Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-07-26
THE EVENING NEWS.
Monday Evsalss....-....Jsly 60, 1863


Monday Evsaiss-,------.July 90, 1863
An Karthyunky sensation! Da, lisht let
Throa9h tho Bowels Of Fort Home-
sss.ddrrcsress Of the Railroad Con-
For the frst time since the creation
OF this portion of Uncle Sans do
minions 1t Is supposed that daylight has
been let through the interior of Fort
Homestead hill, sideways. About 5
o'clock this morning, all the population
Of Gold Hill, capable of being aroused
at all, were considerably startled by a
heavy report and powerful vibration
Of the world, resembling the shock-of
q vigorous young earthquake, or an az
gravated eruption of the Gold Hill vol
cano. Tho way sof it was just this
The two ends Of the railroad tunnel
through Fort Homestead have been
gradually worked toward each other
until the joining point has been arrived
at 10 that ancient emiuence, far beneath
the frowning battlemeuts upon which
are mounted the big toned cannon,
General Grant. The workmen in the
headings" or advance guard working
in the high arch of the tunnel, from
each way, had approached so near each
other that long drills from either side
pierced through, and in order to make
q big hole as we'll as big sensation, a
huge charge Of about a dozen Ard a
half cartridges Of giant powder-some
three or four feet of twas put in and
al the proper time lot of. That's what
created the earthquake. IL did not
mako . big hole, however, but it let
air and daylight through. After it was
enlarged sufficiently, Mr.. Hay, the boss
OF the east end, aud Mr.. Lee, the boss
Of the west end shook hands through
the hole, at precisely ten minutes Of 10
An, after which each had the salts
faction Of crawling through and view
ing the result Of their energetic labors
from opposite directions, with a degree
Of swelling emotions peryading their
manly breasts sublime to contemplate.
The workmen all felt gay also, the
more especially rs they were now per-
mitted to indulge in a good supply of
pure cool fresh air, quite a rarity here
tofore. 10 making this hole through,
they struck an excellent pay streak or
lead Of lager, at any rate we saw sew
sral kegs Of that acceptable beverage
going in that direction. BY special in
vitatioa of the bosses we did them
the honor to crawl through that immor-
tai hole-we and our little dog Kyzer-
time, HIS A. NJ, passing from one end
Of the tunnel to the other without fear
or trspidation.
FINE PIECE OF woRK
This tunnel was commenced by Jim
O'Donnel, now foreman of the Yellow
Jacket mine, as boss, and when compile
ted, it will be about $50 feet in length,
independent of the open cuts or sap
proashes at each end. Il is built upon
. gradual and regular curve to the left
as you pass eastwardly throughit, there
fore it cannot be looked straight through.
It is timbered very substantially with
twelve-inch square timbers, in sets seven
feet apart, on the right hand side,
measuring from c%enters, and
thoroughly Jagged between, overhead
and at the sides with strong planks. The
tunnel measures Il feet 6 inches in
width by 90 feet in hight in the clear,
and q better or more handsomely exc
cuted Job can hardly be imagined. 1t
was commenced from the east end, and
after O'Douucll left to be foreman Of the
Yellow Jacket mine and the tunnel at
American Flat was completed, A. G.
Hay was put in as foreman Of that end,
continuing until the present time. Will
liam Lee is foreman Of the west end.
He also has pushed forward his portion
of the work very energetically indeed,
although oaly working one shit OF
hands, and commencing long after the
other end was in an advanced state OF
progression. There remains now just
So feet to excayate and timber, which
will probably take about two weeks
longer. The interior Of this huge
crooked tunnel appears like a roomy
arched chamber Of indefinite length.
Il passes some 40 or so feet beneath the
summit of the bill, and is cool enough
for q 6rst-class beer vault or wine
cellar.
THE OTHER TUNNELS.
The tunnel through the next ridge
north, toward Virginia, is about 400 feet
in length, handsomely constructed and
substantially timbered similar to the
Fort Homestead tunnel. 1t is the same
size, but is perfectly straight. Mr..
Hinckley, the foreman of the JOB, is de-
serving Of much credit for the work
manlike manner in which it is executed.
1t was completed some three weeks ago.
The next and last tunnel is being run
through the low ridge still further north,
where the tunnel Of the Tunnel Toll
Road passes through. 1t is only being
worked from the south end, aud is COM
plsted to tho extent Of six sets OF tim
bers Ave feet apart, measuring from CEN
terra. It passes through a few yards
east of the toll road tunnel, and will be
about 20 feet long when completed. 1t
only passes ten feet beneath the surface
Of the ground, and An open cut would
have been made 10 place OF IL, sditno
been tina: the Dayton toll road passes
over it at right angles. J. Frank
Church, the general boss or supervisor
under Yerington, Of this section OF tue
road, between the 0ycrman mine and
Virginia, informed US that the tunnels
would all be finished complete
inside of six weeks from now.
The maiu tunnel at American Flat is
5s5 feet in length, exclusive OF the
long open cuts or approaches ut eaeh
end. and was completed two or three
weeks ago. A. q. uay was boss OF
one end and Warren Rose of the other.
Il is a splendid piece of work, but hay.
inc made mention Of 1t before, we viii
not speak more particularly OF II low.
So much for the tunnels. The grading
i, also fast approaching completion,
and the railroad itself, with ills whist.
ling locomotives and trains oil cars VIII
aooa be a tangible, self evident fact.
EFFECTIVE BLAsr.-At the big open
cut on tho railroad at American Flat,
,..r the stone house used by the rail-
road company as a clearinghouse Tor
LtAa