The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-10-12
GREENpRIER Wu,TR SULPHUR SrRINGs.l


the forttmates who remain in the noun
tains ut this season OF the year why the
visitors at the Springs scampcr away just
ut the time when the beauties Of nature
begin to assert Reconsideration the eye
is charmed iii whatever direction It may be
turned-when every sense is delighted and
the human frame seems imbued With new
lite under the effects Of an atmosphere
which seems almost as belonging to Heaven.
The White, deserted as 1t Is, looks like a
paradise. with its yelvcty-grecn lawns pre-
senting most charming contrast to the
varied coloring OF the trees. The noun
tsins, with their Kaleidoscope profusion Of
colorS tinted by tho gradual touch of young
autumn. far exceed the most brilliant ideals
Of the most enthusiastic landscape paint
erS; and the skies. as il in accord with
mother earth, arc cloudless and beautiful.
But am stumped. This Is as far rs |
can 20 in this strain. AS "dcscribist "
of autumn and spring beauties L am not
"lcngthy."
The season being over and the hotel having
been removed to the Maston House, the inte-
rest Of the inhabitants has reverted into its
former channel, and the railroad constitutes
the sensation of this section. The signs OF
its rapid approach TO completion arc daily
more numerous, and the country seems to
grow more progressive rs 1t advances. The
depots arc we'll filled with freights received
and for shipping, improved agricultural
implements are arriving In large quantities,
and large trains OF West Virginia cattle arc
sent to Baltimore every week.
Recently paid visit to Lewis tunnel
to take look at the works ct this the most
difficult undertaking on the road. We
were driven over by Major Burnham. the
courteous member OF the firm of Burnham
& Gordon, which has this work in charge.
As we rode over, the Major entertained us
with q description of the work he had
charge Of on the Pacific road. Although
the bulk Of the work there was of course
greater than that on this road, he did not
meet with any there that was as heavy as
he work between Covington and the White
sulphur. He thought that the prejudice
here against Chinese labor was untounded.
He found them most excellent laborers-
hard working, trustworthy, and strictly
obedent to those in authority. He found
| tho labor he was using ut present,
however (mostly negroes and convicts),
very good, despite many drawbacks. The
Major is one of the most skilled and ener-
cetic contractors on the road and though
Lewis tunnel has been several times aban-
doued heretofore, under its present man.
agement it will certainly be completed in
| the course of the next year. When we
their extent. They comprise quite vii
| iage, in which are 4 large store, church.,
school house Supported by the laborers),
and all the other appu1tenances of first
class hamlet. Passing over this point on
the train one has not time to notice that
there are machine-shops constructed at
which locomotive might be built; nor
can he realize that $50 feet beneath
him are nearly 200 toilers boring through
the earth. and showing by patient and per-
severing labor the triumphs of man over
seemingly insurmountabIe obstacles. Be-
sides the approaches to the tunnel, there
are three shafts, measuring in depth 20,
l25. and l45 feet respectively. enc hun
dred and twenty men are at work inside
constantly, night and day. The difficulty
in working Lewis tunnel, as is doubtless
known, is the almost unprecedented hard
ness Of the material through Which it has
10 be worked. 1t has the appearance of
blue granite. and is so bard that it almost
reSists the ordinary drill. Nothing dauuted
by this, Major Burnham has introduced
the patent Burlcigh drills, worked by COM
pressed air. There are twelve OF these drills
| in operation, and to supply these three steam
boilers, averaging thirty horse power, are
required. The receiver for the compressed
| air is twenty feet in length by eight feet in
diameter. The working of these drills Is
astonishing and intensely interesting. They
are fixed on carriages, something after the
manner of mounting cannon. III fact, the
large carriage in the centre shaft, with its
| five or six drills mounted aud pointing in
different directions and at various angles,
! looks very much like large battery III
miniature. The drills are supplied with
air through the means OF very strong rub
Der hose. and the pressure can be exactly
| and with wonderful facility regulated by
| means of stop-cock attached to each drill.
When they begin work they make as much
noise rs Il locomotive factory, and bore into
the auamautinc surface as though it were
nothing but earth. Steadily and rapidly
the drills make their way, and dust as fine
rs Il ,ur comes pouring from the holes they
make. In an hours time the necessary
holes are completed, and preparations fora
blast are commenced. This would take fully
day If worked by hand. These drills have
been tested in this hard material, and have
bored three feet in ten minutes; but this
strain is not kept up, rs it would risk the
breaking of the drills. l regret thai have
not space 10 give more elaborate descrlp-
ticn of this interesting work.
1t Is well worth visit, and, from The en-
ergctic manner in which it is being pushed,
| it will be flashed at the appointed time
almost without fail. MIR. Frederick Phil
| lips, formerly engaged on the HoOsac tun-
mel. and an experienced mechanic, Is in
charge Of the Burleigh drills. Mr.. j. R.
Moore fills most worthiy the post Of master
machiniSt. Terence McGIove, formerly on
the Pacific road, an honest, faithful son OF
Erin, is the superintendent, and Il most en-
ercetic one he Is, too.
/ have always been a firm believer in the
unceremonious departure of our favorite
bird, the SOFA, upon the appearance OF
frost, but my faith has been sadly shaken of
late. I was with a sportsman day before
Yesterday, and saw him shoot bird which
turned out to be a genuine sora. To this Will
I take nv solemn Altred-david." Several
have been seen and killed hereabouts re.
Gently. and frost is an everyday thing with
us. How is this thusly?
Mcssrs. Peyton Il Co. are already pros
pecting for next season. They. contemplate
among other things, the erection of num-
Der OF new cottages. The register shows
that there have been between 5000 and 9,UOo
visitors here this summer. '. DE T.
COOP FOR LAwYERs.-Should it turn out
that the county land records have been
burned, it will be impossible to escape