Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-03-13
THE LONGEST TUNNEL IN THE
WORLD.

The st. Gothard tunnel. recently COM
plstsd through the Alps, constitutes n
other Of the grand triamphs Of human
skill and energy incidental to the present
century. 1t is the longest tunnei in the
world. being nine and a quarter miles in
length, exceeding that Of the Mount
Cents tunnel by nearly two miles. 1t is
Of the same size % the Mount Gents,
being &c feet wide on the track floor BY
20 feet to the center Of the roof. 1t Is
archsd and lined with solid masonry,
and gave employment to $500 persons
daily during the time OF its construction,
which occupied eight years. The work
carried on upon what il known . .
the Belgian system. the method natural
ly adopted in the excavation Of oil large
tunnels. q heading OF advanced gallery
being carried forward at the roof. fol-
lowed BY benches or slopes beneath
until the track foor level was reached.
This system was followed from both
ends Of the tunnel. working toward the
center. until the headers met and pierced
through on the morning Of February 70,
at Q o'clock. This central point Of
meeting il l42 feet higher than
tbs entrance at either end. A
double line Of track. Of the 4
feet 81 inch gauge. extends through
out the entire length, and the tunnel is
straight with the exception Of . curve
at the Italian end. This truly immense
tnnnsl cost about $40. 900. 900 and was
completed in six months less than the
time contracted for. II. Louis Favre,
Who had charge Of this grand work. died
last July. to the deep regret Of all that he
could not have lived to witness the sue
cess Of this s~tupsndous undertaking. to
which he had devoted so much Of the
best energies OF his lie.
The st. Gothard tunnel. enabling
Germany to connect her railway system
with that OF Southern Europe, will give
q great impulse to commerce and inter-
national intercourse. Should this great
work. which Prince Bismarck has
steadily fostersd. be followed by the
proposed canal from tho Baltic Sea to
the German Ocean. Germany will profit
largely both as q commercial and mill
tary nation. The tunnel enters the Alps
at Gosschensn, in Switzerland. and
emsrges at Airolo in Italy. The st.
Gothara tunnel is nearly n section ola
railroad running from Lake Lucerne in
Switzerland to Lake Masgiore in Italy.
Besides the biggest tunnel there are IL
others. the shortest Of which, Warren,
is HOG yards long. while the longest,
the Olbsre. reaches 2o27 yards. The
total length Of these IL tunnels is
very nearly 10 miles. Then there are
Ave tunnels between 900 and $50. and
25 between ITO and 900 yards, making in
all ffty.two subsidiary tunnels Of an
aggregate length OF sixteen miles. Be-
tween Immense and Goeschsnen there
will be 80 tunnels; between Airolo and
Giubiasco II. The line will DO carried
over ca bridges and viaducts. the long
est Of which. that Of Csdsnnazzo, in
Tsssin. will consist Of Eve arches each
having . span OF IS yards. The total
length OF the Gothard line will be l5l
miles, II per cent. Of IL being tunnels
and one per cent. bridges and viaducts.
In comparison with this great sngi.
nssring sohisvsmsnt our Sutro tunnel.
nearly half a. long. does not seem alto
gsther Insignificant BY any means and
the other and greater tunnels Of the
world do not suffer by comparison. Yet
. mere hole through . hill. which can DO
seen only to . limited extent at either
end. or . deep shaft whose extent toward
the center OF the earth may only be
judged BY the immense power OF the
hosting works brought into requisition
al the surface cannot be SO we'll and
properly understood and appreciated Al
an undertaking which is open to the gaze
and comprehension Of all. such as the
Suez Canal. the Panama Canal. the
Brooklyn Bridge. grand public build
ings and similar feats Of engineering
and mechanical skill. Their effect, how
ever. 10 to facilitate communication be-
tween the various sections OF the world.
bringing the people Of all nations into
closer communion and interchange OF
ideas, and tending to general unihca-
ton and the pursuit Of mutual conmer.
cial inferasf naaee md nroaneritv