The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-08
NEW YORK and CANADA fsAIL-
ROAD.
Progress of the work. Work Around
Tremleau Mountain and WiIlsboro
Bay Commenced.
From the Plattsburgh Republican,


From the Plattsburgh Republican,
This grand enterprise is now being pushed
with great vigor. An army of workmen IS
busy, being distributed at the points which
are the most difficult of construction.
The heaviest of the work on the division
for which Gen. Owen has the contract-be
tween Ticonderoga and Whtehall-is the
Ticonderoga tunnel and cut, and series
of rock cuttings extending at intervals from
Putnam Point Gust opposite Benson's Land
ing) to Pulpit Point, four miles south.
They are, some of them, thirty or forty ieet
in depth-the rock appearing TO be gritty,
intractable mongrel cross between fotsdanl
limestone which is seen at Whtehaii, ana
sandstone at Ticondcroga, combining near
w all the Woodworking qualities of both and
none of their good ones. Upon these cut
tinps-os many as eight or nine in number
there are seven steam drills at work, to-
t,etber with n strong force Of laborers to
remove the rock when blasted. This latter
work seems to offer the greatest obstacles
10 rapid progress, for the steam drills per-
form the labor with great rapdity, which,
before their invention and use, occupied the
longest time.
The terrible force, and especially the
downward force of the explosives used-ni-
tro-glyccrnc, dualino and giant powder
is well illustrated by the fact that when it
becomes necessary, from the great depth of
the cut, to put in another set ofholcs below
the first after the rock has been removed
great difficulty is cxperienccdi in drilling the
rock on account of its being filed with
seams and tracks, Which were caused by the
explosions in the rock above.
These seams not only divert the courses
of the drills and make them bend, but are
sometimes SO wide that the masses o. rock
change their positions sufficiently to tnstcn
the drills in the holes, from which they can
only be removed by another blast II is
grand sight to vi,ncss-thc explosion pfone
ofthese nitro glycernc blasts-but one feels
at first an uncertainty in regard to what di
rection the rocks may take, which keeps his
apprehcnsivc interest aroused up to fever
heat.
when Il blast is to be let OIL a signal Is
given, so that every one within range may
have a chance to look out for his own .lfe-
". Watching the spot intenty from dis
tancr the spectator secs first slight smoke
like single puff of steam from the cX-
haust pipe of an engine, followed by the
BURSTING or HrcE MASSES OF ROCK
from their solid beds in u most mysterious
manner, and you lave ample time to note
the appearance of the affair before the sonnd
of the explosion reaches you like a roar of
thunder
The smaller fragments OF rock sometimes
fly an immense distance through the air and
Il projectilc would be as fatal almost as
mimic bullets.
But familiarity with danger breeds con-
tempt of it, and the workmeu within range
of the blasts seem TO be in great measure
Indifferent, trusting to their sharpness Of
sight to see the flying rocks in time to dodge
them.
Work upon these cuts will be continued
through the winter, and it is believed that
early in the season of 1874 the grade will
be reached From Putnam's Point north
ward no formidable difficulties are found
until Ticonderoga is reached. Passing
around the bold projecting base of Mt. De-
fiancc, the track takes a
BEE LINE ACROSS THE DAY
into which the outlet of Lake George emp
ties and here the ledge forming the back
bone of the peninsula upon the eastern
point of which is Ell" Landing and the old
forD is reached, striking it nearly a. right
angles. To get through this obstacle very
heavy cut has TO be made and n tunnel of
300 feet.
The tunnel is pierced to distance of
over 200 feet leaving less than 100. But
the "piercing" ia far from comprising the
whole work, as il has TO be enlarged after
wards.
1t seems now as if the tunnel would be
completed long before the cut. The pro-
cess of removing the loose stone after Il
blast is, as we said before, necessarily slow.
Only limited number of men can work in
the narrow cut at a time. The rocks are
picked by means of derrick, and put up
on cars running upon a track which passes
outside of the cut upon the bank, the grade
of which is of course quite steep.
The cars are then run at frightful speed
of which gravity is the motive power
with their heavy loads
LIKE THE BEDEvILED SWINE OF OLD,
down the steep place, far out into the wa
ter of the bay on q track where they arc
dumping for ''sea wall" /: is busy
scene hereabouts and the clattcr of steam
drills, the spteful putting of the engine
combined with the creaking of derricks,
the clink of blacksmiths' hammers, rumh-
ling Of cars, crashing of rocks and roar OF
blasts sound in the ears of the lovers Of
progress like heavenly music. Standing
away by itself is little building no more
is painted in big threatening letters,
KEEP AWAY!
Dualine Here
In this is stored the nitro glycerine, du-
aline and powder-enough of it, probably,
10 sweep the hill clear Of every vestige OF
life should it explode.
The tunnel and cut is the northern ter
minus of Gen. Owens contract, for a shor
distance further is the old track of tho
Whitehall & Pittsburgh railroad extend
ing seventeen miles to Port Henry. The
contract for the work
soRrnwARD FROM PORT HENRY
has been let as far as the Little Ausabl
river, this side of which point there is NJ
rock cutting of any importance. The grad
ing is well under way in the vicinity of Por
Kcntland and the
ROCK CUTTING AROUND TREMBLEAu NOUN
TAIN.
il begun.
On Wednesday Oct. |, the contractor
commenced work at Port Douglas and als
at the Tunnel approaches on Willsborougl
Bay. And so the good work goes on whicl
will put Clinton and Essex counties in com
municatiOn with the great markets Of thei
own state fall the year round"
--zz---r-=-r--------
From the Troy Times.
$4,000 REWARD.
STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE or WILLIAM BAU
Gus, OF SCHAGHTIC IKE.
1t will be seen by referring to the adyer
Using columns of the Times that a rewar