New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-27

Of the mean OF many observations made different
times there has been dedoed and computed upon each
plate The eTnet nSsitio which The true line should occu-
From these again. other occasions piunlet lnes
furnished the opportanity for Instrumental observation
and conditions for extending by tho usual form OF IN
sirumenfa work, the drecoa which should guide the
| eastern aud western workings. -
Tie accuracy OF these observations has since been
proved The central shaft was worked toward Tue east
10 meet the workers from that portal On the l4th OF
December, 1872, the two headings" met The POINT OF
Junction was distant 1635 feet from tue snhlt, an
Il2t ieet from the cast portal rms long gaie,y Wa
WITHIN some 61) feet OF the place OF heetihg. a. ~ %
Phbriek; state Engineer, aud Mr. - d. Frost sapellh-
tending Engineer with several others entered the run
mel alter the two headings met in order to eonnegt the
working lines On descending the shaft, ana walking
pout of pure white light ahead, about large as
miners lamp would appear 800 feet distant. lie went
ahead 10 what 1t was, and AFTER chasing IT Tor
quarter OF me discovered that was the light OF the
sun seen now for the first time in that dark place. Toe
sperk grew gradually larger, and he advanced Mr..
Phlbrlck that IL had the outline Of the portal
through which the banks were shining IN tul sun
lsht, at distance VI over two niles Never since the
work began had the daylight been visible for such as
ing lie Sir%mept naJ Hana naht was sent back some
5000 et to an ascertained point ana the large transit
set up at the most advanced pont OF the central line ana
note in the roof II was the firss MAJ, saws Mr. Phil
for the whole distance Of Two and aha miles just hye-
sixteenths Of an inch Hero triumph or modern
| science!
DOWN IN THE TUNNEL
Mr.. Frost, the ClIef Engineer, lent his cutter and
spirited team, driven by intelligent and courteous
assistant Mr.. Pattens, to convey up the mountain
Two feet Of snow had just fallen, and increased the
difficulty OF tho ascent. a driving storm Of and
hail beat in our faces There drifts up to
horses breasts It miles over the SUBMITS TO the
east end There places not 800 yards from the stage
road where, in the mi Idle OF June last the snow was
five feet deep IN the hollows.
AZ tue central ehai pair or oyefails, indiarn6per
the shaft. Near by the engineroom machine
shop, aud several other buildings aud numerous cot
tages Tor the workmen The cage comes up t.e smart
with load OF stone. We take each mIner,s little
! gus to sink beneath us, ana We so down thousand
feet into the darkness There strong rush Of wind
| bnt the backpess Of darkness The possbiiity
Of tho rope breaking or OF rock falling
from above enters oar .mnds, and We are perfectly viii
lamps out for the west heading quarter OF
a mile instant. We splash through heavy stream of
the little cars that pushed to the shaft laden with
rock, returning for fresh load We climb over rough
avoid the OF water that .oDay pours from
fssnrc IN the rock above. light ahead IS visible and
mule with four title loads rock spashes through
The darkness. Tnen IN gloom AGAIN. Presentya
| grows louder and louder We approach aud see the
the rock our ears seem TO DO almost splitting Nj tue
| sound. II Il no use 10 talk; you canno hear. Down
here actions speak louder than words and the men oil
talk by Iantoinime. takes a sedg3 aud strikes
stone with all his might; another sledgc steel drill
they weO pounding cotton baesi the drills driven by
natehnsfy, taulnpns 9nd sta4o9g tne ro,H can
|
| nothing else.
| TIE DRILLING MACHINE.
II Is since the year 1865 that this has disturbed
the heart Of the Hoosac. Before that, man pounded
away with sedges by hand producing less than half
the present and noise. Two costly machines of an
almost forgotten type at first tried and failed The
state expended money for experiments except those
out of which grew what is inc Bnrlegh drill. The
drst Commission. OF which j. W. Brooks chairman,
did not directly realize their programme or making tho
resignation Of Mf Brooks followed, and some public
ouory against the cost OF experiments deferred his sue
formerly been in state employ He organized private
| company and perfected the manufacture.
| These machines much the same principle rs
those of the Mount Gems tunnel; but they much
lighter, less costly, easily repaired, and more effect
i've. Take the cylinder O small steam engine consider
bly, elongated, put 4 socket in piston rod and usert
d aqS The y0S aaES sG Of S d S
air carried N iron pipes i59 one emu on aa
from compressor az the Central Shaft and at the
West End Thee cylinders are clamped on a shaft in
such way that they he moved III any direction.
down, horizontally, or obliquey, beng mounted on
frame and each working OF PAR OF slides so that by
means hand behind IT, each cylinder can be
driven mp the rock The compressed air is carried
Of the cylinder through gu,tl-percha tubes. When IN
full blast tIry OF these drills were used IN the tunnel
| at once Each ann requires two men to work II.
the air pressure Is little over four amospheres or
about pounds. These machines an Or II from two 10
Eve feet per hour when continuously wOrhlus, me
| drills steel, from six TO eight feel long, aud VIII
bore hole from ono 10 hvc feet without sharpening,
but biacsnrths continually at work mending and
sharpening hem. About ~ hole are usually drilled to
u
They started with three aud four Ieet holes ana are
drilling eight ana nine beet Toe hardest roc. en-
cOuutercd quart2lte, which was mot IN le5ol5l
before entering INTO tho more regular INCA slac winch
lornstle BODY % the moun.aln hope expressed ~
1or tbe drl IMAM that hear the surface, We dlsaP
pointed
When twelve holes we've drilled We were Invited TO
retire. Three "bastng men" took our place Blasting
powder, gyccrne giant powder cartridges were
tenderly introduced into the holes. Tie drilling ma
chimes ere moved back 40 foot; heavy oaucade OF
timber from - TO u inches thick raised into the
opening ' tunnc IN front OF the machines ali the
men being 40 30 feet behind this 1aflcade. Each
one the charges IN the dozen holes ~ connected with
tie leading electric wires that along 20 the side Of
,hnce the electric oDeraf,r dpat,hes the spark over
the wires nud instantly vast amount OF rock Il torn
away ana hurled INTO the tunnel. Tho great barricade
has been pretty we'll battered, aud showed the marks Of
his flying rocky artillery. The blasts set Oh alto
gcher by frctona electricity generated between cusil-
ions OF soft leather THIS ~ regarded as the safest for
At present with deep holes, the blasting takes place
about once IN eight hours.
The explosives a. above named have been common
| black Di'sllng powder, mtI0sly ecflhe, aud Eaht
powder ~ the cast end ordinary blasting powder was
used very nearly 10 the JUNCTION win the he''hS rom
Central SHAFT giant powder eing uscd Tor the ist part
OF 1le %ofh, ntuy P0%ue ~ I,IJs Vcsug 10 ~ c
time less violent. The Central SHAFT aud the West
Heading have been driven principally with Miro
glyceune. tho powerful OF the explosive materials
used IL s manufactured nj magazine near inc thhel
works the prop ry OF Prof Mowbray. who supplies II
Tor the tunnel and having made it study Ter several
has succeeded IN producing pure article known
ana safer than any material OF the SORT imported
The enlargement well as the healing Is worked by
blasting. large portion Of the eNc1yated material
from the east eud has been usod TO build nlf mile of
railroad from the present HOOsac station ~ tho mOlth Of
tho tunnel, AID highway under tho cliEs along the
river.
LABOR AND OBSTACLES
Nine hundred meu have been employed at one time.
OF the at about 900 miners; the rest
foremen mechanics, and labOrers locomotive hauls
the oxcayated material the East End mules are used
end. In general the work is coniDued'night
and day, the men being divided up INTO three gangs
each working eight hours, hut IN certain places it is
found expedient to work only day gangs. Inc miners