Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1871-02-08

A correspondent of an Italian paper
describes the scene when the two work
ing parties 10 the Mont Gems Tunnel met
aud shook hands :-
The earlier use of improved machinery
enabled laborers from the Italian end at
Bardonechia to make a greater advance
than their fellow workers from Modan,
and the advantage was maintained to
the end so that the last act in the drs
ma was accomplished, as we see. at some
distance TO the north of the half way
point. The proceedings are thus des
cribed in the Opinione: The band,
composed of Iabores, struck up the
Royal March, and The country folks
flocked round the mouth OF the
tunnel as we made our triumphal
entry in -four railway carriages. We
were about hundred in all. Know
ing that the temperature would be very
different in the bowels of the earth, we
had dotted our winter garments, exchang
ing them for lighter materials, precau
ton of which we had no cause to repent,
for before we had made kiometre the
centigrade thermometer marked IL deg.
above zero, and ihon successfully 20, %,
and 20: so degrees (63 deg, 6S deg, 10
deg, and IS deg. +. During work the
temperature rises to 80 deg Cos deg. F.
AT the end of the sixth kilometre, the
rails not being laid down beyond this
point, we had to aight and proceed on
foot. The dense darkness was lighted
up by the torches and lanterns borne by
the workmen.
Al last we stood before the curtain of
rock still stretched between the two open
portions. In this mass a hole had been
pierced. allowing the parties on the op
posite side TO shake hands. You may
we'll imagine with what feelings we con
templated the work accomplished, think
ing of the untlring activity, the nteli
gence and the logged endurance with
which the gigantic enterprise had been
carried through. The mines were pre-
pared, and nothing remained but 10
charge them and apply the match. Per
spring at eve.y pore, we had to retrace
our steps about half kilomeire, in or
der to allow this last operation to be per-
formed. The pen Of Dante alone
could describe this Yulcan's forge, and
its half naked, bronzed figures fitting to
and fro in every direction, torch in hand
Close upon five o'clock a terrible de
tonation was heard. The first mine had
exploded. So violent was the shock
that all our lights were at once extin-
gnished and we remained in utter dark.
ness. Then crash upon crash in quick
succession, volumes of smoke, fearful
stencil of gunpowder, and the breach
was opened We sped forward. What
a solemn moment was that! We jost'ed
one another numerically in our hurry
to pass through, for every one was eager
TO be foremost. The first over was the
engineer Grattoni, who had to duck his
head to avoid many knock against the
shattered masses of rock. And then
the double current Of visitors from Bar
Gonecchia and from Modape met, and
our cries of Yea EHalia! VIva ut
torio EmanueleP resounded sepulchrally
through the vauted passage. The great
work was accomplished after Is years
and 40 days of unremittiug toll; and as
we shook hands all around we recalled
to mind how many had tried to throw
cold water upon the scheme, declaring it
physically impossible. or at best very
doubtful