Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-12-25
The HoOsac Tunnel.


would be made yesterday, but yesterday
il was found the delay would not be 80
long aud Mr.. Shanl, accordingly prepared
plan. for the final blast and gave his or
der. As is well known. the central
shai: heading has been driven at the top
Of the tunnel about seven feet in hight
to be enlarged at the bottom as soon as
the vexatious water problem was solved.
The east end heading, on the other hand
has been driven at grade. Ii order to
bring them together the central section
heading was driven downward, as the
junction was approached, leaving not
more ihsn four feet vertically between the
floor aud the roof. Tuesday afternoon
Mr.. Shanley gave orlers to stop blasting
at the central shaft nGi to drill two hOlcs,
each eighteen feet deep, the first TO start
from the breast of the heading toward the
roof Of the cast end koadiug, and the oih-
er to start from the foor Of the csntial
shaft IN the direction of the breast If the
east eud heading. Blasting was kept up
meanwhile, anu Wednesday tie foreman
of the central shaft ordered two test holes
to be drilled which should unite the two
angles of the headings, if all the MEASURE
ments we're exact. The holes were driven
to depth OF eighteen feet and six inches
without making any opening through 1t
was therefore determined TO drill new
holes from the centrol shaft, and Tuesday
morning blast was made from fourteen
holes loaded with nitro glycerine, at
: about half yast II. The whole blast re-
quired 81 feet length Of gly,erinc or about
= 5S pounds-the largest quantity ever
Il used at one time in the tunnel. 1t is ros-
&c sible that this blast made a breach suth-
cient to let water through. At any rate
&c the water descended mystelously from
er its former level. AT halfpast ono Sec
L. charge was exploded and the party who
&c started to see what it effected were met
IL at distance of four or FIVE hundred feet
by returniug workmen, who announced
O. that hole was through, Six a?crtures
he had been made, and although they were
,al but drill holes and cracks in the rock, the
ue men of the two gangs were conversins
lts through them.
IN The lamps held at the openings were
ro, Immediately extipguished, so strong was
the draft from one end toward the shaft
n, The progress made was satisfactory so ia
~. as it went, but more was necessary, ant
ow accordingly two or three holes we're drill
,ho ed which it was hoped would make an act
a.. ual breach and allow people to pass iron
,oot one heading to the other. An hour o
\. two later there was hole about foe
in diameter between the two sections
snd This was speedily enlarged by hand pow
er, and at o'clock precisely small bo
was let down from the central ahaft int
q the east end, amid the shouts and chee'
,ich of both gangs. Anotcr person OF large
f size followed, and then the east end rec
BOD prOcatcd by sending up Two of the men
RON its gang, who proceeded to the shaft az
.ce we're The first to reach the top of ii
,xed mountain from the east end without a
evos eending the slope. MIR. Stanley hms'
iaht was by to wolcome his workmen throuI
The this narrow aperature.
,ero. Although the engineers have not J
Il he had an oportunity to verify tfeir calcu
both tions by the result it is certain that
time error is scarcely moro than foot eltl
dis. in grade or line, and 1t may prove to
vhon very much less. Another fact which is III
rner " to have an important 1earlng OF
,once matter Of ventilation when the tunnel
from finished is that the draft from the east
.,o end into the central shaft IS so str'
and that it can only DC likened to very p'
crful wind. The air whistles through
with great deal Of force, cxllngulsh
moer- candles and lamps that are held IN
ercial path, and whiting dust and minute pl'
ID yet of rock into the eyes of those who
reom' curlously through to the other side.
day the aperture will be enlarged SO
y III person may walk through without
60 in Guilty. The result of this days work
u few be briefly stated. The ponderous pu
me Of Of the central shaft may be inmedla
others abandoned, and the water problem b
ng be- solved, work may be begun on the ves
9 puts heading of the central shaft, or that
No. 8, October Is, 1873, if all goes well,
No. 5, will be an opening through the H'
no 7, Mountain from east to west.-B
No. 8, Herald of Saturday, Dec. l4th.
@ then An inebriated stranger precipi
member himself down the depot stairs, an
ng with striking the landing, rcproachful'y
omodat- trophized himself with: "lf you'd
room to wantin to come down stairs, why'r
lto No. der didn't you say SO, you wooden-h