Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-03-19

mel are two ventilating tubes each 20
inches in diameter. 1t is constantly light
ed by electricity.
The tunnel will nearly drain itself.
The surface water in the cuttings will be
taken care of the portals. 1t is esti-
mated that not over fifteen gallons a
minute of water escape into the tunnel
proper. This is q small quantity for
over a mile Of linear surface. 1t will
drain into pump-shaft on the Canadian
side, 112 feet deep, down to the rock,
and fifteen feet in diameter.
The portals are big limestone blocks,
arranged 14S feet long, IS feet high, and
from 10 to feet wide, with slopng
comb. The tunnel entrance is flush with
the lining, and is twenty feet in diameter.
The portals only lettering is two lines
EST. Clair. 1890" From the portals,
on each side of the railway track, lime
stone retaining walls extend to the en-
frances of the great cuttings. AT the
portals these walls are feet high and
5 feet wide; near the beginning of the
cutting they are 5 feet high and feet
wide.
1t was estimated that the tunnel would
cost 81, 100000, plants, materials, and
labor included. Not much will be left
Of that sum. It is likely that a second
tunnel will be built beside this one. If
so, this ones plant and experience will
be quite servceable. If it is built it will
be made of cast-iron, as that has been
found to be better than masonry.
The tunnel and its approaches have a
total length of II, 1925 feet, divided as fol-
lows: Canadian cutting, 3,192 feet;
American cutting, 1883 feet; from Cana
dian portal to waters edge, 1924 feet;
from American portal to waters edge,
i,71G feet; tunnel under water, 1920
feet; total length of tunnel, 5000 feet.
Grades in the cuttings are one foot In
fifty feet, in the tunnel, one foot in 1000
feet The greatest depth of water
above the tunnel is 40 AZ feet; and the
least depth of clay above the tunnel is
3.43. The number of feet from the level
of the water to the top of the tunnel is
57.S3 feet; and the number of feet from
the level OF the water to the rock, S6
feet.
Considerable difficulty was met in
selecting locomotives for the tunnel SER
vice, Us most kinds emitted too much
smoke and gas. Coke engines have been
chosen. Each locomotive can haul two
dozen loaded cars. One engine will be
tbu OuCii olAt vi WIZ ~. \luiI ASif|As "hp
another will be kept in steam ready for
any break down.
The tunnel soil has been dumped in
the two switching yards until level
place has been graded off large enough
for twenty-five miles of Side-tracks. On
the Canadian sido huge ice house has
been built for meat cars. 1t is $40 feet
long, 30 feet high, and the same wide.
1t is parttionod into twenty seven bins,
each twenty eight feet square, and has IL
track on each side.
Although the tunnel itself was COM
pleted i'll January, 1891, with perhaps
the exception of d little plastcring, the
delay on the approaches prevents open
ing for traffic. There w II be a grand
celebration of this important interna-
tIonal occurrence. The leading officials
of the Governments of Canada and the
United States will be invited, besides
many other DISTINGUISHED people. 1t is
expected that the banquet will occur un'
der the river.
1t is probable that the Detroit River
will soon be tunneled by the Michigan
Central Railway at Detroit, and before
long the Grand Trunk will put in an
other tunnel at Port Huron. Consider
ing cost and subsequent expense, tunnels
NAV yet prove to be cheaper than
bridges.