Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1884, 1880-04-09
TUNNEL L. ] THE | !: RIVER 4. e !!

TUNNEL HI RIVER !!
"A sCHEME LIKELY SOON TO BE
COMMEECED.
An Enterprise that Will Put 5000
600 in tho Pockets Of Bismarck
ers---The Tunnel to be FIn-
ished April LIST, 1881.
PRIME NECESSITY
1t is very apparent that owing to the in
crease of business on the Northern Paci-
fic the attention of the company must
soon be turned to the important question of
show 10 cross the Missouri river" The in
crease of traffic on the extension as itreach-
es out toward the Pacific coast and the rap
id settlement of the Yellowstone valley
will soon necessitate something more ad-
equate than q transfer beat. AS the Mis-
souri, and Dakota divisions are destined
soon to become the chief divisions for
business transfer boat connecting the
two would be in this chain of Transports
ton like a half inch link in four inch
cable-unable to stand the strain. Last
winter several soundings were made with
view of estimating the cost of bridge.
1t is found that a bridge of the required
great height and length would cost at least
81, 100000. And further it is very likely
that such bridge would not be built at
the present landing as is generally sup
posed to he the calculation. This is IN
deed
SERIOUS MATTER TO BISMARCK.
It the railroad should build bridge
four or five miles north Of this city it
would not only seriously affect its growth
but would cause a removal of the steam
boat landing and probably the establish
ment of rival city. A practical remedy
for this has been suggestcd-one that Is
now agitating the minds Of the Northern
Pacific people and more than likely to be
carried into execution. The soundings of
the river bed have demonstrated the fact
that the tunneliDg of the Missouri at this
point will be comparatively easy job
and the expense a trltlc compared to thst
OF bridge.
Mr.. H. CLARK,
4 contractor on the extension, has been
east this winter and brings back some
very important figures regarding this
great work. Mr.. Clark built the Boston
water works tunnel, one Of the finest
pieces OF engineering ever known. In
the entire length OF twenty miles Of tun-
neling which lie built in that city there is
not leak Of any kind and it is large
enough in diameter to allow the passage
of horse and carriage in the clear. This
gentleman has looked the ground over
carefully and concludes that the river can
bc tunneIed for At least $750,000 or less
than onc-half the expense of bridging.
The superiority of tunnel is unques-
toned. 1t is durable and safe A per
son would feel much more secure in pass
ing through good, clean cemented tun-
mel than Oh board a train crossing a two
mile bridge, seventy feet from the water
In severe bizzerd with the wind blow
ing at the rate OF eighty miles al hour
THE TUNNEL -.
would lie 12,700 feet long, commencing
the decline in front of the Sheridan House
and ending the assertion in the streets Of
Mandan. IL would rank among the long
tunnels of the world Mr.. CLARK has had
much experience in these matters and
doubtless knows exactly what he is talk
ing about when he states that the tunnel
can he built for half what a bridge would
cost. Mi Anderson, chief gineer OF the
Northern Pacific, Is figuring on the mat
ter and thus far is convinced of the FEAST
bility of the scheme. He is now waiting
the arrival oftesling machinery W thor
oughly analyze the soil the entire length.
If the latter investigation substantiates the
preliminary Mr. Anderson will officially
recommend this mode of crossing The
incline of the approaches to the river on
each side would he the maximum grade,
fifty feet to the mile. Directly under the
river there would be level stretch three
quarters of mile long. TLctunnel would
be seventy feet below low water mark and
twenty feet below the solid bottom OF the
river.
BIO THING FOR BISMARCK.
The building of this tunnel would he the
most extensive piece VI engineering III lAc
northwest and its benefit TO Bismarck can
readily bc observed. Mr.. Clark will agree
10 have the contract finished and the road
in working order by the first Of next April.
This would necessitate The employing OF
ncarly thousand men which would be .
large item for merchants OF the city and
the farmers of the surrounding country.
1t would olso give employment to large
number of brick makers. The mater ial
for building the tunnel would nearly all
be manufactured here and IS the men
would also he paid at this city, 1T least
5000, 600 would he placed in circulation
from this source during the year in this
city. fla bridge II built pine-tenhs Of
the money will be expended in its manu-
facture east and comparatively few men
will be employed in putting it together.
General-manaycr Sargent considers the
scheme as practical one provided the
texture Of the ground is all right, which
fact will un,louhtedlybe demonstrated next
week when the testing machines are e1
pected to arrive.
Coed for Gas.
IT of tia