Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-11-14
THE EEOOS.sC TU.v.vRL.

IT'S APPROACHING COMPLETION, GENERAL
FEATURES, AND COST OF CONSTRUCTION.
New England, as a writer has pointed
out, is separated from the rest of the
United States by the western ridge OF the
Appalachian chain," and it is through the
part of this ridge known as the Hoosac
range that the tunnel which has been in
course of construction for some years, and
which ere many months will he open for
traffic, has been run. The completion of
this work will open a new through route
from the Hudson River TO Boston, having
its western terminus at Troy. BY the tun-
mel route the distance from Troy to Boston
will be 1872 miles, being saving in dis
lance of oight miles as compared with that
from Albany to Boston by the Boston and
Albany Railroad. But a much greater i'm
provement will be effected in gradient than
in distance, the maximum grade on the
tunnel line being sixty feet per mile a.
eainst eighty-fiye feet on the Boston and
Albany line.
The work of the Hoosac Tunnel was COM
menced as far back as 1850 After that it
was abandoned and recommended some
tuItC VI IOul blulco MIthlil pCIlOu VI tNtu-
~ years, until in Decent Der, 1869, contract
for completing il within five years was I'M
dertak en- by the present contractors, Messrs.
Walter and Francis Stanley. Since then
the work has gone forward without inter-
ruption and with constantly improving
progress, until now the piercing of the
mountain is within few days of accom-
plishment, the distance remaining to be
excavated November being only 242 feet.
The time required TO complete the work,
including the laying of the permanent
track, will be about seven months from the
lst of December next. The Headings" are
expected TO meet-thus completing the bor-
ing of the mountain-about the 25th in
slant, and the tunnel will probably be open
for traffic by the 4th of July next.
The total length Of The Hoosac tunnel is
four miles and three quarters. 1t is TWEEN
ty-lour feet wide, that being sufficient for
double line of rails, and its height is twen-
ty-six eet. Compared with the Mont Cen
is Tunnel, after which it takes rank in
point of length (the former is about seven
miles long,, the conditions attending the
work of the Hoosac made it much more
difficult undertaking. The exigences of
the situation required that the work should
be carried out by means of shafts, of which
there are two--the west shaft about half a
mile from the western portal, and 3ls feet
deep, and the central shaft, which IL sunk
in the lowest part of the mountain between
the two ends, to the depth of l ,030 feet The
pumping of the latter alone, to allow of The
tunnel being driven east and west, involved
an expenditure of 100000. The general
character OF the work to be dealt with pre-
scented unusual difficulties 10 the progress
of the work, among the men employed up
on which were several SavUyards and Pied.
montese, who brought their Mont Gents
experience to bear upon what they all pro.
nounced TO he far harder work than they
had ever encountered in the great Alpine
tunnel. The explosive used has been chief
ly nitro glycerine, manufactured on the
spot by Mr.. G. NJ. Mowbray, whose labo
ratory il as well worth the attention OF Wis
itors rs are the tunnel works. The drillin;
has been done by the "Burleigh rock drill ,
manufactured In Fitchburg, Mass, and In
power used was the atmosphere compress
ed to u pressure of from finy-three to six
ty-fve pounds on the square inch, servin
the double purpose of working the machin
cry and supplying oxygen TO the hundred
Of men employed in tho work. From thei
commencement under the present contrac
tors the works have been carried on with
out interruption (save the twenty-fou
hours OF Sunday night and day, each da
being divided into three "shifts' Of eigh
'hours each.
The naivities of the men employed (an
for some time tho contractors had 900 o
their PAYROLL are English from Cornwall
Irish and French Canadians, with, as Ina
been already mentioned, an occasions
sprinklng of Savoyards and Piedmontes
from the Mont Cents Tunnel.
1t is estimated that the Hoosac Tune
when completed, will have cost the Stat
of Massachusetts some Sl2,OOO,OOO, includ
ing interest and sums invested in unsuc
cessrul attempts to carry on the work NJ
der State management. Practically, tn
tunnel will be of little use TO the trade
Boston until the lines leading to it ha,
been greatly improved over what they no