Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-02-10
Shaking Hands Under the Alps.

\ correspondent of.an Italian pa
per describes the scene when the
two working parties in the Mont
Gents tunnel met and shook hands:
The earlier use of improved ma
chincry enabled the laborers of the
Italian end, at Bardonecchia, to
make greater advance than their
fellow from Modane, and
their advantage was maintained to
the end, so that the last act in the
drama was accomplished at some
distance to the north ofthe halfway
point. The proceedings are thus
described in the O/oiaioue:
"Thc band, composed of laborers,
struck up the Royal March, and
the country folks hockcd around the
mouth of the tunnel as we made our
triumphant entry in four railway
carriages. We were about a hun
dred in all. Knowing that the tenn
perafure would be very different in
the bowels of the earth, we dotfed
our winter garments, exchanging
them for lighter material, a prccau-
ton of which we had no cause to
repent, for before we had made a
kilometre the ccntigrade thermome-
ter marked II deg. above zero, and
then successfully, 20, 23, and $3.50
deg. (63 deg, 6s deg, 73 deg, and
IS deg. F) During work the tenn
pcraturc rises to 35 deg. (95 deg. F.)
At the end Of the sixth kilometre,
the rails not being laid down be-
yond this point, we had to alight
and proceed on foot. The dense
darkness was lighted up by the
torches and lanterns borne by the
workmcn.
At last we stood before the cur
tain of rock still stretched be ween
the two open portions. In this mass
hole had been pierced, allowing
the parties on the opposite sides to
shake hands. You may well mag
inc with what feelings we contem-
plated the work accomplished,
thinking of the untiring activity,
the intelligence and dogged endur-
ancc with which the gigantic enter
prise had been carried through.
The mines were prepared, and
nothing remained but to charge
them and apply the match. Per-
spring at every pore, we had to re-
trace our steps about half 4 kilomc-
tre, to allow this last operation to
be performed. The pen of Dante
alone could describe this Vulcan's
forge, and its half naked, bronzed
figures, fitting to and fro in every
direction, torch III hand.
Close upon 5 o'clock n terrible
detonation was heard. The first
mine had exploded. SO violent was
the shock that all our lights were
at once cxtinguished, and we re-
maincd in utter darkness. Then
crash upon crash in quick success
sion, volumes of smoke, a fearful
stencil Of gunpowdcr, and the breach
was opened. We sped forward.
What solemn moment was that.
We iostlcd one another most unmer-
cifully in our hurry to pass through,
for every one was eager to be fore
most. The first over was the cngin-
eer Gratuni, who had to duck his
head to avoid many a knock against
the shattered masses of rock. And
then the double current of visitors
from Bardonccchia and from Mo-
dane met, and our cries Of TIro
y Halio! Trd Tihorio Emannele.
rcsounded sepulehrally through the
vaulted passage. The great work
was accomplished after 13 years
and 40 days ofunremitting 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 inn
possible, or at best doubtful