Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1881-12-08

to dof my waterproof as well rs my
coat, felt hat and tie. - NJ ZOllinger
himself donned rough garb. and then
needed his spectacles to even family
distinguish him from any ordinary
''navvy. With greasy cap and we'll
oiled and tarred blue linen blouse, /
mounted the little locomotive, which
was TO transport our train to the point
where the compressed air locomotive
would relieve it As We scrambled into
the corners of the dirty machine. 1
could not help contrasting NJ collin
gers equipment and means of making
his rounds of inspection with
those which an American engineer
would have sported in like
circumstances. The latter would have
invented natty dress, suitable for the
work. yet readily distinguishable from
the workmen's garb; then he would
have had light steel hand-car, with
cushioned seats for three persons and
cranks for two men to work the ma
chine behind him. This car could be
easily lifted off and on the track when
trains were encountered, and the engi-
neer would have made his rounds in
one-quarter the time and with one tenth
the physical wear and tear of the St.
GOthard member of the fraternity.
The tunnel is perfectly straight from
end to end. and the engineers met each
other SO accurately that their center
lines were within hands breadth of
an exact coincidence. As the headings
approached each other, the explosions
of dynamite were distinctly audible
through nearly 400 meters G, 1925 feet)
of intervening rock. The total length
is fifteen kilometers (nine and one-third
nliies). The grade ascends uniformly
from Goschenen to the summit of the
tunnel, which is l.154 meters above the
sea level. and fOrty-five meters Q4Ss
feet) above Goschenen; while it is only
nine meters above the mouth at Airolo
The ascent from Goschenen to the sum-
init is 5.S2 per cent. while the descent
to Airolo is l. % per cent. The summit
Of the tunnel is 800 meters (Sg0 feet)
below the surface at Andcrmatt. and
1000 meters (6.600 feet) beneath the
peak of kastelhorn, of the ST. Gothard
group. This tunnel summit is
1,15f meters, the Mont Gems
Tunnel summit is 1883 meters. and
the Pacific Railway summit is 2.5l3
meters above the sea level There are
no air shafts in the St. Gothard Tunnel.
the two entrances being the only open
ings- When the mechanical operations
cease inside, and the many existing OBJ
structlons to a free passage of air, such
as scaffoldings. heaps of debris and I'M
finished parts near the center, are done
away with, there will be nothing I'M
pleasant in the PASSAGE through this
tremendous tunnel, which is 200
meters Zone and five-eighths of a mile)
longer than that through Mont Gems.
The engineers assert that the tunnel
will be ready for traffic by the lst of
january next. although the whole line
from Lucerne to Biasca will not be
opened until next July. Although this
great enterprise is successfully APP
preaching completion, and that is the
best evidence of good management,
there is room for some improvement in
what may be called the niceties of con.
struction. The means of access to the
tunnel could be advantageously i'm
proved. There is too much DELAY in
getting the shifts of men to their work,
much valuable time being lost at the
points where they have to change tr,ins.
Another thing struck me as being desir-
able. There was certain absence of |
clearing up the completed portions of !
the tunnel. and this, of course, neces-
states needless expense in sending |
gangs. of men to places where there !
should be nothing to do There is |
nothing TO prevent ballasting being /
finished wherever the tannel is COM |
pleted. and the temporary track, trans |
ferred TO this improved surface, would |
be much safer. and fewer accidents,
loss of life. and money, |
would occur. Thare is also an absence |
OF scientiiic methods oflighting the great
passage. Money would have been saved |,
by moro general system of ,iIhyuirs-