Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-10-02
UNDER THE xouNrAus.

, NSSS9AS
the Dark subterr anean Avenue ,,
tween Gold 9Witserlsnd and Sum
Italy.
Mr.. s. NJ. Byen writes as follows [
Haypers Magazine:
4 Four of US with the engineer stood o
the little cow-catcher platform at th
front end of the engine, and were 500
hurled of into the darkness. Th
screaming of the engine whistle right 1
our ears was frightful, and the darknel
was 20 utter and the smoke % thick v
fancied we could feel them with on
handA The gases began to be almost un
bearable, and tho miscellaneous noise
throughout the tunne; something terrific
j presume our train was not tunnin1
fast, and yet it made 20 much noise, ans
the surroundings were ~ unusual, /
seemed - If / had never in my lif,
bounded along ut such rate. / has
had many strange ride, too, before, bu
never had l felt 20 completely helpless
or more likely to be snufIed out By ths
unseen should anything happen to the
rails, or to the novel machine ON which
we were riding. As We rushed BY drip
ping walls, and saw here and there
ghoul-like figures with dim lamps hiding
behind rocks or in deep inches, invol.
UNFAIRLY recalled what our conductor
had said of alglimpse Of the bowels Of
hell.
1t was impossible to speak and be
heard. l might as we'll have addressed
myself to the granite walls Of the tun.
mel as to have attempted . word to
either of my companions. Suddenly
our locomotive gave one extra, unearthly
yell, and stopped. We alighted, got our
lamps burning, and with Z little motion
on our own feet. soon felt ourselves
again. The engine sped back, screaming
and rsttling like the voices Of Millions
damned.
We now started forward in the tunnel
on foot, and as we recovered our breath,
had abundant time to look about, though
there seemed something fatally wrong
with the perspective of the picture Of
which We formed part.
The air was 30 thick, lights could not
be seen twenty yards ahead of us, and
We all walked close together for fear of
being lost or tumbling into some subter-
ranean hole.
Far ahead of us We heard the dynamite
explosions, sounding like heavy mortars
in the midst of battle. In some places
where we were walking the water waa
nearly . foot deep, and again it came
through crevasses above our heads like
April showers. Our conductor tells u
that on the Airolo side Of the tunnel the
waters have sometimes come in at the
rate of 1000 gallons per minute, and in
such torrents as TO even upset the work
men and carry away the tools. Again,
an occasional spring would burst out in
q stream a. thick - mans arm, while
the track for the drills was frequently
laid in rushing water two feet deep.
The water comes from springs in the
mountains about US, and from eternal
snow-felds lying in the sunshine thou.
sands of feet above our heads.
1t is very impressive to reflect that, u
We stand here in the dim light Of the tun.
mel, far above US are lofty mountains
and fields of snow, tumbling avalanchea
and roaring torrents. Almost above ua
are the peaks of the st. Gothard, reach
ing above the clouds; and there, too, il
the rapid, roaring river Reus, with il
leaping waterfalls, and the Devils
Bridge, where French and Austrian sol.
diers met in deadly conflict. Up there,
too, are the bright sunshine and the
cold snow of the winter, and the dill
gences and sledges filled with freezing
passengers, while We are melting under
80o Fahrenheit of heat, and the Italian
workmen arc almost naked. There, too,
above our heads, in the glistening gla-
ciers, are the first ripplings of the baby
Rhine. Behind No are the cold hills d
Switzerland. In front Of us, and Just
outside those granite rocks, il sunny
Italy. How strangely We feell
Our conductor stops N to name the
strata of rocks through which We are
walking. The frst 1000 feet ct the
Goeschenen end had been through darl
gray granite or granitic gneis; then fol.
lowed 1000 feet Of schist0us gneiss, lyina
in vertical ledges; then 500 fest Of crystal
line limestone, with here and there 4
streak Of black serpentine, followed By
500 feet of micace0us schista, and soanl
10000 feet of gnei@ rich in mica. Thil
il followed again BY D, 900 feet Of schistou1
gneiA. with threads ana Jumps OF quartz
and nearly 1000 feet Of mica schist.
ending ON the Italian hide With soma
1000 feet more Of mica schist mixed
with gneiss and rich veins OF quartz
Such were the calculations made By tn
geologists from the mountains shove tn
tunnel, and the boring 70 far has proved
these observations 70 have been pretty
Other precious ore Ia besn met vith
md even sfone ooal ~ failcA - mt r
mi apuearance. much q L would IS vel
coined by the Svisa Who have scaroelv ,
round 81 coal N thair vhnle Alnsn1
countrv.
The tunnel h.s .bout t,,e s.ma dirnen
siona except in leneth. a ~ Non,
Cenis tunnel: thst it n. in rouns
numhera "a feet IA width at sleepers. =
fset M hiSh hetvesn siesners snd oenter 3 3
Arch. n stsrts into tbe nonntsin q
noint 3. 8.689 feet above the -. ~
cnmes ant It Airoln IN the Itelisn sids
4 IN fset shove - lsv.I 4
~ US.I'~. - = !