Connecticut western news., 1883-10-03

next tram to North Adams, we LOOK stroll through that beautiful city. There are many large manufactures and they are all very busy this fall. The popula- tion is 5000. Merchants all reported trade brisk. The stores are mostly fine
 brick buildings. The streets are wide and kept neat and clean. We called at the office of the Singer sewing machine and found the agent, MT John Brady, al his desk. He was very busy, but had time to sec strangers. The store is in q large block of brick buildings and well stocked with new machines.
 Taking leave of MT Brady and passing up the main street, we noticed a large block of new brick buildings nearly done. The churches are large and very fine, but, our time being nearly up, VIC made our way back to the depot. Arriv. ing there, the bell rang and the conduc- tor shouted ''all aboard, " so we stepped in the cars and off they went.
 The valley is not very wide and you could see many cattle and sheep pastur- ing in the valley and also on the noun tain side. The pasture in the valley was very fine and at every turn there was something new; factory here and 8 mill there on almost every curve. The mountains reach as far as the eye can see. Following these mountains, at length we came in sight of Grey Lock mountain, 164O feet above the level of the sea. It is the highest mountain in Massachusetts.
 We arrived at North Adams late in the afternoon and took walk after tea to see the town. Passing through one street after another, we came to the churches where the bells were ringing out on the clear air. Being near one of the finest churches we went in. It proved to be the Baptist church, one of the finest, if not the finest, in the city.
 In the morning we first visited the large shoe factories. The first one we entered was that of H. T. Cady, where the work is all done by machinery. They employ from 15O to 175 hands and the pay roll is over $3,o00 per month. The foreman in this shop took @ great interest in showing us through all the It is busy place, some sewing, some begging, some cutting. In fact North Adams is great manufactur- ing city. The houses are very neat and some of the streets are very fine, with large and fine houses.
 We then drove with our fancy little gray horse way up on the mountain side, turning and winding around the mountain. At every turn there was a new view. At last, gaining the desired spot, we stopped little gray and the view was grand. Looking down on that busy city, North Adams, you could sec people hurrying to and fro, truck men carting great loads of boxes of dry goods to the depot for shipment to the city of New York. We heard rumbling sound, and, looking down the valley, there was sight that we never saw be- fore long train of cars way down in the valley, twisting and turning like 8 the shrin whistle echoing through the mountains, the bell ringing at the crossings. Then we started for the other side of the valley on the side for another and grander view. As far as the eye could see the rose to the clouds. Winding down the mountain side, at last we came to the entrance of the Hoosac tunnel. Tying our little gray we went, or rather climbed, down to tho track. Looking in the tunnel, you could see little sig nal light. One of the workmen came along and, asking him some questions, he said that he would pilot us in the tunnel where the gang of men were at work and that the foreman would give us all the information we wanted and we accepted his offer It was a dark walk, but on we went. At last we came to the gang of workmen with their lights to work by. Looking to where we came from you could just see small light, but looking the other way it was pitch dark. We found the foreman 8 very clever man. He answered all our ques- tions and gave us large stock of valua- ble information.
 A pathway five miles in length through Hoosac mountain has been made. You can get some idea of the immense work necessary to accomplish this great undertaking from the fact that more than million tons of rock have been excavated and in portions of the tunnel, where arching became neces- sary, more than 2O,OOO,OOO brick were used. At 8:07 on the afternoon of No- vember 27, 1873, the final blast between the two headings of the Hoosac tunnel was fired and an opening eight feet square was made between the central and western sections. Thus an uninter- rupted passage was effected through Hoosac mountain. Long years of weary toll were this day crowned with success, and as the deafening thunder from the explosion died away, a shout announcing the successful opening between the headings rang from the crowds assem- bled in the sections. The widest en- thusiasm prevailed, a headlong rush fol- lowed, each eager to be the first who should step through the opening.
 The Hoosac mountain is part of the Green mountain range, extending through the western part of Massachu- setts. The tunnel was first proposed in 1919, but at this time nothing of i'm portance was done. In 1925, board of