New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-05-07
kAiIrORG OH the Andes.

Henry }. schenck, engineer Of the road
furnishes the following interesting informa-
tion in recent letter from Lima:
The Callao, Lima and OrOyO railroad has
40 equal in the world for skillful engineer
ing and cost of construction. The com
menclng point is at the city of Callao, on
the coast Of Peru whence it runs north and
east and terminates at the town of Oroyo,
on the east side of the Andes mountains,
there making close connections with the
head waters OF the Amazon river, thereby
making speedy conveyance and cheap
transportation for commerce and the
travelling public across the continent of
South America, aud avoiding the long
and perllous trip around Cape Horn.
This gigantic project of scaling the mighty
Andes by rails was first projected and
Is now being carried out by Henry Meiggs,
the railroad king of South America, tunnel
ing mountains Of solid granite, and spanning
| streams and passes at heights from thirty
five to 252 feet above their beds, almost
irrespective Of coat. Some idea may be
formed OF the cost of construction where
! operations were commenced on level with
the sea and in a distance of 104la miles tbs
bed OF the read has attained the unparal-
leled height OF l5,615 feet above the level
of the sea. and in that distance passing
| through fifty eight tunnels measuring from
l.
| length OF the road is only 1856 miles, but it
| cost S37 $50, 900 in American gold.
Alta place which is situated between two
| thriving little towns called Surco and Matu-
cana may be seen the same mountain tun-
neled twice, one tunnel being directly
above the other at distance of ninety or
lO0 feet. Passing this romantic place, still
ascending grade OF I05 to 21l feet to the
mile for distance of twenty three miles,
and we reach that picturesque spot, termed
IN Spanish "El lnfiernillo," meaning in our
language ''1he Gates of He'll" a place
where nature has formed an opening
through the mountains. through which
passes the swift water of the river Ri,nac,
walled up by solid rock to a height of over
1000 feet above the bed of the river, pre-.
sentlng face as smooth as if cut by the
hands Of skilled workmen.
Here may be seen a display of mastery
engineering IN order to overcome thus
colossal obstruction. In many other places
where the maximum grade brings the bed
OF the road to point utterly impossible.
an opportunity always presents itself for
an outlet by forming U and retracing the
already passed over portion of the road
alongside OF the mountain until an eleva-
ton is obtained whereby pass may be-
effected. At Ell Iniernillo there was no
alternative but 70 tunnel the mountains
OF volcanic rock or abandon the pro.
jected route. The work was at once
commenced on the south side of the
river, and in order to push it more
rapidly An entrance was commenced on
the river side, which was done only bv |
letting men down from the tops of the |
smooth faced walls by ropes, thereby sup
porting themselves until they drilled and |
blasted a foothold and entrance. This done. |
the work proceeded rapidly with the aid of |
the celebrated diamond drill. And on the |
opposite side OF the river a repetition of the |
satpe labor was soon commenced. The tut |
nels being completed, the fearful chasm was |
soon spanned by magnificent iron br;t,c" |
1t connects the two tunnels, viz: Nos. 3. |
and 81, at a height OF 200 feet above the bed |
of the river. with either end resting on nat |
ural masonry.
Again on emerging from the opposite of !
side OF the tunnel thirty two another great !
obstacle presents itself. On the entrance |
OF the saTe tunnel the bed of the river IA |
200 feet below that of the road, and onlv a |
few yards from the outlet of the said tuhnei |
the road bed falls several feet below the
river, thus an idea may be formed OF the |
fall. ard with what rapdity |
the waters of the Rimac force their way !
through these mountain passes. In order |
to overcome this great obstacle tunnel is
now being built, large enough iOr double
team and carriage TO be driven through.
IL "Aiou Will 10 O'U OdrfelB OF
powder at single blast for the purpose Of
blowing down the mountain, thereby
making new bed for the river to pass, and
leaving the old bed with q small amount of
excavation ready for the bed of the road. !
One other of 1000 barrels of powder was
used, creating sensation similar to that of
an earthquake for many miles around its
vicinity. Here we leave "El Intiernillo,"
that stupendous work of nature. utilized |
and still haanfifiaH hvo rt ov,l i |
our way through already completed tun-
nels, over mountains and through river
valleys, until we at last reach the summit
u the Andes at place called Gallera, the
highest point of the road, viz: Is. GAS feet
above the sea. This altitude is the bed of
,he road, not to speak IF the many hundred
eet OF rock still towering above the tunnel
through which pass the iron rails
Doubtless great many people living IL |
North America are under the impression |
hat there is little or nc snow in this part of
he globe, but such is not the case, as at
his point we have perpetual snow. AG this
'olDt the loo gest tunnel on the road is beng
,nilt, being ] lao metres. or 3737 feet Eng
lshl in length, which has been under course
# construction for about twenty-six |
nonths. We expect to complete it in about
light or ten months more, when the entire
Inc Will be ready for the rails. The great |
ct obstacle with which the labOrers have to
ontend with is the rarity Of the atmos-
here; the pressure being only eight pounds
0 the square inch. The state Of affairs is ! j.,
injured only by men of iron constitutions.
o to speak. With the aid of the diamond
rill, winch considerably lightens the
York. we hope soon TO see the tunnel ready | {
Or the rails.
From this point commences gradual de-
cent down the east side Of the Andes
fountains to the town of Oroyo. The
.ork here being comparatively light is
lready completed. From Oroyo other i'm
ortant lines of road are soon to he built, =
hereby opening up one of the richest and
lost fertile countries Of the globe, coun- ,
y heretofore without an outlet, except by | {
ule back.