New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-11-27
HOOS5C TUNNEL.
THE SCENERY IN THE NEIGHBoRHooD-THE
LATE CATASTROPHE.


LATE CATASTROPHE.
From Our Special Correspondent
HoosAc TUNNEL, Mass, Nov. &c, 1907.
Seven miles of continuous ascent, the gray
road monotonousy showing countless bilccks-or
"thankce mams," the people hercabouts call them
and we paused TO gaze around u.s. At one side prec
pce 200 feet Deep beyond which the grand mountains
rose startngy near their surfaces gstening with serted
ranks Of the white brch whose darbrown lcafless tops
formed striking Winter bouquet; at the other forest
slope through which our road wound-or bumped" as
my companion energetcally expressed IT, The atmos-
phere grew colder Patches Of appeared here and
there the pickets of advancing storms The mountain
rs frose they icled down the sides and ecles four
foot oue festooned the rocks when their ended
The farmbouses scattered amid these sOlitndes are
very slightly structures for the most part ooy oneand-
ahaf stories, Whit painted WIN green Di, 9 s t ,o
one passed at the junction OF four roads Win staring
guidc-bOards, would not disgrace any 'lage, en-, ,,,
We have reached the central shaft where tDe terrible
accident occurred last month fran tine explosion OF gso
line. Nothing has yet been done To the runs ann tno
bodies Of Is unfortunate men are suDMefSeu III M.cF
over 100 feet deep. subscriptions have Deen sarteall
of the surrounding towns or te Leiel OF tg W
ope poor left with seven small chdfeh ana VII
ter 50 near. The shaft SIS feet deep HOW long INC
contractors will quarrel among themselves ana delay I'M
portant measures, remains 10 be seen.
The road descends now the clOScy-lockcd mountain
chains recede to form vacys-bricf gmpSes, however,
he inexOrable grandeur shutting us within IFS stately
folds again Chain above chan some with rugged peaks,
some vaguely outlined in the cloudy HORIZON. Descend
ing a PERCEPTIONS HILL we look mp from the plugging
horses and gain our first view OF the Deeineia hyeI
Then it flows in the distant valley, placid dream OF
beauty, guarded by encircng hills ana we know InaI
when We shall reach II our IL pes OF tolsome traVe -
euded and the vast Tunnel mouth ready TO ehSuph Us W
o nt Grst we visit the machine shop, substantial
stone structure close by the river The upper oor de-
voted TO repairing the drills Those USED ,fe mace Dy
Charles Burnley OF MasSsachusets' ana VII nOlg 'g
inches in five minutes, by means OF compressed ar inc
machns in charge SAYS the pressure u ap%n,
pounds to the square men BelOW Two lnnens t III M
chimes connected with she upper regions by great nose
or pipes, at work. ONE yen4teslAe t'ehc otcr
works the drills These are ootii IuI.5u Dy $50 St1
wheels: we peered down at them; they were cfes'e"
with icices, aud the AR was peIclhsy S Oh ~ ,iDso
Tile river loses the enchantnent which our glimpse
from the mountain crest had gwen IA ltDiu nalIJH
stream IL looks so low that child might safely paddles
across its stones. But u cdpdpie "a s'.'oa .,t
action, sometimes rising eight ana zen leeJ ma n6hl. a
short canal leading TO the tunnel looked lar te moro
formidable then and 1t ended over the aah Win uil'o
ian OF water which is very beautiful. , -. .-.,,.
In the depths Of the earth. Innumcrable lights wlnke
mallcts pounding at the stony sdes-llke snhtS lihe'
overhead and az the sides. stone beneath clay h Wate
Tiny cascades tI1ekle on our eSs VIC MS ~" ., IL, tn
Track Anon we step squarey into the p9dS 10 ie1 VIC
stops short with an t,t"t cN'.'il' 1i' ri "a 80,
conductor looks around holding mp MS camlc 10 se'
vho, is the matter: Oh, forgot 10 say tIal we SIq
coming where we VIII nave TO Stoo NInin5 ros
have already comew and, despite his aSonzed cNptt
sion we ION In laugh double mp specify 70 pIl
sue walk The laugh is rheWSo y. i J.;@ ~ a.,
Glance back reveals our tall friend literally eO"Hy ~
f,ng of recl aud wish that muscles were more
-liabe Ne pausc by the battery and waieh inc opetn
Tor signal for blasting Ihis Is 10 U Unon po
70 sec sgcof ~ await IT, what is the sound lkei'
gNGly 1 .tl sonnd "iow do you lie ii" But
fcoWd NOT answer the question, for my ears Neis JS
mr. M " I'M The ta gentleman looked about him rueniy.
,rd ~ Goatiug ON "a puddle The rush OF ar Is not 80
gIe4I VII" "a they call t. The blasting Is oNer-the
train il fired by electricity aud we pfoSeeu, III hn1
% III IN ,noEe Il almost snaOcating. Great gates or
iS i,t I'm the "hcading" behind which the lneh Ico
when the crash occurs. GunpoNder y ~ o,ucotton
,,,i,+ minis were made, formerly, wlJh -uitoeV1n,
aud ono poor fellow lost his IRE thcieos No., fen1ark-
1,,s nrture OF the work, there nave oeo i5,st,
dalsSIous m the tunnel and the great dlss,er
NJ he central shaft may be said to DC 'he oi' '''
@ roc Is 50 dark that it Is called blacS rock Int '"
is vcncd occasionally win quart, a and another with
| picked mp u specimen containing i"'''
heTnrne Fails recently at the eeeP eoT Bnoe
ant ulo, ,ot i'm seven years the eutlIe rou.S "9 y
open 10 the travelling pHo sd bsrrier one can hardly
Tunnel ana ara Sphecy and feels inclined to cry CUT sAsp
believe 90 probbiv in seventeen" AZ the etst siS
ucaly ned 200 feet at the west side near NOIIit
they IA va feet Yet it must be admitted uie TIC WI"
is being pI3secH,vr ed ngs OF wornen marching with
Gol9H Uu, 10 the Geadng' Hero they WORK elsI'
hours ony ~ 70 drill one holding the chise while
~, trr wings his pOnderouS inaiet I g 49, tbrovyn
rod IS OF Ilc 10 form cndlostock for the hborer
~ ~ chi il "stoppngcla!," ana Use ~ i0' PP
where putty Of on tall friend forgetting our sad expert
80 Indeed he stopped so oeh Nil l'o r tI hefor-
ence l,r Ia, ,ler echoed merriy tllan peOIV:
Ieet ~ snperb echo! After all the danger ana Toll Is
MhhI f seemed a grandeur in this daily cohiung'
bIl IL what lessons OF endurance mig u hoV ICY
%il Sy of the crowds OF visitors, me ny ,h
Inc lS cores of worbmen. the whistle ana pun Vi to
blows " il shall plunge into its rocky DEPTHS can
yrr chase the grandeur from It's pro"' hor "O '
! hc'N,, disturb its serene silence . 49,, l. .
yat bore :" and lonSmOed itlehu ureW
Sreef as we emerged into the fresh' eool ar o''
Sigu Oi Ie'''' ~ J.. W.
side. -
THE LUTHERAN general COUNCIL.