New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-09-18

and congratuating each other the party embarked in
gsly decorated train at Bardoneache and passed
through the tunnel to Modane making the transit In
| minutes.
he traversed the Mont Cents tunnel in SO minutes that
the air In the tunnel Is excellent and the rails perfectly
level and that the entire work has been admirably DONE
TIE LOCATION, HISTORY, AND CONSTRUCTION OF
TIE GREAT ALPINE TUNNEL
The Mont Cents Tunnel may now be named
with the suez Canal. the Pacific Railroad and the At
lanc cables, in recording the great enterprises begun
and completed within the last fifteen years. Trains
constantly passing through 1t. and Monday, In
the presence Of distinguished assembaee It will be
formally opened. TIE TRIBUNE has already NOv. %.
1870 given full particulars of this great work. acquired
during personal visit while 1t yet incomplete. We
supplement that report by the following account, en-
bodyug all the important facts connected with the great
enterprise:
The need Of On unbroken highway between France and
Italy has been strkngy obvious since tho railroad lines
approached their respective frontiers Arriving by rail
from Paris, the traveller bound for Italy hitherto pro
ceeded from ST. Michel, the mountain passing Mo-
dane Bourg the Mont Gents Hospice and thence
descending the PERCEPTIONS slope by Moaretto he reached
Giagione whence the railroad is open to Turin and all
Italy. This journey enabled to behold the sublime
scenery OF the Pass but wanting In the convenience
and safety which the railroad through the tunnel
1
accomplish the journey over the mountains, while by
the tunnel route may travel over the entire dis
| lance between Paris and Turin in IS hours.
Upward Of thirty years ago sommeiler advocated the
construction OF tunnel through the Alps but his pro-
| posal treated with indifference and increduIy.
When however tho great engineering triumphs In this
country and Europe demonstrated its practicabty
resolved attempt the great work. Several years
were occupied In discussing plans and hearing objec-
lions, until at length, In 1857, the work was actually
commenced Savoy then portion Of the Sardinian
Kingdom, and apart from the general usefulness OF the
tunnel in forming connecting link between the French
and Italian railroad systems, Victor Emanuel desired
to establish speedy communication between the two
distinct which had constituted people for
than centuries Sardinia prosecuted the work as
well her feeble would permit until the Ial
campaign Of 1852 by giving her Lombardy and losing
her Savoy rendered arrangement In regard TO the
project imperative.
80 THE LocAros AVD 60sT OF THE TUNNEL.
Although called the Mont Gents tunnel, the name Is
usnomer the track selected is considerable distance
from that mountain Leaving point above the village OF
Fourneaux on the French side 1901 feet above the
level II strikes through tho mountain at point between
the Col de Freus and the Col de la Rone not far from
that great clustering which bears the name Of Mont
Tabor and from which the mountain chain stretches
over Ambin and the little Mont Gents to the Great
Mont Cents. The highest point attained by the tunnel Is
7 feet above the and $3.50 feet below the crest OF
slopes down to the other opening Of the tunnel on the
Italian side at Bardonneche, 1884 feet above the at
tie ton OF lofty glen Of the same name, whence the
railroad goes down Oux on the Dona Rpara, follow
ing the course that valley by Sutherland and Exles
iii it debOuches into the wide open valley OF Susa ~
| BussonO.
| melted both by her new obligations on aHnexin9
Savoy and her cordial relations with the italian people,
France eyinccd in 1860 great interest in the Mont Cents
project and showed desire to hasten lis COM
pleton Accordingly an arrangement was entered INTO
wherein strong inducements were offered TO tho sster
nation to complete the great highway The total ex-
pcnses OF constructing the tunnel amount TO $3oopo
of which sum the Victor Emanuel or Railway OF North
Italy contributes tOOOO which to be paid on or be-
fore the opening Of the tunnel The French Government
agreed pay Italy s3sooOCO IL the work was accom-
pished within 20 years. reckoning from 1862 But II the
| work was finished at an earlier date France
| bound herself to pay 100000 more for every
| year gained upon the stipulated time. The In
c.ntiyo which France thus professed to afford
has certainly attained end The work Is now finished
eleven years before tho limit named, and accordingly
France will have to pay t0oOoo beside the Noooooo
of the original stipulation. She also bound herse1 10
pay five per cent the money due for the work
~ IT proceeded from year to year Had the construction
continued beyond the stipulated term Of twenty years,
Italy would have lost for every year In excess OF
'A"' ''' THE BORING OF TIE TUNNEL.
airing character. The construction OF tuhhei nearly
,pi,cs long where vertical shafts Tor light or
mir mr. refuse were possible where the work must be
bee from each end. where the levels snd the angles
must bc perfect to insure meeting presehtca prope
which even the bOldest engineer might snrhk iroih
| with alarm All former experience In constructing
| tunnels was OF little avail. The occasion demanded
man NJ genius gifted with the determination THIS man
was found in sommeier who, however, owed muon tothe
Inventions Of his professional predecessors NJ MANS
H.rian engineer had devised machine 10 cut rock'
and this machine to be worked WIN springs 'ooo'
tb rock into blocks and 80 do the work OF many men.
NJ Caadon Of Geneya struck the key OF the pos'ioh Ny
the Of compressed air. put nc nau o' ."o
| honor of showing how it was to DO useo rs "ou'e
| ,owar Mr. BARTLETT an English engineer, having IN
vented an engine for boring, which was WORKED ny
steam NJ sommeilcr adapted It 30 aS 10 DO useu Wy
| compressed air, and thus the means VI i'ns
the Mont Gents Tunnel was secured Ano'ner
however vas needed to utilize all those trlun pns VI hu
| man ingenuity Tho use Of steam as motive power
. ,orela.. In an confined a space tho labor OF human
hands was equally hopeless in point OF time put WIN
| wmdrous ADAPTATION Of means 70 ends. the IaiLRg
waters Of the Alpine valleys were imprisoned 70 o
press the air tho air was conducted along Vast oe
a eS Saf Ssman hsns escaped from mprsonnen
and made existence possible for the very o snmrr
er Weighed about COO pounds and bored holes. inshs:
III diameter and ieet deep IN hI sunISrt and
could be worked almost angle oS o. i sra
large holes we're in the center o. inc ~ &. ~
Sna thfss Sss n S"ss W only
weakening the rock The other ho'es . wsss and In
Sinninx with nearest the Ssai tSs
and wording outward Tue advanced ne eusrss
met tunnel tho f size the D,S tS. e. e.
TO- TSs y Gs: ~ as
vide End z fee, e Mo- i9y :1%':'t a i0 sscsss