The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-07-03
THE BALTIMORE TUNNELS.
Two Miles Of Underground Rsfl.
road Completed.

road ComPleteo.
The great need Of Baltimore has been
increased railroad facilities. Although
one Of the first cities in the country to
undertake the building Of canals and
railroads, various circumstances have
thrown her behind other cities in this
respect, and up to the present time, Of
all the railroads centering in Baltimore,
only one, the Baltimore and Ohio, has
been able to establish perfect commu'
nication with tidewater. 1t runs down
to one Of the best points in the hsrbor,
covering q considerable extent Of land
in every direction, and bringing coal
direct from the Cumberland mines to
the steamships and sailing vessels lying
at the wharves. The Northern Cen.
trail and Western Maryland roads, ter>
minating in the northern section Of
the city remained at great disad-
vantage because Of their inabil-
itv to bring coal and other products to
tide water. The Phi]s1elphis, Wil-
mington and Baltimore ended in the
eastern sectiou of the city, but
q connection was effected with the
Baltimore and Ohio, making through
line to Washington and the West, BY
running the cars throug b the streets BY
hosre power, to the depot Of the latter
company. This clumsy method has
been superseded by an extensive rail-
way enterprise. By the expenditure OF
nearly FIVE million dollars q system Of
underground communication has been
constructed, by which all the roads 9TH
er than the Baltimore and Ohio are
connected together and brought to tide.
water, where there are the most ample
facilities for handling large trade, al
the smallest possible cost for storage and
shipment. To do away with the disad-
vantage referred to, a magnificent rail-
way tunnel has been built, extending
for a mile and q quarter under the
streets of the city, connecting with the
Union Railroad.
A TUNNEL SECOND ONLY TO THE HoosAc.
The Baltimore and Potomac tunnel
is, with the exception of the Hoosac
Tunnel, the largest on this side of the
Atlantic. 1t was built in an exceeding
ly short time, over 600 feet per month
being constructed for portion OF the
route. The ground was broken upon
June 1st 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 mar.
velous rapidity, and the tunnel is now
and a double track laid
throughout. The force employed upon
the work ranged from 500 to 100 men
at different periods and the expenses
amounted to nearly 100000 per
month. The materials used in build
ing are the best that can be procured.
The springs OF the arch are of solid
masonry, rvok- faced, but dressed at the
beds and joints. The arch il built OF
Eve rings OF brick, backed up with rub
BILE masonry. At places where the bot
tom was composed of quicksands or
shifting earth Of any kind, an inverted
arch was constructed 80 as to give q
solid road bed. About 1850, 900 cubic
feet of masonry were used in
the construction. and 5000. 1000
brick. The track is ballasted with
limestone and laid with steel rails. The
cost OF the whole work is estimated at
s2, 100000. The length Of the tunnel is
1919 feet, but of this only 6,969 feet
the tunnel proper, length
of $50 feet being taken up by open cuts.
From its western portal at Gilmer street
The tunnel extends through the city in
; northeasterly direction, passing under
The beds of twenty-nine streets and
avenues until 1t emerges at North ave-
nue., the northern boundary OF the city,
close to the line Of the Northern Cen.
raj Railway. OF this distance 1857
eet were "drifed," or worked entirely
lnder ground. The remainder was
built by excavating the ground to the
'equired depth and then constructing
he arch, filling in sfterward. Many
difficulties were met iu the prosecution
II the work, the greatest trouble being |
,iven by water. Springs were frequent
y encountered, and five steam pumps
we're kept constantly at work. In gos
ng through the city the cuts were nee
'ssarily made vertical, and in many |
places, although the excavations
we're many feet from the
oundstions OF the houses, the underly-
ng earth was 90 disturbed that q
number Of cracked and sunken walls
re to be seen along the route. The
company were obliged to purchase
even houses for this reason, one alone
'osting $4,000. The tunnel was built
It depth Of from fifty TO twenty-five
eet. The arch is twenty-five feet in
Ieight; the width is twenty-seven
eet. At one place on the route there is
n open cut 200 feet in length, which
Iill be kept permanently opeB. The
ides will be sodded, q retaining wall
uilt along from facade TO facade. and q
ocal passenger depot erected. The rear
{ the building will be carried down to
he bottom Of the cut by two square
owers,asd passengers,,will descend them
y stairways, emerging at the bottom
pom platforms extending alongside OF
be railroad. Trains will run directly !
nder the depot, coming from the tun-
ell into the open cut
NESsIoys AND RoUTE OF TIE UNION
TUNNEL.
The Union tunnel extends from
avenue on the west under
1irteen streets and avenues. II 10
uilt entirely Of brick, fve rings being
sed, and is 3,4l0 feet in length, 231
.et high, and 16 feet wide. An invert.