Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-02-10
The Falls of st. Anthony they
are to be Preserved.


From the MINNEAPOLIS GIinu.) Tribune.
There are, at present, about 100 men
engaged on the tunnels during the day,
and about so at night. These men are
at work under the supervision of j. I.
Stevens, Esq, the engineer. The work
will be pushed without interruption
through the winter. Few Of our citl
zens have any idea of the vast amount
of labor TO be performed, nor, indeed,
of that which has been performed.
Neither can it be described within the
limits OF newspaper article. The tun-
mel is entered near the foot of the
apron. On entering this tunnel, as we
are pleased to call it, we were astonished
at how far short our conceived ideas of
the situation were from the facts Here
we have cavern $50 feet long by IL
feet wide and l6 feet high This is
known rs the new tunnel and follows
the course made by The break of July
last. The work of lining in the branch
is about completed, and may be briefly
described as follows Walls of timber
and planl<s are erected in manner
that would seem to defy all weight to
crush. These walls are placed at dis
lance of few inches from the rock on
either side Of the tunnel, and in the
space so formed pieces of stone are put,
and over them is poured what is called
hydraulic cement. This forms a grout
that is as hard as the rock ITSELF and
should the wooden walls from any cause
be disturbed, this groutng would be a
shield to the walls of the tunnel In
other words, it forms another lining.
The bottom, when completed, will be OF
plank laid in cement. and firmly keyed
by heavy timbers from above, so as to
prevent them from being disturbed by
any upward pressure. The main tunnel
is being excavated to the same depth
as the one just alluded to. Every loose
piece of rock or other substance is being
carefully removed. 1t is proposed to
dig out and line the main tunnel to a
point about 100 feet below, where it
forms junction with the branch. 1t
is not deemed absolutely necessary that
it be done so far as that for less dis
lance will carry the work below the
falls, and no harm need be apprehended
below that point. Three hundred feet
above the junction Of the tunnels we
come to q vast subterranean room OF
more than l0Ox6O feet. The main tun-
mel ranges in width from 20 to 60 feet,
and is not less than 500 feet long. The
long line of the cavern is being thor
oughly excavated, and it will be lined
in the same manner as the branch tun.
mel Let it be understood that the
main tunnel runs up and down the
river, while the branch leads Off to the
right, forming a letter Y. The water
which drips into the tunnel is carried
away by iume about 700 feet long.
The excavations are carried away on a
portable railway, and in the same man
ner timber, plank and cement are car
ried in. The rocky ceiling is supported
(more as matter of precaution than
necessity by timbers which will, at a
proper time, give place to something
more substantial. A bulkhead will be
made at the head Of the tunnel, which
will resist all pressure from above. The
point is now well protected, and wher
the work is completed as contemplated
the water will be under absolute con
troll, so far as this tunnel is concerned
There will be gate at each end of the
tunnel; through one the water will
pass in, and through the other it will
pass out.
The mineral springs are worthy o
speclal mentlon. lney come INTO III
tunnel at different points, and it is as
certained that by no yower can thei
flow be stopped. To meet this emer
gency an iron tube, two feet in diameter
will be so constructed as to carry ava,
the water flowing from these springs
When the lining is completed, the wall
constructed, and the tube put in place
the tunnel will be filled with water ant
kept so to prevent the timbers from
rotting. The water can be drawn of
at any time by closing the gate at tn
bulkhcad and opening the gate at TIN
lower end of the tunnel. An engine i
kept busy heating water with which t.
take frost out of sand and bricks. Ga
fixtures extend from one end to tn
other, ard everything that ingenuit
can suggest has been done to expedit
the labor.