The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-10-09
Inside the St. &otllard flannel.

-Four Of as with the engineer stood on
the cow catcher platform at the eud Of
the engine, and were soon hurlet of into
the darkness. The screaming Of the en-
CINE whistle right at our ears was fright
ful and the darkness was so utter and the
smoke 50 thick we fancied we could feel
them with our hands. The gases began to
be almest unbearable, and the miscellan-
eous noises throughout the tunnel was
something terrific.
presume our train was not running
last, and yet it made SO mach noise, and
the surroundings were 80 unnsual,s it
seemed sas if had never in nv life
bounded aIongs at such d rate. ] had had
many astrange ride, too, before, but new
er had. felt SO completely helpless, or
more likely to be snuffed, out by the IN
seen should anything happen to the rails.
or 10 The novel machine on which we
were rldang. \ AS we rushedsby dripping
walls, and saw here ana there ehoul1Iike
figures with dim lamps hiding behind
rocks or IN deep inches, .involuntar1lv
recalled what our conductor had said Of
glimpse OF the bowels of hell. 5@#. .
1t was impossible to speak and be
heard. ! might as we'll have addressed
myself TO the granite wallstof the tunnel
as to have attempted word to either. Of
my companions. Suddenly our locomo-t
tive gayepone extra, unearthly yell, and
stopped. We alighted, got our lamps
burning, and with a little motion on our
own feet soon felt ourselves again. The
engine sped back, screaming and rafting
like the voices of Miltons damned.
we now>started forward in the tunnel
on loot, and, as we recovered our breath.
had abundant time to look about, though
there seemed something fatally wrong
with the perspective of the pic ure of
which we formed part s 5.
The air was so 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 subterranean
hole s. a ass .s
Far aheadeof us we hear the dynamite
explosions, sounding like h,avy mortars
in the midst of battle, In Some nlacps
where we were walking the water was,
nearly f.ot deep, and again itecame
through creva sses above our heads like
April showers. Our conductor tells us
that on the Airolo side o. the tunnel the
waters have sometimes come an at the
rate OF 1000 gallons per minute. and in
suc'l torrents as even TO upset the work
men and carry away the tools. Again
an occasional spring would burst outtintp
q stream as thick as mans arm. while the
track for the Griils was reauently laif, in
rushing water two feet deep, The watery;
comes fIom springs in the mountains
ABOUT us, and from eternal snow fields
lying IN the sunshine Thousands Of feet
above.utlr heads. ssgs .5. 58
lr ls very Impressive tOIret1ect that as
we stand here in the dim light Of the
tunnel, tar above Us are lofty m ,untslns
and fields Of snow, tumblirg avalanebes
and roaming torrents. Almost above ,,s
are the peaks OF the St Gothard, reaching
above the clouds; and there, too, is the
rapid, roaring river Resss, with its leap-
ing waterfalls, and the Devils Bridge.
where French and Austrian soldiers met
IN deadly conflict. Up there, too. are
the bright sunshine and the cold snow OF
the winter, and the diIigences and sled ges
Tiled with freezing passengers, while we
are melting under 80 ? Fahrenheit OF
neat, and the Italian workraen are ai,nnsf
naked. There, TOO, above our, heads, Ia ia |
the glistening glaciers, arc the first rip
pings OF the baby Rhine. Behind lis !,
are the cold hills Of Switzerland. I'd front
OF Of Us, and Just outside those granite rocks
is sunny Italy How strangely we feeliI
Our conductor stops us to- name the
strata OF rock through which we are
walking 6. The first 1000 feet. at the
doc esc csl end has been through dask
gray granite or granite gneiss; then f1ss-
lowed lowe 1000 feet otschistous gneiss, lying
In vertical lodges; then 500 feet Of 3ergs-
.talllne limestone, with here and. there q
streak OF black serpentine. followed byI
5000 feetot micacoons schists, and some