New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-09-20
ygoGrrSs OF THE MIDLAND RAILROAD.

TIE SIIAwANGUNK TUNNEL OPENED.
M1ppLErowS, n. Y, Sept 19-Daylight was
,et through the shawangunk Tunnel on the Midland Eal-
road today. party of Directors and Engineers with
representatives Of the press passed through al noon
IrAlus v II pass through by Jan. /.
TIE COUNTRY TRAvERSED.
N,prrToy. y. V, Sept 15.-FIanklin Fur
rlce Il, pres mt terminus OF the Midland Railroad is
erprose 10 be an embryo Scranton with nothing 10 In
dictate H., future greatness but unsighty holes
among tie rocks of the hillside marking the site OF Inc
1run mines. From these holes dismal looking WOODEN
skeletons appear TO have climbed into the air ana sun
cline. But TO the Initiated they represent the labor
bling carried on within Near the town the heaVless
work OH the line OF the NewJersey Midland is eneree
Cy carried on with the promise Of speedy completion
The road ayails itself Of curious natural emDanK-
Snent which extends across the valley, leaving
rHly an opening at one side, through which the
waikiki passes The embankment at this point Is about
81 feet high. Across the opening double arched cu
vert has been made 76 feet in length There is passage
~ feet I'm width for the river and 6 feet for the roadway
and the latter in time Of freshet would serve as
channel for the surplus water Tie stone used Tor the
clvcrt IL obtained In quarry four miles distant ana Is
superior blue building stone Of the most durable char
acter The parapes Of the cuvert 35 feet HIGH and
It contains iu all between aud thousand cubic
yards of masonry. The opening at the sur
.aco grade is 800 feet, and the embank-
gent contains 10000 cubic yards Of earth. This
artificial emhsnkment filling in the gap In
the natural ridge cuts off pretty round basnlike valley
the west. This valley Is Enclosed on three sides by
hcayiyw9oded hills beyond which the misty outline OF
Tire Blu Ridge just diseernble ON the fourth side is the
sweep Of the railroad, with the winding over il
against background of blue sky. From the railroad
the either side is strangely picturesque. 1t is
supposed that lake at prehistoric period has
cuped the present valley and its wasDgs has formed
"a" tmhinkment 1t adaptation to railroad use must
have been slow process but the work efectually
Zone and saves the railroad circuit OF ten miles which
wond otherwise have been obliged to make around
<ae valley.
Between the culvert and franklin cut l,4OO feet in
hIh and 80 feet deep, through limestone rocks
Ieh stamdrll IL used here, boring hole ~ inches in
""Ie'r from rs TO 100 feet per day This drill is used
WIN great success, and is the first Of the kind in
Fatu'ai operation. 1t is considered superior TO the
a!A h"" extensively used in the Hoosac Tunnel, from
'i' TACT that 1t works without shocking the essential
pans OF the machinery. Several Of these holes bored
i,o NE rcck aud filed with powder when the blast lie
entcted by means Of electric battery. The immense
80, " work accomplished by thcse modern inven-
IONS In comparison with the old methods may be esti
iaea from the fact that with the hand-drill, hole
day. " ~ ' " " ~ P'
Following the ridge the valley the road strikes
n mountains the opposite side, crossing them through
1TM MInsons Gap as it sometimes suggestively
t, SHAKES Den The grade is here something more
Man feet per mile for FIVE miles For part of the
hnce layine has formed great chasm In the rocks,
@ huge powders are daily detached by blasting 1t is
uesOlate-oOking place, with huge OF rocks,
GTu WIN sesms and cracks, and yawning with siadowy
N tta This place Is at the summit Of the monntan
1os other side the grade already completed, and
m 70 80 feet per mile Although this portion Of the
noau Is III apparent chaos, II will be finished in a few
months and the entire NewJersey Midland will be In
.l SssT tG %, little sSxn residence Of
r Iron; m charming secinst9p Of fu1prant trees.
etructed near this place, extending To- the IRON
mines near Vernon, eight or ten miles distant Various
o,her branches are projected, and some Of them are
already constructing Midland follows The c"urse Of
r. on ,s sRs E,1.6 bridge leaving HamSures
Aifides. cutting through an iinrosnss Srs ,nS
esak., just before reaching DecIertown. Tbis
fravel bank furnishes . superior QUALITY NJ ha io
last AZ far as Deckertown. the road anished. and
excellent condition There arc not many old SosAs IN
NE country ss smooth and sed. Beyond This place fbs
alasnng Is not yet completed but the track for Ire en-
nre distance. u Of the very beet quality of iron The
Company paid from IS to q per tun FOR its iron than
tor ordinary rails and they have lost nothing by DONG
no. for IN l6 miles Of track there naw In tie rails
hhn not single spikehe was broken In driving The
valley grows still wider here and opening between
.ne nile, the whole breadth Of Orange County can I've
zen. -' 0an Oo