The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-12-11
THE HoosAc TUNNEL.
From the ROstOn Post OF Nov. 81.


The twenty years of working and
waiting for the tunnellfng of the
HoOsac are fitly ended to-day, a day
of Thanksgiving 10 the Common
wealth. The Messrs. Shanly will let
the light through the mountain, and
on the 4th day of July next they will
have the first train of cars moving on
their long sabtePranean journey. The
Deerfiell and Ho0sac valleys will
thus be brought down to tidcwater.
The prophecy of Col. Leavitt, of
Charlemont. uttered in October, l847.
that the ambassador from ST. james
to Canton would pass up the Deer
field valley, Is certain TO become . re-
alizqtion. In such struggle with
physical power time and expense are
soon forgotten, and nothing now re-
mains but the grand accomplishment.
The Tunnel has been the but of in
credulous writers for many year,
and under the futile Haupt contract it
was even charged with being design
ed depletion of the State Treasury. in
the interest of faYorites widely scat
tered. The Elaupt contract paved the
way for that of the Shanlys, who, by
| final success, will always be identified
with work that is. worthy monn-
ment for any man. The State will
have paid for the Tunnel, when COM
pleted, the estimated sum of twelve
millions of dollars, which includes the
cost OF the road also or, say $12,3S0,- =
600, besides several hundred Thousand
dollars for miscellaneous expenses.
The c Ist of the Tunnel alone is much
less there is TO be allowed S4S0,OO0
advanced to Haupt g. CO., which went
into the road the purchase money for
the Southern Vermont road, 100000 !;
$642,072 expended by the COInmis-
sioners on the eastern section of the
road, to the close of 1858; an appro-
priation of $250,000 for the western
section; and 100000 for the ap-
proaches leaving the actual cost of
the Tunnel itself about ten millions
of dollars.
The mountain being pierced to-day,
there remains SS00,O00 of the Stale
/ appropriation still I'd be expended, of
which the railroad will take $50, 500
| The rock excavated from the tunnel
| has been used in the construction of
the road from the portal to the station.
OF the destiny of this grand modern
enterprise it is unnecessary to speak.
That Massachusetts is to reap an in
calculable benefit is the conviction OF
more than those who lave unwaver-
ingiy advocated aud advanced the
project from its inception. Il is the
highway from the lakes to the sea.
Boston will feel the new impulse as If
another artery of life had been intro
dueed into her commercial being. The
Hoosac determines for all time the inn
portauce of this part to the continent
and the world. 1t is long stride on
the road to commercial prosperity,
such as the mind cannot all at once
measure. And through Boston all
New England will receive its i'm
mense advantage, and the tunnel will
ever be cherished as a gigantic agent
of its prosperity and power. Through
the opened Hoosac the tides of COM
merce are to flow without cessation.
1t is to be the road to the West. The
products of the prairies will come
! down TO the sea for export through its
massive gateways, and the races of
Europe, as well as the results OF New
England manufacture, will return by
the same way for distribution over
the continent. Aud Boston is to sit
the commercial agent and umpire,
sending aud receiving, planning and
executing. while wealth seemingly
endless is poured into her capacious
| Ian,