, 1870-06-28
on the top Of the mountain, Is sunk tho cen-

, ea ,hs as t9p Of the mountain is sunk tho cen
It's mouth Is surrounded by larga wooden
structure, containing The engines for ToFhng
ing desirous OF seeing every portion Of the
work, We asked and were granted permission
to descend in one Of the bucketa- Tbs seusa-
ton Of being lowered rapidly into the eafth,
with the horrible possibility OF : breskage
Is tride aecal!.s The present depth Of the
shaft l. about $50 feet, and the bucket is 1t.
tached to an elevator which runs in gEoosed
tinbern to within about fifty feet Of the bot
tom. Txo minutes ia the average tine occu-
pied in lowering or hoiating bucket. Soon
after feavinE the surface We were made aware
OF the presence Of water BY perfect shower
Of that fluid The pumps arc kept constantly
at work to pump ont the water, which coflects
rapidly Ut the BOTTOM 1t WAS It thus place
TINT thirteen Horkmen lost theirsliyes in 1867,
ever the shaft, hy which al means Of escape
were cut on. The ah1ft rapidly flled with VA
ter, md the bodies we've not recovered Tor
nearly year, when the buildings and pumps
we're replaced Many other accidents, inyoly-
ing the loss OF about sixty lives altogether,
eeries Of ladders extending to the bottom, By
means Of which the men might cscspe in case
Of any accident to the hoisting apparatus. AZ
We left the surface nothing could bs aeen Of
be eesn sboye after We had dropped short dis
tance, the latter fact beng attributable to
the roof over the mouth of the shatt. Before
reaching the bottom, however, the lights
could be seen fitting about fsE beneath, and =
jargon Of sounds. including the clinking Of
bucket was detached from the croes-bean,, and
swung clear the rest Of tho way, quickly de-
scending to the tonr or the pit, among the
worknen- The drilling here Is done By hand,
and the blse.ing By nit1o-ssycerine. Only
about ninety feet remains to BE- sunk before it
| RI aches the grade Of the tunnel. Then hesI-
| ings will be started in both directions. We
| did no. alight from the bucket, Is We should
have stopped into foot OF 80 of water OF else
got in the way OF the workmeu. Besides.
| means at examining the Premises The
| engineer above being eignalled, We we're soon
! on our upward way, the bucket being raised
| slowly, in order thnt We might examine the
| work From the central shaft We rode down
the eastern sidc Of tho mountain to the east
end Of the tunnel Here 7,ois feet. or nearly
q mile and half, had been accomplished
The trip into tho mountain 1t this point was
made more rapidly and pleasantly than ut the
other. Mounting an empty chr, drawn BY .
mule and driven by = bog. we were conveyed
to the heading At spanking pace These
four. and about two feet high, and are used e
cary out the blasted rock. Tho pcrcolatior
of tho water through tho rock over
Lead, short distance. from the On
trance, gaye promise Of discomfort, but tht
drippiueA ceased as more cold rock was resch
ingly blscker from the feeble lantcrt. ca1.iet
on the car. The murkiness cnre1oped Us lii.
nmAntle, and the light scarcely penetrated It
4 look tack disclosed only, sickly, blnis!
Light 1T the entrance, and even that eoos
faded a~av. Our driver suddenly screechet
out "Down with yer head" and We huz1iedl,
followed his injunction, Just IN time to ayol'
collision with u sort Of timber wo:k crecte,
where soft rock Was encountered. Finally,
eroup Of fire bugs dancing before us, viii
the sound Of the drills, gives US warning tha
VIC are approaching the spot where tho iinish
platform Above our heads, and we barrel,
caught glimpse Of them Al we bobbed GU
heads to avoid the timber work. We might b
going in, or We might be going ont, for all tia
toned to the gloom, 80 that no were able t
zee the Jagged rock rushing past u.s. No1
fire bugs and more scuud Of drills prcsage til
approach to the enlargement, after which tn
size OF the tunnel decreases considerably
For TIC Ire ,emsinder e. the Journey, e. about hal tl
fscn the car. instead OF from tiftce
VI uneven S th.t The 'v explorer s
hable to como out with more tina
the complement OF "bumps' upon his Gran
utu. At tie end Of the heading another Ean
OF workmcn we're busy. Although the air
kept tolerably pure by pumps it is damp IN
close, and must be- unhealthy. The men, hon
ever, look healthy and sturdy, and dony thu
it ia 70. The process Of work here il the saua
: - at the other. points, and is about tho eant
only on larger ecale, Al ia employed in ord
nary tunne1ling.
Having thus thoroughly inspected tie wor
: At all points. VIC rode back to North Adam
very hungry and tired. and fully impresse
/ with the magnitude and importance Of Il
Hooeac tunnel, which Is. the Mount Gents tn,
mel alone excepted, tho largest undertaking {
tho kind In tho world.