The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-11-27
HISTORY OF THE HOOsAC TUN-
MEL.
WORK RESUMED.


Some months were consumed by the
contractors in making preparations neces-
sary to enable them to carry out the con-
tract on the Goth of March, 1860, they
commenced work at the east end, and have
continued their labors without intermission
until Sunday last. On that day work on
the headings between the central and west
shafts was suspended to enable the cng-
neers to make estimates as to the proba-
hili,y of the heading meeting right. But
am getting on too fast. Work on the
central shaft was resumed April 3, and inc
west shaft July ., 1869. In October
a heavy rain storm so swcllcd the waters OF
brook on the west side OF inc
mountain that about 800 cubic. yards OF
earth were thrown into the tunnel, choking
it up and stopping all work. Is was not
removed so that operations could DC re-
sumed until the 25th. The record Of acct
dents this wear was long and melancholy,
no less than six mcn being killed the 18th
of September and 9th of October At the
end of the year Il ,0f6 feet of tunnel had
been cxcayatcd, leaving 1889 feet to be
cut through the central shaft was within
932 feet of the grade of the tunnel. The
work progressed steadily in 1870 The
central shaft was completed in August, n
time fixed by the contract The rate Of
progrcss mt the east end exceeded the con
,itiOns of the contract, while that of the
west end just met the requirements ON
the 1st of january, 1871. the amount
pierced was 1888 feet, and the amount
remaining was H. 1873 feet. The central
shaft is 1887 feet from the east portal
and II, 1914 from the west portal. The
eastern workings were, therefore, L.
Al feet apart, and the western 6,3Di feet
apart, by these figures. In 1871 the west
rrn workings at the central shaft were in
,crruptcd and stopped by the water. which
caused the work to he abandoned until
pumps could be sci up to lift water more
than thousand feet. At the end of the
wear the lengths of the different headings
were ~ follows;
Feet.
East end '..o
Central shaft east. ........................ ji'
Central shaft west. ........................ 24O
West ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ',9OO
Total. .,........................ .446
The progress in 1872 was steady and
marked, except at the west heading from
the central shaft. In December junction
was made between the east end and central
shaft heading.
NEARING THE END
On the first of January of the present
wear there had been 81 1902 feet of the tun-
mel pierced, and 3,129 feet remained.
There was an opening from the east eud to
a point $50 feet west of the central shaft
and heading S,70G feet from the west per
tai. 1t had been calculated at the time the
contract was made with the Shanlys that
the headings eastward of the shaft would
meet the 23d of September, 1872. They
actually met December -. 1t was also
believed that the western headings would
meet July l, 1878. This expectation was
disappointed by the excess of water at the
west of the shaft, but the contractors, in
spite of that difficulty, which caused them
to suspend work wholly more than nine
months in 1872, will be but four and half
months behind, and the other parts Of the
tunnel are in such a state of forwardness
that they will very nearly succeed in max
ing good their agreement. During the
present year nothing has occurred to inter-
rupt the progress of the work at the two
remaining points, and the gain has been
lst 1857 feet were pierced, leaving 242 feet
to be cut to open the tunnel for its whole
length. On Saturday this had been reduced
to / IL feet; to-day it is less than one hun
dred. Thanksgiving day the heading will
meet, and the mountain will be a barrier no
longer.
THE CONDITION OF THE WORK.
After the headings meet six months will
clapse before the tunnel can be used as a
part of the new highway from the east to
the west Descriptions of visits to the tun-
mel appear periodically in the newspapers
and to save space refer the reader to them
with the intimation that they express my
sentiments. A glance at the present con-
dition of the work WILL perhaps, be worth
the space From the west enc
the brick arched roof. made necessary by
the porous rock, has been finished dis
lance of 2,20l feet casterly. From that
point the tunnel is incomplete until Il point
4,O5S is reached from that place until you
reach the end of the present bench, 9,43l
feet from the west end, it is nearly finished
The west heading is l0,l50 feet from the
west end, Work from the Contra
shaft east has been carried for
ward 1901 feet. From the cen
trail shaft to the east portal, 1861 feet
the work will all be completed by the lst OF
December, except the grading and track
laying. The work on the headings is done
by machine. drilling. The work is continue
Gus; three shifts of men, each shift working
eight hours, are employed every day. Thu
railroad approaches to the tunnel are in ;
forward state. The road from Greenfield
to tbs cast end is completed to within mile
of the portal. The rock taken from tn
east end of the tunnel has been used il
making the embankment necessary for tn
railroad. The road-bed from North Adam
to the west end, two miles, has been com
mcnccd. The materials taken out of tn
central and west shafts have been wasted
THE WORK TO BE DONE.
A portion of the tunnel, between the cen
trail and west shaft remains to be compile
ted. The contractors must lay tract
through the tunnel, the state anOther thu
road TO North Adams must be finished, ant
same little work done at the east end. Thi
is a brief epitome of the work to be done be
tore the tunnel can be used.
All will, it is hoped, be in readiness to al
low the patriotic Berkshire people to cele
brate the 4tl of July in the dark hole. Blu
the road between Boston and Troy must b
Strengthened and double tracked the entir
length before the great work can be legar
ded as complete. Last winter the terms c
the Shanly contract were relaxed somewhat
in consideration of the faithful manner il
which they had so far performed thei