Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-09-27

OfkSING OF THE MOUNT CENIS SUMMIT kAIL-
wAr.-An English paper gives the following
account of the opening OF the railway over
Mount Gems. between France and Italy.
This road is to be used till the tunnel through
the mountain is completed, and if it works
well ii would seem though the need ofthe
tunnel was very much lessened. The "open-
I'M" was certainly very successful, and if the
Troy and Greenfield railroad people are
cute they Will take 4 hint from it and
have Troy and Boston connected bv rail
without waiting for the Hoosac tunnel -
f train composed OF an engine and two
carriages, left the st Michel station at 30
a m, on the 2Ist of August. Mr.. Fell's
system consists of the application of =. CEN
tral double-headed rail placed on its side in
the middle of the way and elevated about
fourteen inches above the ordinary rails
There are four horizontal driving wheels on
the engine, under the control of the engine
driver. which can be made by pressure to
grasp the central rail so as to utilize the
whole power of the engine. and SO enable it
to work up Incredible gradieunts without slip
ping. The carriages also have four horizon
tai wheels underneath, which. with the cen
tral rail, forms a complete satety-guard. In
addition 10 the ordinary brakes there are
brakes upon the central rail. 1t would appear.
therefore impossible for the engine or carriage
to leave the rails where the central one is laid
The morning was admirably adapted for the
trip, the sun shining with great brilliancv
upon the Alpine peaks and the numerous
glaciers which are visible in different parts of
the route.
After leaving the deep valley in which St
Michel is situated, the line passes by gra-
dent of one in thirty to the Pont de Ia De
Mise, where an iron bridge spans the river
Arcq. near the site of that which was car
ria h,- tho ~ To-
AS the little train passed the village Of Four
neau. the workmen of the grand tunnel of
the Alps turned out en- masse. az at all 9TH
er parts OF the route. they were observed
stopping and even endangering their lives for
the purpose of inspecting the unusual me-
chanism OF the engine tor working on the
central rail The first very steep gradient of
one i'll twelve MAS seen in passing Modane
and, foreshortened to the view. appeared on
the approach as if impossible to surmount !:
but the engine. the second constructed on
| this system. had already proved equal to the
task on the experimental line, and. clutching
the central rail between its horizontal wheels.
it glided quickly up, under a pressure Of
steam not more than eighty pounds TO the
square inch, without apparent effort
The progress was purposcly slow. because
no engine or carriage bad previously passed
over the line, and also to give opportunitv for
examining the works. The DANA ges to the
road on which the line was chiefly laid were
found to be substantially repaired by the
French government. The magnificent seem
cry around, and the waterfall near Fort Ses-
saillon, were much admired as the sharp
curves afforded different views while passing
on the edges of the deep ravnes The train
entered Lausleburg Station undcra triumph
al arch, having accomplished twenty-four
miles of distance, and attained an elevation
! OF two thousand one hundred feet above St
Michel From this point the zigzags of as
cent commence. and the gradients over dis
tance OF four miles were for the most part
one in twelve. Looking down from the
train near tho summit, as if from balloon.
four OF the zigzags were visible at the same
instant to depth of two thousand feet
The power of the engine was satisfactorily
tested in this ascent, and the summit was
reached under salvos of artillery from an
lmprovised battery, and amid the cheers of
French and Italians who had gathered to
welcome the English on the frontier
Ihe engine came to stand under tri-
unlphal arch, at elevation of G, 700 feet
above the sea. Flags of the three nations.
and silk flag specially presented by Signor
Ginaoli to Mr.. Fell, waved over sumptnous
breakfast, also provided by that gentleman.
The hospice the lake, and the plateau of the
summit, surrounded by snow-clad peaks and
| glaciers, rising to an elevation of from 10
coo feet to 1000 feet were passed, and the
portion of the descent commenced from the
Grand Croix. The railway here follows the
old Napoleon road, which was abandoned
long since for diligence traffic on account of
the dangers from avalanche. Masonry-cov-
cred ways OF extraordinary strength had here
been speedily provided for the railway. The
descent to Susa was a series of the sharpest
curves and steepest gradients. ON which the
central rail had beeh continuously laid.
The valley Of the Dora, with Susa and the
convent of San Michel, and even the superea
above Turin visible for thirty miles in the
distance presented a magnificent panorama.
as the train wound through clear atmos-