Smyrna times., 1873-07-02
The baltimore Tunnel.

Baltimore has just completed one of the
most stupenduous enterprises of which the
country can boast, viz: two miles of under
ground railroad. BY the expenditure of nearly
SIS, 600 system of underground communi-
cation has been constructed, by which all the
roads other than the Baltimore and Ohio are
connected together and brought to tide water,
where there are the most ample facilities for
handling large trade, at the smallest possible
cost for storage or shipment. The building of
the Baltimore and Potomac road was violently
opposed by the Baltimore and Ohio Company,
but the work proceeded, and more than year
ago it was opened for the running Of trains.
Its terminus in the city has heretofore been i'll
the extreme northwestern section, in such an
inconVenient location as to limit the amount of
its business. To do away with this disadVan-
tage, a magnificent railway tunnel has been
built, extending for mile and quarter under
the streets OF the city, connecting with the
| Union Railroad.
| The Baltimore and Potomac tunnel is, with
the exception of the Hoosac Tunnel, the larg-
est on this side of the Atlantic. 1t was built
in an exceedingly short time, over 600 feet per
month being constructed for a portion of the
route. The ground was broken upon June /,
1871, and upon the 9th of August the laying
OF the masonry was begun from that time to
the present the work has been prosecuted with
marvellous rapidity, aud the tunnel is now COM
pleted and a double track laid throughout
The force employed upon the work ranged
from 500 to 700 men at different periods, and
the expenses amounted to nearly 100000 per
month. The materials used in building are
the best that can be procured. About l,25O,- :
600 cubic feet of masonry were used in the
construction, and 100000 brick. The track
is ballasted with limestone, and laid with steel
rails. The cost of the whole work is estimated
at 50, 100000. The length of the tunnel is
1919 feet, but of this only 1869 feet comprise
the tunnel proper, a length of $50 feet being
taken up by open cuts. From its western
portal at Gilmer st. the tunnel extends through
the city in a north easterly direction, passing
under the beds of 20 streets and avenues until
it emerges at North-ave., the northern boun-
Diary of the city, close to the line of the North
ern Central Railway. OF this distance l,057
feet were "drifted," " or worked entirely under
ground. The remainder was built by excavut-
ing the ground to the required depth and then
constructing the arch, filling in afterward.
Many difficulties were met in the prosecution
OF the work, the greatest trouble being given
by water. Springs were frequently encoun-
tered, and i've steam pumps were kept con-
stantly at work. In going through the city
the cuts were necessarily made vertical, and in
many places, although the excavations were
Ihdue many Ieet from the foundations OF the
houses, the underlying earth was so disturbed
that number of cracked and sunken walls are
to be SEEN along the route. The company
were obliged to purchase seven houses for this
reason, one alone costing $50, 900. The tunnel
was built at depth of from so to 25 feet. The
arch is p feet in hight; the width 27 feet. AT
one place on the route there is an open cut
200 feet in length, which will be kept perma-
nently open. The sides will be sodded, re.
tanning wall built along from facade to facade,
and local passenger depot erected. The rear
of the building will be carried down to the bot.
tom Ct the cut by two square towers, and pas.
sengers will descend them by stairways, emerg.
ing at the bottom upon platforms extending
alongside of the railroad. Trains will run d.
rectly under the depot, coming from the tunne
into the open air.
The Union Tunnel extends from Green
mountave. on the west under thirteen street:
and avenues. 1t is built entirely of brick, five
rings being used. and is 3,4lO feet in length
234 feet wide. An inverted arch was con
structed for two-thirds of the distance, the
road bed of the remaining portion resting upor
| solid rock =.