The Russellville Democrat., 1879-11-20
THE SIMPLON TUNNEL.
Another Great Engineering Feat Soon to
 be Undertaken.

Another Great Engineering Feat Soon to
 be Undertaken.
 The engineering enterprise of the pres ent age is so great that there is nothing extraordinary in the fact that even be- fore the St. Gothard tunnel is completed it is contemplated commencing third gigantic tunnel through the Simplon. A company for the construction of this tunnel and the railways in connection with it was formed in 1874, and it has already laid down the line from Laus- annce through the valley of the Rhone to Brieg, at the foot of the Simplon. The French ministers together with NJ. Gam betta and also president Grevy, are very anxious that this colossal undertaking should be proceeded with without delay, and 1t Is affirmed that the French gov bers for grant of 4S,000,000f for this purpose. It is also asserted that the Italian government is disposed to under take the construction of line from Isili, at the foot of the Simplon, which will bring the tunnel into connection with the Italian railway. This line. it is es- timated, will cost some 28,000,0 Con- corning the tunnel itself the following details are taken from the records of the posts and telegraphs. Though the Sim plon tunnel will be longer than either the Mont Cenis or the St. Gothard tun- nel, 1t Is thought that it's construction will no be more difficult. The entrance to the St. Gothard tunnel is situated at an altitude of l,l52 metres above the level of the sea, and the Mont Cenis tunnel at l ,560 metres. The entrance to the Simplon tunnel will be situated con- paratively low, and the railway leading 10 1t from Lausanne is quite straight, with an incline in no case greater than one in 100. On the northern slope, how ever, the incline will be greater-l3 in 100. In consequence of the low position of the tunnel, the work will not be sub Ject to such constant interruption by the snow as has been the case with the Mont Cenis and St. Gothard tunnels. The Rhone on the Swiss, and the Riviera on the Italian side will furnish the neces- sary water power for the boring, and, thanks to the warmth of the climate of the canton of Wallis, it will not be me- cessary to suspend operations even in the most rigorous season. The tunnel wiil be even longer than the St. Gothard, as this latter is but l5 kilometres in length, whereas the Simplon will be lSI kilometres long. Geologists are pf the opinion that the stone of the Simplon is less hard than that of either Mont Cenis or St. Gothard, and it is calculated that the boring can be proceeded with at the rate of ten metres per day, so that the tunnel will probably be completed in six, or at most seven, years from the date of its commencement. The esti- mated cost of the tunnel is 80,000, ,000f. "A 900 ,000f. for the tunnel itself, making 4,000, ,00Of. per kilometre. This estimate may be considered little high in com parison with the St. Gothard tunnel, which is being constructed for 2,50O, ,000f. per kilometre; but l,000,000f. will be expended on the completion of the road to the mouth of the tunnel, and 5,000, ,000f on the building of large international station at Brieg. Only small portion of the S0,000, ,000f which will be necessary for the carrying out of this enterprise will be raised by public subscription-that is to say, only l3,500,- 000f The remaining 66,500,000f will be granted to the company as follows: The Swiss government will subscribe 4,500,- O00f.; the canton of Waadt, 5000, ,O00f.; the canton of Wallis, l,000,000f; the cantons of Berne, Freiburg and Geneva, 3,000,000f; the Swis Western railway company, 5,000,000f., and France, 4s,- 000,000t