New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-13
TIE PACfFIc R1ILROAD.
TIE srMMIr TuNNEL.


A writer for The San Francisco dli0, who h an
just gone over the Central Pacific Railroad from sacra
mento 10 tie summit Of the sierra Nevada WiInh& under
Let us premise by saving thar We start from the City
OF the Palns AZ believe the State capital y pOeucay
valley, We travel about Is miles Ot UnlhtefiPNun
smooth country. this broken into more unduauns
aud then rugged country and by the time have got
Ten well weary OF our ride, reach Cisco, having maze
the distance at about rate Of ~ miles an hour intending
stoppage These stops made at 20 different stations
Of which the chief ones Auburn. CofaX Gold Kun
Dutch Flat, and Crystal Lake
Here We are at Cisco $50 feet above sen level Tbs
weather drilling below us, but Crystal Lake we
found had run into the snow ne the ground being
M Cisco we found tour inches Of snow while al tie sln-
nit the is IS inches deep ana still falling az
last accounts OF course this makes travelling by wheel
very difficult and the stages have been delayed. not
much by the snow itself as the wretched condition In
which IL leaves the soft and unfrozen ground.
There about fifteen tunnels 80 far constructed on
the road and they are all known To the initiated IS mum
Der so and So each tunnel having number Of its own,
beginning with Tunnel No. !. The king OF the list how
ever is No g. that being me tunnel or the summit fun
mel as IL is generally called II ought % Dc called NO l.
for il Is wonder surely and may wei be proud that
such triumph Of labor and skill has beensAeeuted In our
This great bore is 1859 feet long. and about
year being put through 1t was commenced on the
western side OF the ridge, september go 1860 ana aayy
let through ugust 3. 1861 the (oD being actu
finished third OF the time that the most Xperienced
engineers were willing 70 admit that IL THuG De aUnS
The rapidly with which the work was ilaly posecued
close however chiefly due % the discovery ana
use OF that terrible explosive compound, nrogyeerne
Much Of the work 1t is true had already been cone Delors
matters wonderfully when finally used. Experiments
commenced February Of the present year. ana,
sufficiently familiar with the compound TO II con-
stany and safely after which the work advanced WITH
ali the former operations so much FOE nitro glyccrne
There in this immediate region about dozen tan.
a miles All Of these are OF great Importance to tho
work as short cuts and means OF wnas
cut through the solid granite formation and VIII stand
long shall endure, without brace, timber or
oth these -,
paratively speaking but mined anyway, Ilnnel MOI
presents the finest front 1t has broad front of flaw
less granite over 100 feet high The tunnel s7 feet in
length, and runs through TINS close grained stohe
through its whole length. Tunnel No is about one
third Of a mile beyond the Summit Tunnel, going east,
and when recoect that in this and all the other works
OF similar character but few accidents have happened
though amounts OF powder and nitro have
been used appreciate somewhat the sBl ana eau
The bridges on the Central Pacific sse all built be-
lleve on what is known the Howe Truss model and
equal 6e to half miie The Obstacles to be oyercOne b
these works wereconsiderabe and the bridges may web
be considered noteworthy.
Not the noteworthy Of the many curious things 10
something new IN the country. though have read
accounts of their being used in Europe they were never
ResdS m 6ey r rooted Coverings owe
the track 10 such places az are likely TO DC blocked oy
sected that about so miles Of this protection against
will be built, of which some Six miles are nov
built the longest single roofing is over hall mile N
The track is now laid within nine miles and half Of
side Of It, commencing about thirteen miles and bali
from summit, making in all about twenty-five miles
and half connect the two points. when the company
will have continuous stretch OF l25 miles OF railroad.
winch il is expected TO have completed IN about days.
il severe weather does not impede the work Although
there considerable on the ground, the engf
expect that the labor will be mpeded by any
fall OF less than four feet; after that depth
reached the labor Of removing 1t Ia too great 70 pay
After this connection approaching IL made the
greatest obstacle between Sacramento aud Salt Lake. In
the way OF road building may be considered oyeroOme
There viii the be- left section Of 600 miles 70 build, OF
viii
day and miles will require about one year
aud half TO complete, making Ia all three years ana
half 10 finish the road Salt Lake The Central Pacific
expects to be able finish their share Of the transcont
Mental road Bridger 100 miles beyond Salt IAks
CITY, and IL the Union Pacific Company are fortunate
enough notwithstanding Indian hghts expensive trsna
poraOn &C. 10 finish their end In time TO meet US etFo
Bdger we shall be able to whir across the continent
from Sacramento to the Missouri in three days and half,
In two years and half from this time.