The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-01-02

cable dispatch from susa announces that
the Alps were pierced through on Monday, and
that the workmen from both ends of The Mont
Cenis Tunnel joined in congratulations upon
the completion OF the great work.
HISTORY OF THE WORK.
The s'eternal" barrier between France and
Italy has at last. been overcome, and at this
moment the workmen who, for thirteen years,
have been working toward each other iu the
bowels of the Alps have doubtless met, and
with such familiarity as their diverse languages
viii permit, congratulated each other on the
completion of their more than herculeal labor.
THE PRELMINARIES.
The Alps have been crossed even with great
armies since the days of Hannibal, but the I'M
dertaking has been one OF no little toll and
some danger In 1906 the first Napoleon con-
structed road through the pass of Mont
Cenis which was at a moderate elevation Of
some 5400 feet above the level Of the adjacent
country. This was thirty miles long and
eighteen feet wide; and was built at cost Of
1000, 900 francs. It served for many years
as the only highway between France and
Italy, but within the last five years
a railway has been built over the ridge,
upon which a steam euglne of peculiar con-
struction slowly drags single car. The Idea
OF piercing the mountain, and gliding from one
country 10 the other in few minutes lime,
was first broached about twenty years ago,
and, Us a matter OF course, was rldiculed by
that large class of persons whose conception Oh
what Gun be done Is formed entirely in accord
ance with what they know has been DONE All
manner OF diff .ulties and obstacles were sug-i
gesled and declared TO be iusupcrable, but the
projectors believed they could be overcome.
The governments Of France and Italy were ap-
plied TO to lend their assistance for the accom-
plisIlment Of this stupcndOus undertaking. The
Feasibility Of the work was argued 1t length,
before the legislative bodies OF both these ma
tions, ant the result was finally 4 contract for
the work.
TIE ROUTE.
the route chosen was OF course the shortest.
possible line through the vast mountain range,
as the altitude of the peaks or the general
ridge made no difference with The work. The.
old plan of sinking Shafts from The top at in:
tervuls and working from one 10 another, was
pronounced inpraclcable from the Start, and
q continuous boring from either end was de-,
termined upon as the only method Of proceed
ING, the w0rkmen being supplied With light
and air rs they retreated rom the cheerful
light CT day and The wholesome atmosphere OF
the outer world. Tho place was found about
fifteen miles from the old Mont Gents road,
where tunnel Of 1920 metres, or q
pierce the mountain range and connect
the town OF FourneauX, near Modanc, In the
valley of the Arc, in Savoy. with Bardoncche,
in the valley of the Dorariperia, In Italy, by
railroad over which train of cars OF any de-
sired length could run in 81 very few minutes
Between these TWO ternini the tunnel passes
under three mountains OF considerable height
even for Alpine peaks, known rs the Col
Frejus, the Grand Vallon and the Col de Ia
in 1,o luri n vUh rt,
here named as VIC pass from France TO Italy.
The central summit is over IL 600 feet above
the sea level. and by the old method Of sinking
shafts it would have required more time and
labor to bore one OF these than hos been taken
for The entire work.
BEGINNING OF TIE WORK.
The work was begun in 1851. At first the
ordinary hand-drill was used TO pierce the
rock, aud the scld masses were blasted out
with powder. This method of operation, which
was kept up on the italian side until 1861, and
on The French side until 1863, would have re-
CURED upward Of fifty years for the completion
jectors TO bethink them of some more eXpedt-
tious method OF proceeding. The use OF steam
was out OF the question, and The attention oi
the Italian engineers was therefore turned to q
device for using compressed ar rs the motive
power. This matter presented no very great
difficulty in its general principles, nit u great
deal Of experimenting was necessary before 1t
could be put into successful practice.
THE MACHINERY USED.
a machine was finally invented aud put into
operation which could stand outside, by one OF
the streams that came down from the noun
tains, end, with Its aid. force the air through
long tubes to the drilling apparatus. This lat!
ter Is a machine which works Ia q galley nine
feet square, and carries q large number Of per
forators, each Of which bores separate hole
In the rock. By the COMPRISING machine,
the air is forced into reservoir, aud thence