Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-10-29
BURIED WHERE BORN.
Death of Man Who Dug Hoosac
TunneI-IiTe of Achievements.

WEST TOWNSEND Vt. Oct 2G-Mr.
Thomas Doanr Of Charlrstown. Mass. the
eminent civil engineer. who was chief engi-
ur,r OF tine IIol-u' tunnel and who ran the
first locomotive through there has lust died
here. lie was buried in Orleans, Mass.
where on Sept. 20. 1921, he was born. Mr..
DIaur has at one tim" or another been con
ur,ted with all the railroads running out
Of Boston. but particularly with the Boston
y Maine For many wears he lived in
one of the oldest houses in Charles
town. II was az Que time owned by
Oliver Holden. tn" COMPOSER Of the
famous hvmu. Coronation who lived
there for years and died in one OF the upper
rooms. The house was numbered Pearl
street, and was the last piece Of property
in the vicinity that was kept IA the original
state. The house was never painted or re-
fitted while Mr.. Doane occupied il. he pre-
frrring TO keep it in its original condition
on account Of the historical connections.
Mr.. DOane was the son of John Doane, "A
native OF Orleans. and Polly tEldridgei
DOanr a native of Narmouthpurt His
father was a well known lawyer, served in
the state senate, AMI filed other public
positions. He was ihc originator Of forest
culture in this cUuntryaud was promoter
Of the culture Of fruit trees on the cape.
Thomas Dounc was the eldest Of eight chit
drru. His early education wa obtained ut
AN academy established hy his
father aud other gentlemen hay-
ing children to educate. Leaving
this school at the age Of ~ wears. he
spent five terms at the English academy at
Audoycr. Mass, after which he entered the
office Of samuel NJ. FELTON,, one of the most
noted civil engineers Of his time. au / "a
leading citizen of Charle-town. The career
of Mr. DOane covers a wide field Of engineer
ing usefulness and he may safely be des-
ignatei As the pioneer Of com
pressed air in this country. In fol-
lowing his profession Of civil engi-
neering and surveying he was identified in a
conspicuous manner with the Windsor,
Whit" river division Of the Vermont Central
railroad at Walpole, y. H., and the Boston
4 Maine railroad. In 1868 he built 24l miles
Of railroad on the extension OF the Chicago.
Burlington Il Quincy railroad. and located
ans. named all the towns on the extension.
While in Nebraska he established DOanr
college. at Crete. 20 miles west of Lincoln,
He was also engaged in uthrrrrouStrurtiuu Of
the Troy x Greenfield railroad. In 1873 hr was
appointed consulting and acting chief rngi-
urer of the Northern Pacific railroad. and Iu-
Gated the Pence OrvI.ie division OF the road
across the Columbia plains in Washington
territory and parts at the Missouri division
in Dakota. The entire road was built under
specifications written by Mr.. DOanr. 1t was
in his connection with the HoOsac tunnel
that Mr. Doaue devoted himself to the per
fecting of compressed air machinery. A.
chief engineer he located the line Of the
tunnel. built the dam in the Deerield river
to furnish water power for COMPRISING air,
and for machine shop, and in this work iu-
trodured nitro-glycerine and successful eler-
trir simultaneous blasting for the first time
in this country. He mad a large share in iu-
venting the pneumatic drill and their carri-
ages used there. As early as lS13, Mr..
Duane proposed n compressed air plant to
do away with the endless number of boilers
and fires that are used in closely built cities
Mr.. Doane died at a ripe old age. doing
business in the same room where he took
his apprenticeship.