Telegram-herald., 1891-09-13
.UNDER7HE BROAD RIVER
The st. Clair Tunnel Which Links
Us to Canada.
IT WILL Be OPENED NEXT SATURDAY
Accurate Description Of the Great En-
giueering Feat Which Connects
Pert Huron, Mich, With
earnta, Ontario.

PoRr HURON, Mich, Sept r. The
celebration of the opening of the tun-
mel under the st. Clair river. between
this city and Sarnia, Ont, will be held
next Saturday. September 10. Resi-
dents Of Sarnia and Pol: Huron will
cooperate with the railway people and
prominent government and railway Of
ficials will be present at banquet be-
meath the river.
tThe delays and dangers Of the Ger ferries
between Point Edward and Fort Gratiot the
time TO be saved In avoiding the roundabout
route, the impossibility Of bridge, urged that
the st. Clair tunnel should be made. In 1884
surveys were made and the location OF the tun-
mel placed below sarnia Drawings and plans
were made and in 1855 the 81. Clair Tunnel Com
pany was organized. That fall test shafts we're
sunk on each side OF the river Drifts stated
toward the river were abandoned in the sum-
mer OF 1881. because wafer and gas could not
be overcome The attempt was then made TO
start the tunnel from large shafts and after
ward finish the cuts. This project had TO be
abandoned New starts were made about n
quarter Of . mile back from tho river, and work
was also begun on tho approaches.
New Years, Ks9. was celebrated by begin
ming work on the great cuttings Frequent
cavints greatly delayed the work on the ap-
proaches. The American great cutting Is -
feet deep, has eu0 feet ss its greatest width I'd
iIscs one foot In fifty for 2533 feet. The Can
sdian great cutting Is c5 feet Deep IL 20 feet
ut broadsst portion and rises one foot in
nf;J for .is2 feet Hundreds Of mon were EN-
ployed In day and night gangs 1t September,
is0 two steam shovcls began work on
each side OF the river. A locomotive and train
OF Gat cars served zach steam shovel On each
side Of the permanent railway track are stone
retaining walls; at the portals feet high and
feet wide: nesr the outer ends Of the cuttings
feet high and feet w,do The earth slopes
back from these walls to the tops Of the cut
s'nss.
The hydraulic Shields we're steel and resern.
bied barrels without ends The front OF the
shield had transverse cutting edges 10 slice the
SOIL In the body Of the shield were braces and
shelves. In the rear end was the hood In
which we're built up the sections OF the tunnel
Nert Ia front OF the hood were arranged the
hydraulic tscts Each jack had valve. 30 II
could work Independently When the pressure
Was applied the shield moved forward
tue ieagb OF the pistous Of the jacks.
or about feet The men In the
f-ons OF the shield dag cut the earth and
loaded II into snail ears The psstons Of the
;acks were showed back snto their cylinders
This made rcon for Q nev section OF the tnr-
aei " be buift Then the shield was again
pushed AZ lead Whso the shteBds we're com
pIeted thsy we're slowly relied down specially
devised wooden tracks 10 their positions In the
ruftsses whence they bsrrowed e.oo feet and
net fsce 20 face. marvel of engineering and
trfauph of ufad ever matter.
The lAnerIean shie'a started ysIv n. fsss;
the Canadian September e. - They net
esscsy - IlsU .. m Aasrss s. Isp The
Anerfean progressed the fsrthess Three
saifts each 81 eight hours had pushed the
vcrk nsahf ssd fsy. The average advance ~
escs shield wss 70 feet dsv; n fe-t "a inches
vas the grestestsasy's rroeress Tse Ameri.
cen shisia bor~d - Beet; the Csssdisn
ssiels. q 60 10 fs~s
Csss frss forms tbe tunnel vsfls she lies II
CAf>s Esstnees Heh~cn. Ia the eircse - fees
ieehes n diameter. ~er> placed thirte>n sef
n>nts sd ley. Th> sesm~ss> vsre feet 70
insses freG. ~ trckes ~fd> snf . isehss
shiek. sta fr-ias nsne-. is~hes H~sp srd
~ iashss thies Essa sesmens bed tAists-