East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-11-22

The progress Of the Hoosac tunnel
in Massachusetts, is matter Of inter-
est to the people of the West as well
as Of the East. But the public have
had little practical information as re-
CARDS it until the appearance of a
long communication ON the subject by
MIR. +. w. Bird, to the Boston Adcer-
hser. The work is now being carried
on 10y the State of Massachusetts
The tunnel is intended to pierce the
Hoosac mountain, on the road between
Boston and Albany, and, when com
llcted, will be the longest in the
world, except that Of Mount Cents
i holattor, which connects the empire
of France with the kingdom of Italy,
is executed at the cost Of the two
countries chiefly benefited by it, while
the undertaking at the Hoosac noun
tain is carried on by single State
Put we are sorry to say the progress
OF the work has been exceedingly
slow, and its present condition tar
fiom giving promise of speedy com
lletion.
The tunnel at present consists of
two horizontal shafts in the east and
west sides Of the mountain, and per-
pendicular one about mile and half
from the western opening. The total
length of the tunnel is to be "a, $50
feet, or over four miles and a half, -
The shaft has been excavated a dis
lance Of $40 feet, but the bore is only
feet high and II feet wide-a mere
eimlet hole. 1t will need to be from
- to "a feet wide and u feet high.
At this shaft three sets Of men work
eight hours each for six days in the
week. In II months they have exca-
waited only 260 feet east. A central
shaft had been sunk from the top to
the grade Of the tunnel, at this end,
in order to facilitate the work. At
the east end the principal work was
done by the engineer 1Iaupt, and be-
fore the State Commissioner took hold
of it he completed 1884 feet; the entire
length now is 300 feet But the
shaft is principally only - feet square.
This part Of the work is pushed with
vigor.
The central shaft is about one and
half miles from the western portal,
mt point where the surface of the
mountain is 1850 feet above the grade
Of the tunnel. The shaft has been
sunk 100 feet, leaving 800 feet yet to
be sunk. During the last 10 months
they have gone down 100 feet; the
last month they made % feet. AS
Stunning that the work at the central
shaft will hereafter average per month
the highest figures yet reached in any
month, (22 foet,) it will require forty
and half months to reach grade
Until that time the work of tunneling
the mountain proper must be limited
TO two faces-one at the east end and
one in the west shaft. The machinery
and all the appurtenanccs at the CEN
trail shaft are in excellent condition,
and the men work with spirit.
a dam has been built for the pur-
pose of creating water-power to drive
machinery in the repair shops, to ven
tilate the tunnel and to compress the
air to drive the drills in case any can
be found which will work. 1t is about
thrce-quarters Of a mile above the
east end of the tunnel, is about $50
feet long, with a head, as the commits
sioners say in their report, of 20 feet
The total cost Of this dam, up to the
present time, has been $l50,000.-
When completed it will be 5000, 000.
The power used at the dam is that
produced 10y turbine wheels Of about
one hundred horse power each. This
is put inreperation upon air compress
ers.
AT the west end the great difficulty
met with in the progress of the work
is that arising from the nature of the
material excavated. The materials
near the surface of the ground, and
for short distance in the Swallowed
part of the open excavation, are COM
mon earth and hard pan. These grad
ually change into substance that is
neither earth nor rock, in any common
observer remarked that he was sat q
loss to decide whether it is earth turn
ing to rock, like that Of the mountain,
or rock, turning to earth" The most
appropriate name given it is "demor-
allied rock" In its normal condition
it is tough and hard, like rock, but
when exposed to tho combined influ-
ences of air and water, it runs away
like quicksand; or, if pent up, it be-
comes "porridge." 1t abounds in
seams, or crevices, from which issue
numerous springs and little streams Of
water.
The one hundred and ten feet of
heading accomplished at tho west end
required framework, or lining of
heavy tiInbers and plank, to be set up
as fast as the excavation was made, in
order to resist the pressure and weight
of the surrounding material. Some
times the progress made at this end is
only three or four feet per day.
Mr.. Bird calculates that, at the
present rate Of speed, and allowing
for the increased facilities arising from
the completion of the central shaft, II
will take eight years and nine months,
from September |, 1865, to complete
the work.
As to the cost Of the tunnel all cal
culations are ahoat on this question.
j, w. Brooks, Esq, one of the COM
mis5ioners, estimated the cost from the
beginning at s5,7l9,350 But it is
thought it will exceed this sum. The
State took charge of the work early
Inst year, and have expended nearly
$1,000, 900. tbs urged by many that
it is best to abandon the work, or pay
some responsible parties handsome
sun to take II off H. bonds INV 40