The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-12
THE HOOSAO TUNNEL.
Progress Of tbs WoFk-VIsws on BOth
Sides OF she MopAtains-The Cost aad


Correspondence Springfield Republican.
The condition of the works at the east end
is very satisfactory. The deficiency in the
supply of water has not been felt here at all
this year, and there has been a surplus even
at the dIiest time this summer. Two turbine
wheels are being put in, in addition to those
now in use which will give all the power that
can be desired. Colonel Crocker's steam
engine still lies under its temporary shed, and
the engineer does not propose to put it up
until the emergency of failure of water from
drought or from anchor. ice actually OCCURS
In either event, 1t can be set up very quickly
at the west end Of the present "mill," in
which power is furnished for saving for the
lathes, ETC., used in repairing, for com pressing
the air to drive the machine drills, a mile and
half away, and for ventilatng the tunnel at
its furthest end.
The excavation at this end has reached the
total length of $3.50 feet. OF this, however,
only 2500 feet is yet called tunnel while the
remainder consists Of heading 1850 feet long,
with an average section of 16 by z feet, and
further h, aiding Of 900 feet, with a section "a
by s. That is, while the mountain has been
penetrated 5l50 feet, 1t will require the reno
val OF 81, 500 cubic yards of rock to bring this
out to full tunnel size so that the work done
is equal to a clear advance of about 1000 feet.
At the present time the heading is not being
pushed, and all the work is done on the en-
largement The entire force on the pay roll at
Ll6 east 6uu COuSlSIS only OF ABOUT 10 men,
including those at the shops. The reduction
has been made necessary by the limited appro-
priation. The machine drills also have been
taken OIL for thorough repair. On Monday
next the work will be renewed on the head
ing with the whole force and with machine
drilling
This east end is the most considerable part of
the work done. The distance penetrated is
third greater than at all the other points, while
reckoning completed tunnel only, it furnishes
more than twice as much as all the others.
The estimate is to have the excavation con-
tinued $500 feet more from this side making
the total length 10, 450 feet, or very nearly
two miles.
The plan pursued of late by the commits
sioners and engineers at first strikes one as of
questionable eXpediency; but l became fully
satisfied that it was judicOus. 1t has been,
not to push the work just as fast and far as
possible before the contractors take hold, so as
to reduce the amount to be done by them; but
while carrying on the work under the limited
appropriation, to do 1t with more than usual
care Of machinery, and even to employ part
OF the labor in making thorough repairs at all
points, and getting everything into good order
to leave. In consequence, the progress now
being made is not up to the average of past
Inonths and l confess was disappointed in
it. But reflection and observation convinced
me that 1t was the wisest and cheapest course.
The commonwealth will be able to make bar
gain enough better with its contractors to pay
for the temporary delay. Machinery and tools
out of order are notoriously worth very little,
and even that wastes very fast. AS the con-
tractors will include in their estimates the
present condition of the machinery and ma
terial, it pays to have it all we'll kept up.
Every body knows that the selling or letting
price of ything is enhanced by repairs very
much more than the cost of those repairs.
This work has been done very etfectually by
the chief engineer, Mr.. Frost. | saw indica-
tions at every point of vigorous and judicious
effort in this direction, and am satisfied that
the temporary falling off in the rate of ad-
vance will be more than compensated in the
result.
The central shaft remains as the sad accident
of last October left it; and standing above the
strange grave of those thirteen men buried six
hundred feet deep, realized, as never before,
the awful character of such a calamity. 1t
seemed infinitely more terrible to be killed so
than under Gods sunlight, and for something,
and with, perhaps, a chance for life. But
while the excavation has not progressed at all
for nearly ten months, the work of preparation
has not stood still. The force here has been
reduced to twenty men, who had been getting
out timber, setting up machinery, replacing
what was destroyed by the fire, and enlarging
the reservoir. The new building above the
shaft is some ten feet higher than the old one,
and differs from it somewhat in its shape and
uses. The Putnam machine works of Fitch
burg have just put In four new and e1hclent
boilers and also pair of engines of ifty-horse
power, for lifting the stone and water from the
shaft. The cid engine stands where it did, and
has been fixed up "as good as new" 1t is to
be applied hereafter solely to furnishing power
and ventilation.
This "oentral shaft had been sunk to the
depth of 583 feet at the time of the fire. The
Chief Engineer proposes, during the present
month, to begin pumping from it. The water
can be taken out easily in fortnight. Four
hundred and fifty feet remain to be worked
before it will be "down to grade"--that is, tn
the level of the road-when tunnelling will
be begun east and west from it. The specif-
cations require that the contractor shall COM
plete the (vertcaD shaft-ready to begin the
(horizontaD tunnel-by the lst Of November,
1869. This would require a higher rate OF
progress than has yet been attained, but the
engineer deems it entirely practicable, with the
new drills and the use of nitro.glycerine.
The central shaft furnishes the only exception
to the rule of a complete equipment for future
work. Some five or six thousand dollars'
worth Of new machines would have to be put
in here by the contractor. AT all other points
everything will be ready to 60 right on the
very day the contract begins. This is the
result of the overhauling which the commits
sioners and the engineers have made in every
part of the equipment. The contractors need
not estimate for any expense, or claim any
delay on the ground OF machinery, buildings
or tools, except as above indicated. 1t will be
observed that it will be year from next
November before the shaft will be
sunk. Only then will the work begin
in the proper excavation of the tunnel,