish pretty character. lhere are
two hundred 81 chains and three hundred tons oi
rrders employed above the quantity used for Hunger
ford bridge. The roadx OF the bridge IL formed q
slcepcrs OF Baltic timber, with Transverse plauks laid
| upon them
There can be no doubt OF tho stability OF tho bridge
Mr. Arey having carried over w. by means Of tram
| way nve hundred tons Of stone