The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-09-09
Mount Cents.

| OF uuueTtAheu Dg nuuiau uAnOe- a tuunei,
seven and a half miles in length, is under
process of construction through the noun
tain, commenced in 1857, with the prospect
Of being completed in 1s1. So deep is its
line beneath the exterior of the mountain
that no air shaft can reach it, and not the
smallest of the skill displayed in the work
'as been, to supply this necessity TO the
workmen as they pierce their way forward
into the interior. Many devices for excava-
ting the rock, for supplying air, and for re-
moving the debris, have been put into use
as the obstacles TO the work have from time
to time demanded inventive genius to supply
aid to the naked force of human hands.
Compressed air, forced through gutts-per-
cha pipes by stationary engines outside, sup
plies the power to drive the excavating
machines, and when liberated the air
necessary for the lungs of the workmen.
When the tunnel is completed, a draft through
will dislodge some of the impure air, but it
must be supplemented by air supplied by the
stationary engines. II will be a long, dark
ride, even in the cars. The transit through
the tunnel, in consequence of the average
gradient on the French half being one in 455<<,
and the steepest gradient on the line one
in 2s, it will not be possible for a train
to go through from north to south in less
than from IS to 40 minutes. Coming from
the south to north the ascent is much more
gradual, but even in this case the transit will
occupy from so to 50 minutes as a minimum.
1t has yet to be seen whether passengers will
not prefer the outside line instead of being
shut up in tunnel so long
About two miles more of perforation will
finish the tunnel, and bring the two bodies
of workmen from the French and the Italian
sides together. 1t will be lined in its entire
length with stone quarried in the immediate
vicinity of the two entrances. At the pres
ent time, the excavations, or headings, are
about 500 metres in advance of the amount
lined. Each metre excavated and lined has
hitherto cost, on an average, 11,000f, and
various circumstances will tend to increase
this expenditure as the works proceed further
inwards. The approach on the French side,
to connect its entrance at Modane with st.
Michel 0he present termination of the rail-
way system of France in the direction of
the Mont Cenis), will be twelve miles long,
through an extremely difficult and mountain
Gus country. On the Italian side, the amount
of railway to be constructed from Barden-
eche to connect it, in the neighborhood of
Susa, with the railway system of Italy will
be 221S miles. The length of the railway via
the tunnel from st. Michel to Susa, will be
42 miles, or 616 miles shorter than that now
finished on the outside of the Mont Gents
Pass and known as the "Fell Railway" from
its being constructed in accordance with the
patents of the gentleman of that name. The
Fell Railway only possesses a concession for
working until the tunnel line is opened for
traffic.
This railway was opened to the public on
the 18th of June last 1t is a wonder of con- |
struction also, and has proved that mountain |
barriers hereafter will not hinder the passage [
of the locomotive TO its point of destination. |
The Introduction of a central rail, with hori- |
zontal driving wheels in addition to the YER |
tical ones, gives traction force sufficient for 1
the engine to drag its train up steep gra- /
dients. An eye witness of the opening of
the road says:
1.-The first passenger train, the herald of |
the commencement of business, left Susa
yesterday at half-past six in the morning by /
French time, and arrived at St. Michel at for
ty minutes past eleven, being five minutes
before the regulation time-the journey being
thus accomplished in five hours and ten min
utcs. The train consisted of one each of the
laI,- /
two fourgOns or vans, containing in part
some paying freight. There were only few
passengers except officials of the line, and
the transit was effected throughout with per-
feet regularity. The engine was worked for
4 great part of the way without resort to the
powers of adhesion given by the working of
the horizontal wheels upon the central rail-
In fact, il was run for a considerable distance
Just an ordinary locomotive, and it was
difficult TO say from mere sensation whether
these appliances were used at all, except in
with the brakes during the de-
scents. The second train left Susa at 7h.
i0m. exactly, and like the first, it reached St.
Michel before the regulation time, but only
Jy two minutes. This train consisted of
hree first-class carriages and two fourgons
There were fifteen passengers by it, so that
Iltogether the Mont Gents Railway brought
IN the opening day twenty passengers from
italy and few tons of paying freight The
ransit was effected under Just the same con-
iitiOus as those of the first train. Having
rrived at ST. Michel, the first engine was
prepared for returning to Susa
With the first train from St. Michel, convey
Dg passengers brought by the Paris, LYONS
nd Mediterranean line, on their way to Italy,
Who were due shortly before noon. Twenty
line passengers altogether arrived for Italy, |
# whom twenty-five Immediately secured !
laces by the railway, the remaining four ]
lecting to proceed by diligence. This train
which was made up of three first-class car
iages aud four fourgOns, was the heaviest of
be day; but the engine again performed un-
and the journey was effected I
nth punctuality throughout. The next and {
.st train from St. Michel was despatched at
80, and it arrived at Susa a little after regu-
ltion time, which was 910 p NJ, but only
D the extent of few minutes. 1t was there !
)re affirmed that the service has commenced j
a way likely to give satisfaction 10 all who G
Sc the route But one complaint was uni '
ersally made; this was of the heated and q
ifiated atmosphere in the long passages {
trough the covered ways. Since the exper- a
mental runs three or four weeks ago numer- n
US openings have been made in the roofs of T.
lose ways, in order 10 permit the vapor to L
,cape by ascension, but thev are not found v
accomplish this object effectually. 1t was n
ated that the receipts of the line of ST. G
Iichel alone, on the tirst day, were upward o
+ 1,l0Of" "
"The experience so far gained on the Mont o
eBis, shows that the line may for a consid-
able extent. be worked by an ordinary To- Il
,motive. Instead then of modifying the Il
in order TO suit the remainder of il
e line BY the complications required by the 2
of the central rail, why should q
1t the modification be made so as to pre-
mt the necessity for 4 central ailg Ger
inly an enormous loss by friction would re
saved. Locomotives on Mr.. Farlie's
inciple, as recommended by Captain Ty- !,
r in his report TO the directors of the "
rand Trunk Railway of Canada will Is ~