The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-12

decomposition resulting from being kept a
long time and carried considerable distance,
and that when prepared on the spot and at
the time, it is less dangerous than powder;
and l must say that, though at first little
nervous at being in the same hole with that
far-famed illuminate, was delighted with the
exFedient. 1t certainly has a great superb
ority in its effecls. The trouble with powder
is that 1t does not blow out the rock to the
depth of the hole drilled. Nitro-glycerine is
like regular old-fashoned turnkey for get
ting at ''the root of things" II tears the
rock out from the very bottom of the hole, and
so saves just that amount of drilling. The
charges are all exploded at the west shaft by
electricity. The workmen draw back the
drilling machine and their carriages be-
hind rude but strong doors, placed $50
to 300 feet back, whom the electric spark is
excited, and terrific noise is succeeded by
the patteriDg of small stones and the grinding
of big ones on the heavy timbers. Returning
to the centre, we start west from the west
shaft. In 264 feet we arrive at a supplement-
ary shaft running up 277 feet to the air, and
used solely for throwing out water. Still
further west, 6S5 feet is an auxiliary shaft
only 215 feet deep. Here is a smaller engine,
and the work to the west is now done wholly
through this shaft. Here the rock is soft and
will require arohing all the way out to Far
ren's work at the extreme west end. The
whole extent of heading west from the west
shaft is 1887 feet (abOut eight feet high),
making in all, east and west, 1850 feet on this
side of the mountain. We have now been
through the work so far as it is being done by
the State; but passing clear over the mountain
and facing about we see Farrens work.
Here was at one time the great trial of the
enterprise, even to its sanguine friends. This
is. the "demoralized rock'' which gave 80 much
trouble. 1t is here that Mr.. Birds 'porridge'
is served up cold at all hours. General Haupt
began the work of tunnelling some 500 feet
still further west, but when he got along to
this point the whole slumped in, and that part
is now abandoned. 1t will be changed even
tually into an open cut, with no very great
depth, and at no great expense. From this
point inwards is Farren's work. and very
wOrkmanlike it is. Considering the difficulties
of the material with whicn he dealt, his sue
cess has been very marked. He has comp leted
a distance of 700 feet and has pushed his
heading still further nearly to the limit of his
contract, which is 93l feet from the entrance.
The enlargement, arching, ETC., would neces-
salily take much more time, and as Mr.. Far
ren's contract allows him till June l, 1869, to
finish, and as working slow is cheaper than
working fast, he will probably not anticipate
that time by many weeks.
Taking the actual distances of penetration,
irrespective of height and width, we have
East 5l50 feet
esI 299O "
CdIIeu, BAY SUO "
$500
out of about % 900 to be done before daylight
will be seen through Hoosick. But it must be
recOllected that of this only about a third is
enlarged to full height and width, SO that only
about a fifth of the stone has actually been
taken out. Or, if we estimate the excavations
of the highest shaft as a part Of the work, We
shall have
Heading as above.... 5000
Excavation of shafts, ,central................ 5S3
MeSt...... 5lo
West, supplement 277
West, auxiliary. 2l5
TOTAL. 3933
out of rs 600 feet of tunnel and 1S47 of shaft
projected-total, 26, SAT.
Ihave examined the printed specifications
for the contracts carefully as possible, in the
light of this visit and all the information l
could gather. There were two things to be
provided for-frst, that the specifications shall
be strict enough to guard the interests of the
State, and second, that they shall not exact 80
much as to repel contractors. The specifca-
lions proposed by the engineers and adopted
| by the Governor and Council, seem to have
secured the first pretty satisfactorily. Whether
they have secured the second can only be told
! when the bids come lis. The most important
! question is the progress to be exacted.
This is, at the east end, rs feet per month
on tunnel enlargement, rs feet on heading en-
largement, and 125 feet on extension of full
sizs tunnel. At the central shaft it is required
that the shaft shall be sunk to the grade by
December l. 1869, and that afterwards an ad-
vance of so feet shall be made in each direc-
tion OF full-size tunnel per month. At the
west shaft the specifications appear to be little
loose. find no requirement whatever in
regard to the monthly rate westward, or the
maximum time for making connection with
Farren while the only stipulation in regard to
the work in the other direction is, that "the
contractor shall employ suitable force and
shall maintain after December /, 1869, an
average rate eastward of monthly progress of
tunnel excavation to full size not less than 100
iee.." Why December J. 1869, is taken for a
beginning, there Is nothing to explain.
Without going into details, it may be said
generally that the specifications propose that
the contractors shall take ali tools and mate
rial at a valuation made by arbitration; shall
occupy the shops at rent to be fixed before
hand; and shall have the use, without charge,
of the water works at the east end, and of the
hoistipg, pumping, and ventilsting machinery
now at the shafts, being required to keep them
in repair and return them in order. Not much,
however, is to be expected from this source.
The State always comes off second best in such
bargains. The people will have reason to be
thankful If they once get the work done at a
reasonable price, without looking to very much
return from previous outlays. II the tunnel
is once completed, there will be no very careful
inquiry for odds and ends.
That is just what is to be found out from
the bids. The proposals are to be made sepa-
rateiy for twenty parts of the work, and the
cost of all must be added to make the sum,
! which nv tha farms of tha law cannnt avoaad