Litchfield enquirer., 1871-05-11

s1 t6sz aiasfsns lines in aniidpaion Of ths UpUhihg of tho Hell Gate channel. He
 alsolexp1ained the various composite of the
 rocky stEatasand the relative mineral sub.
 stahe6s5 th6 strength of powder required in ass theblasting rock Of adamahti inc hardnes ;tht
 obdufafe drills used by the miners; and
 nttera theoretical diag gonsis of the effect of
 electricity. which they employ entirely in asa ble but practicable illustration of how com pleteiy the electric spark does its work -Produoing the Instrument and small wire,
 at one end of which was appended a small
 ball resembling Q rifle cartridge, he placed zitbeneath can and requested us to take the other end of the wire in one hand and
 place the other hand on the instrument. S He turned small crank and instantaneous. ly the spark passed through our whole sys. F tems striking the wire and exploding the substance beneath the can. We were in - iRnorance as to the effect of the sensation. Our eupposition was that it would be sim. <. liar tosa magnetic shock. It is . great 2 lnng tester It was but . flash of light. ,euch will be it's grand effect when the trin- nels are all drilled, the powder chambers filled, the wires connected, and the electric spark applied-the sequence of the final demolition of the rocky contention. r THE SHAFT. gfT#
 We then descended into the shaft to be- hold the prodigious work of man. The shaft is great round opening made in the rock ct the point of the land, and outward beneath the river the tunnels take their course. At the suggestion of our gentle.
 manly guide we entered the tunnel named
 in honor of President Grant, and where
 the richest quartz vein abounds. There
 were the brawny miners, drilling away in
 their dismal tomb, for to us it seemed dis
 mai, but to them it is a second nature.
 About 25 feet of stone had been removed,
 and the tunnel carved out as if intended ] for the passage of locomotive and train of
 cars, and is IS feet wide. There is only 8
 feet of stone between the miners in this tunnel and the mighty body of water above.
 The miners can hear distinctly the passing
 of the sound steamers, and can discern
 what vessel it is from the peculiar reyolu-
 ton of the wheel or screw.
 There are ten tunnels, the length of
 which will vary-some will be bored to the extent of 100 feet, and others more; the Farragut tunnel, No. 1, will be 400 feet in
 length. All the tunnels are named and
 numbered. In the interior of the tunnels, at % feet equi-distant, the galleries. which will be seven in number, are to be cut through. so that they will encircle and form on intersection. In the piers of these galleries will be inserted the powder cham. bers, which will be charged in accordance with. the hardness or softness of the strata. 1 The piers of the tunnel will be charged with 800 to 800 lbs. of powder.
 The tunnels are in numerical order, and are named respectively Farragut, Madison, Humphrey. Gov Hoffman, Sherman, Jef- ferson, Grant, Mcclellan, (the Grant and | Mcclellan tunnels being the two richest in 1 quaxtzl, Franklin and Jackson. Oxide of iron. iron pyrite, and traces of pure gold are found in small quantities in the heavy quartz veins. Three months ago, in the Faraagut tunnel, at depth of 32 feet, in . seam of decomposed mica, tertiary shells were found, which has been consid- cred . great curiosity to find in 8 primary rock, and on that account was sent to Pr0f. Agassiz of Harvard University, who very ably explained the remarkable inci- dent. Intersected with the heavy quartz veins. the most beautiful vertically strait 6ed gneiss rock has been found. d.~-
 The clearing will be 32 it. Gin. below
 mean low water, which is also the floor
 line of the great shaft, from which about
 1000 cubic yards have beer blasted and e removed, by hoisting 60 feet, and deposited
 on terra firma, and will be used for building
 purposes, instead of blocking one of the finest ports of entry in the world.
 The whole of this vast undertaking was conceived and devised by Major General John Newton, Major of Corps of U. s. En.
 gineeEs, and to him the country will be in
 debtad for one of its greatest achievements | of modern engineering skill, and too much credit cannot be awarded him as one of the greatest mathematicians of the age. l
 Mr. e. Q. Reitheimer, superintendent and resident mining engineer, is Q most remarkable man; a native of Switzerland, i his name is identified with most of the great engineering operations of the pres l ent century all oyer the world. He was the engineer in charge of the operations in ! the national harbor of Holyhead, England. I He was the recipient of numerous comph. ments from kings. queens, emperors, and | ehe highest notabilities in Europe. Louis | Philippe, who was once himself teacher 1 of mathematics, called upon him personal ~ md congratulated him upon his fine ability. He adheres strictly to the rule of mathematical calculation, and will have no ono under him who is not competent to cary out implicitly his orders. as he says snocess all depends upon a strict observance of the directions of the. one controlling mind. He has the interests of the miners mechanics and laborers, of whom he has under him two hundred in number. at heart, and also is not unmindful of the trust which the Government reposes in
 him. His men are all abstemious, and are dsvotedly attached to him. He is quite san-
 guine that tunnel under the East River,
 connecting Neu-York and Brooklyn, will he completed in advance of the East River
 Bridga-N F. &0ndrd.
 A SILVER SHOWER. GRAND OPENING AT T. STEELE AND soN'S-
 mPTwNDm DISPLAY OF DIAMoNDs. RIoH