Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-02-19


The Callao, Lima and Oroyo Railroad has
no equal in the world for skilful engineer
ing and cost of construction. The COM
mencing 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 noun
tains. 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. and avoiding the long and
perilous trip around Cape Horn. This gi-
gantic project of scaling the mighty Andes
BY rail was first projected and is now being
carried out by Henry Meiggs, the railroad
king OF South America. tunnelling noun
tains Of solid granite and spanning streams
and passes at height from 35 to 252 feet
above their beds, almost regardless of cost.
Some idea may be formed of the cost of
construction where operations were COM
menced on level with the sea, and in a
distance of l0i1 miles the bed Of the road
has attained the unparalleled height of
Is. .6i5 feet above the level Of the sea, and
in that distance passing through ffty-eight
tunnels, measuring from 200 feet to 3. .737
feet in length. The entire length of the
road is only 1876 miles, but it cost S37 $780,
900 in American gold coin.
A second great reason for the enormous
cost Of constructing roads in this country
is the scarcity Of material. all of which is
brought here from the United States The
first bridge of importance is that which
ba a. IT,.
pier of three that support this grand piece
of superstructure is 252 feet in height,
resting on solid masonry 76 feet square and
spanning space of SIS feet Proceeding
over perilous portion Of the road wind
ing around spurs of mountains, through
long tunnels, some of which are arched only
by their mother-rock. others more artistic
ally faced by frst-cl,ss masonry. the bed
of the road forms long and rounding turns,
SO that at times there may be seen three
lines of rails lying one above the other.
At this place, also, which is situated be-
tween two thriving little towns called Surco
and Matucana. may be seen the same noun
tain tunnel twice, one tunnel being direct
ly over the other, at distance OF 80 orIlOO
feet. Passing this romantic place, still as
cending grade of los to 2ll feet to the
mile for distance of twenty-three miles.
and we reach that picturesque spot termed
in Spanish - La Infernilis." meaning in
our language The Gates Of He'll, a place
where nature has formed an opening through
the mountains, through which passes the
swift waters of the river Rimac, walled up
by solid rock to height of over 1000 feet
above the bed of the river. presenting a
face as smooth as if cut so by the hands of
skilled workmen Here may be seen dis
play of mas terly engineering in order to
overcome this colossal obstruction. In
many other places, where the maximum
grade brings the bed Of the road to a point
utterly impossible. an opportunity always
presents itself for an outlet by forming a V
and retracing the already passed-over por
ton of the road alongside of the mountain
until an elevation Is obtained whereby
pass may be effected. But at La Iniernalia
no such opportunity presents itself; con-
sequently there was no alternative bat to
tunnel the mountains Of volcanic rock or
abandon the projected route. The work was
at once begun on the south side of the riv-
er, and in order to push it more rapidly. an
entrance was begun on the river side, which
was done only BY .letting men down from
the tops of the smooth-faced wall by ropes.
thereby supporting themselves until they
drilled and blasted a foothold and entrance
This done. the work proceeded rapidly with
the aid Of the celebrated diamond drill. On
the opposite side of the river a repetition of
the same labor was soon begun. The tun-
nels being completed. the fearful chssm was
soon spanned by a magnificent iron bridge.
1t connects the two tunnels, viz :. No. 81
and 81, at height Of 200 feet above the
bed of the river, with either end resting on
natural masonry.
Again, on emerging from the opposite
side of the tunnel thirty-two, another great
obstacle presents itself. On the entrance OF
the same tunnel the bed of the track is 200
feet below that Of the road. and only few
yards from the outlet of the same tunnel |
the road bed falls several feet below the riv-
er thus an idea may be formed Of that |
tremendous fall, and with what rapidity |
the waters of tho Rimac force their way
through these mountain passes In order |
to overcome this great obstacle tunnel is |
now being built large enough for a double |
team and carriage to be driven through. in |
which will be placed 500 barrels OF powder |
at single blast. for the purpose Of blowing |
Gown the mountain, thereby making new |
bed for the river to pass. and leaving the |
old bed with small amount of excavation |
ready for the bed Of the road One other |
of I 200 barrels of powder was used. crea-
ting sensation similar to that OF an earth
quake, for many miles around its vicinity. |
Here we leave La Infernilia. that stupend-
Gus work Of nature, utilized and still more
beautiful in art, and wend our way through |
already completed tunnels, over mountains
and through river valleys. until We at last
reach the summit of the Andes. at place
called Gallera. the highest point of the
road, viz, is, ,645 feet above the sea. This
altitude is the bed OF the road, not to speak
of the many hundred feet Of rock still tow
ering above the tunnel through which pass
the iron rails.
Doubtless good many people living in
North America are under the impression
that there is little or NO snow in this part Of |
the globe but such is not the case as at this |
altitude We have perpetual snow. At this |
point the longest tunnel on the road is be- |
ing built, being ii $50 metres, or 3737 feet |
(English) in length. which has been under |
course Of ofconstructiou for about twenty-six |
months. We expect to complete it in |
about eight or ten months more. when the |
entire line will be ready for the rails The |
greatest obstacle with which the laborers |
have to contend is the rarity Of the atmos
phcre, the pressure being only eight pounds
to the square inch. The state Of Affairs is |
endured only by men Of iron constitutions:
20 to speak With the aid Of the diamond
drill, which considerably lightens the work,
We hope soon to see the tunnel ready for |
the rails.
From this point commences . gradual
descent down the east side Of the Andes
Mountains to the town Of Oroyo: The
work hero. being comparatively light, is
already completed. From Oroye other M
porrant lines Of road are socA 70 b built,
thereby opening up one Of the richest and
most 6ertile eo1ntfies Of the globe-s eose-
tryhssssoiore Wiehoat ss ostlss. except BY
mule back. ~. t.-. .e,r.s -tn
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