New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-10-02

in hurry TO shut out the sitting smoke OF the engines
recoect many years ago In Punch skerch Of what
called Our Prze Picture" Tho subject was the Box
Hin Tunnel and the picture consisted Of one round
spot of black Well, afraid any truthful descrp-
ton Of the Mont Cents Tunnel must be very Ike
Punchs prize picture When you have sadhat you sit in
the dark for come miles, you have sad all that
honestly can be said about the matter. There
thing grand In the idea that you going under the
Alps In train. 1t ia worth while, by the way note
here the fact that the tunnel Ia most falsely called the
Mont Cents Tunnel You leave the Mont Gems to
your left going southwark and pass fact under the
nights Of Freus not under those of the Mont Cents at
ALL But when you have made the above renec-
tons 1t Is hard to say anything else
except that " steam is wonderful invention"
and 80 FORTH The watershed Of the tunnel reached half
way Up to this point the ascent from the Modane end
meters In 900 on the southern incline 1t only
meters 1000 1t follows, therefore, that the incline is
much sleeper on the Savoy side than the Italian Our
train was heavy one and for the rst half Of the way
progress very slow, being little above mile in
seven minutes The early part Of the way the tunnel
full of smoke that 1t impossible TO the
walls through the smoke damped windows. AS soon,
however, as we reached the summit our pace quick
ened; the smoke cleared away, and you could see
muchwhether that much be small or great-as You can
in ordinary tunnel The rough face OF the rock Is
nowhere visible the tunnel has been rooted In with cut
sone that the arch throughout is smooth and per-
feet Along the sides is q narrow fooway on which
man could just stand; in the center is deep trough
through which any water that collects In the tunnel runs
out to the entrance either side. At every half mile
there Ia lamp placed that you note your pro-
gress. With respect TO the temperature, there Is no
use concealing the fact that tho heat OF the
tunnel is unpleasant, and good deal Ike that OF
Turkish BATH There Is too something disagreeable In
the sensation The heat goes on increasing, and the
air becomes more and oppressive, till you have
nhad he fancy
being alarmed on the first trial But doubt whether
the alarm would last the first transit compared
the temperature by thermometer as we went through
We marked GO Fahrenheit as we entered, and at no
period was the mercury above $780, Indeed, after
we had turned the half way point, the
air cleared The heat went down, and we spun along
merrily till we completed seven and three-quarter
miles OF tunnel In fortythree minutes. At the southern
mouth Of the Bardonuecca end there Ia plain stone
arch which the Of Cavour and Victor Emanuel
are inscribed BY the way almost the last official act OF
Cavours life was visit the works at Bardonneccia to
see the compressed air machines by which the boring OF
the tunnel was completed II my recollection serves me
right having been at Turin at the time the fatigue OF the
excursion Of the many causes assigned for
Cavour's sudden and fatal Illness
DINNER AMONG ALPS.
The train stopped few yards outside the tunnel and
landed at the foot OF immense shale HILL made up
Of the fragments Of stone thrown out Of the tunnel Up
this hill toiled by winding path and at the top we
found huge wooden shed fitted up as luncheon room
The roof Of canvas striped with the red and white,
gold coors OF Savoy; the walls festooned with
tricolor flags and flowers. The huge open windows Of
the facade hung with muslin curtains through which
YOU caught gmpses the Alps the valley. Be-
tween each panel shields, filed with miniature
hammers fuses, mining rods wires and all the appar-
atus Of blasting works. Round the room were large
tables deoked out gracefully with fruits and flowers.
should calculate that about hundred persons sat
doxCn tn lunnh saye nj OF
longing to the farer The dresses OF ladies and OF
uniforms detracted from the beauty Of the scene
you hsVs rs@ehAd q time OF hfo when you care
perhaps about what eat than about those
eat it with, the Diner dInauguratiOn de Ia Grand
Gderie dee Alps" must have met with your approval.
Now, it has been my lot in life to study
many meus OF many public festivals IN many lands
That is the whole Of my experience. never recoect
any except this where the promise Of the carte
literally fulfilled Every dish upon the list was produced
in its due season, and you make allowance for the ext
gencies Of picnic luncheon given to some hundreds Of
guests, every dish was well cooked The wines were
fair the only fault about the entertainment was that
there was too much food and too few walters As 1t was
Of the guests left long before the repast was OVER
and there were few, indeed, found In their
places when the coffee served. Toward
the close Of the first hour Of the luncheon number of
the leading guests moved off to the end Of the long room
and addressed few short speeches to each other They
spoke 60 low that what they said naudibe at very
short distance and all heard string OF the truest
places about the progress Of science and the
advantages OF international communication. The
truth is that in old world the season is not appro
pirate for euoges on the blessings Of peace and free
trade; and the relations between France and Italy at
this crisis of very delicate character that 1t was
not easy to leave the region Of commonplace without
treading dangerous ground ViscOnti Venosta sela
lie Franc, GrattOni and Cesesole, the SWISS Msters
were the principal speakers.
CONCLUSION OF THE FESTIVITIES.
We sat down to the banquet at o'clock At gen.
era move made for the train which was IN waiting
at the little town Of Bardonneccia about half mile
down the hill. Everything was well arranged, ana
there wac no crowdng hustling to complain OIL We
were some time starting and was growing very DARK
before we got away. that we saw but little OF the
scenery in our descent upon the plain The new line
does not run, like the Tell, along the track OF the ola
Mont Cents road upon susa but descends the valley OF
the Dora RpaIa which into the plains OF the 10
some distance west of Susa. There are twentyFl1
tunnels between Bardonneccia and Bassoeno the STA
ton at the foot OF the hill and IN the gaps Det"ee
them there exquisite views OF the Alps the Vaey'
and the plain I'm which Turin lies But 1t was becoming
too late to much and our progress was very so"
one At last we struck the old Susa line at Bussoehgo
and then ratified the nat rlcn, leVel iAhus W
Turin. There was something novel in the eneet
OF being suddenly dragged half awake OUT OF
dense gloom into blaze OF hgn| hS
our train moved into the new station at Turin electric
lights shone full upon from every side There were
colors tapestries gasjets everywhere ana inc uehSe
heat OF tho lights, the crowd, and the suHy summer
nj oht made the recollection OF the Alpine tunnel cool by
comparison Happily there was no speaking and no '
dhonneur and the weary visitors were allowed 70
shoulder their way Of the station as best they coua
amid repeated cheers from the crowd QUIZ
side, which was gratifying to ones feehngS' put
Of no gre ut assistance In solving the problem no" " se'
bed In town where every hotel and tavern was cram
med to OVERLOOKING. STILL long usage In the ways OF