The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-12-28
! The Great Ams,iosn Tunnel.

KG n The Great Amsriosn Tunnel d
The 9th OF November uitimo will be re-
garded as o red letter day In the apnais of
American engineering. On the afternoon
Of that day, the blast was fred which open
ed the tunnel under Hoosac Mountain.
The successful completion of this great
work suggests the following facts and
figures relating to it: The need of the
the tunnel appears in the fact that it will
secure direct and convenient comWuni-
cation between the Hudson River and the
Massachusetts, seaboard. In the year
1S4S railroad company received a charter,
which included the present scheme for o
tunnel beneath Hoosac Mountain. Find
ing the dificulties too many to be met by o
private organization, an application for
State aid was made in 1851. 1t was not
priation from the State Treasury was made,
and four years later (1655) the work was
begun in accordance with q contract made
between Herman Haupt g. Co. and the
Troy and Greenfield Railroad Company
Owing to Misunderstanding between
the work was greatly delayed; and 10 1863,
in accordance with report made by
legislative committee, the State took pos
session, both of the road and tunnel, and,
having made further appropriations, dir
scted the work to proceed, under charge
mission. In 1868, the final contract was
made betwees the Governor aud Council
Of the State on one side, and Messrs. Wal
ter and Francis Shan1y, of Canada, on the
other. And the completion of the work
at this early day is directly due to the en- :
ergy and skill of these enterprising con-
tractors. The following general estimates,
obtained from reliable sources, will best IL
lustrate the magnitude of the work, and the
difficulties attending it's accomplishment.
The tunnel, as now completed, has a length
of 25, OBJ feet, being next in length to tba at
feet high, above the level of the railroad
track ; at q distance of 1857 feet from the
eastern entrance, and 49, from the
western, 10 . ventilAting and entrance shaft
having o length of l ,030 feet. The rock
through which the boring was made diff
fered greatly in character on the western
side the first mile was carried through
quartz rock this was followed by softer
material, until finally it became necessary
to brick over the passage in this work OF
archipg, over 100000 bricks have been
used. In the fulfilling of their contract,
the hessrs. shanly have consumed 275, 600
pounds of nitro glycerine, 322 600 pounds
of powder, 4s, 500 pounds of giant-Powder.
and 8, 800 pounds of dualin. The loss of
life consequent upon the progress of the
work was 40; of these deaths, 81 were due
to Premature explosions by the acci-
dentai explosion OF nitro Glyceflne msga-
zine +; ably falling down the central ehaft,
which was used daily as means of en-
trance and exit 8 others were killed by
the falling of overhsnging rookie, and one
was drowned. The cost of the work, in
GLIDING interest, is estimated at &tO,-
O00, 900, half of which was appropriat-
ed at the time of the ShanIy con-
Tract. Tho fret to pass through the
breach made by the final blast was Hen.
Robert Johnson, of Boston, State Senator
and chairman Of the legislative com mittee
on the tunnel. He was immediately fol.
lowed by Mr.. Shanly. 1t is expected that
the tunnel will be ready for use by the 4th
of July next. The drills used in this work
were Of the Burleigh pattern, aad the mo-
tor was compressed air, forced in from the
engines and pumps ut entrances OF the
tunnel. Tho explosive Of greatest value
was nitro-glyceriue, which was isnited by
the ordinary elsctric spark. We learn that
the Burleigh rock-drill has been received
with favor across the Atlantic, and that the
engineers of the ST. Gothard Tunnel have
been giving it trial. As of interest in
tue present connection, it might be added
thatsa distinguished engineer lately stated
before the British Association that he
thought that boring and blasting would
soon be supereeaed by some adoption OF
the eteam- hammer, mounted on trunpioDs
like cannon, which would snssh the
rocks and demolieh them by the force OF
concussinu alone. a ppletoH.