Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-10-28

10 the center line Of the tunnel, and
from this point turn a right angle and
start the east aud west drifts. From
the above mentioned statement It will
be seen that the difficulties encountered
In making the survey were much
greater than those connected with the
Hoosac Tunnel, the shaft Of the latter
being exactly on the line Of the tunnel
itself. The longest diameter Of the
Hoosac shaft il q feet. and Is placed in
the line Of the tunnel so that this line
could be projected directly In the line
of the tunnel and then be prolonged
both ways. The longest base line that
could be projected down the Sutro
Tunnel shaft was six feet eight inches
in length, provided that II plumb
bob Is hung down the shaft, while the
other Is hanging down In the hoist
shaft, but the pump shaft Is almost en-
tirely filled with the steam pipe, ex-
haust pipe. pump column and Its
braces, and a ladder way. Plumbing
down the shaft was not considered re-
liable, as the wire might touch at
some point or another the shaft also
being so hot from the exhaust steam as
to prevent an inspection Of the plumb
bob, therefore, the hoist shaft giving a
base line Of three feet, n inch In
length, had to be depended upon for
projecting the line Of the tunnel down
In the bottom Of the shaft. The slight
est variation made, V e on the sur
face In this short base line, would re-
suit disastrously In throwing the east
drift q long way off the true line.
Approaching the difficulties PREV,
ously enumerated, the Sutro Tunnel
Company cast about for a civil engi-
neer equal TO the emergency, and
eventually were fortunate enough to
enlist In the enterprise Mr.. II. Schuss-
Ter, Chief Engineer Of the Spring Val.
lev Water Company, and still later Of
the Virginia and Gold Hill Water
Company. Mr.. Schussler entered up
on his work with his usual energy and
ardor. Under his careful and accurate
surveying the drifts have been run
straight as any arrow"
We are enabled to state that all the
difficulties referred to in the foregoing
article, are overcome, and the connec-
ton which has been so much talked OF
In professional circles. Is ua fdit accom-
pH. Aud right here we may state that
even the most skilled civil engineers,
we'll acquainted with the subject,
deemed a difference in the connection
of from two to five feet, q very close
hit. As we previously predicted, MIR.
Schussler was equal to the task.
At 10 minutes Of IL o'clock A. NJ, on
the 9th of October. the two drifts met.
In the afternoon Of the same day MIR.
Joseph Aron, President, and Mr..
Hooper, Director, who were present at
the time the connection was made, Tor
warded a message to Mr.. Adolph Sutro,
London, of the following wording:
.SurRo, October q, ISIS
schussler connected tunnel TO- day. Grade
within \ inch; center line; Z inehi ,pov,
ISigned) JosErh AnoN.
On the Saturday previous a dispatch
was sent to the President in San Fran
cisco, to leave there for Virginia on
Sunday morning. and thus this gen.
tleman with a party Of others inter-
estcd In the enterprise, arrived at the
| Tunnel Just In time to witness the
great event.
Early In the morning on Monday
Mr.. Schussler sent his old chairman,
John Higgins (who has followed his
| foo: steps for ten years and helped to
make five tunnel connections during
that timeL over to shaft No. l TO meas
| ure the progress made since Saturday
| morning. He came back In b~rcathless
haste aud reported that the rock had
| during the last forty-eight hours turn
| ed softer. and that q progress OF about
four feet more than was anticipated
had heen made. Upon hearing this
unexpected but favorable news, MT.
Schussler exclaimed excitedly, "Ihey
are within three feet of one another"
He called young Ross Browne, his
assistant, aud both rushed Into the
tunnel I'D to the face OF tile header.
Fifteen minutes after their arrival, q
cartridge Of giant powder being placed
in a drill hole in the center OF the face
and ignited, blew q hole about ten
inches square through the remaining
barrier OF rock.
The excitement caused by this event
WAS intense and the shifts OF mineri
and foremen who were gathered In the
respective faces, gave vent to their JOY
In an ~unearthly yell that made the OLD
mountain ring. at the same time Schus'
sler, Browne, and Jackson. the fore
man, rushed forward and shook handi
through the opening, with Bob De
Noon, the Mining Superintendent o.
the company. Mr.. Brew, foreman al
Shaft No. /, and all the boys on che
shift. Enough rock was then knocked
off with a pick to enlarge the apper'
ture sufficiently to allow the met to
crawl through from n drift to
the other. As a matter OF course
a drink was had all around
The draught through the opening at the
time was almost strong enough 70
force a man through itSinto the oppo,.
site drift. At this juncture the Presi'
dent. Mr.. Aron, Mr.. Hooper and MI
Clark. who had Just arrived from San
Francisco. together with Mrs. Sutro.
Mr.. Stafford and Mr.. Pitchford, arrived