The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-20
A TUNNEL UNDER PIXIES PEAK
CRIPPLE CREEK AND COTOp.,
SPRINGS TO~BE CONNECTED

The Tunnel viii Cost S1OO Pc
10 Be Paid For by the Minerals
Found in the secret Pockets of a.
Notwithstanding of "A Rocky Inn
mel.
Cripple Creek, June 17.-Anotber ei,o.
tic undertaking mas been begun for tbi,
country of great enterprises. The INV,
States is so large and of such varied far
nation that it must of necessity he cen
turtles before a perfect system of comnrrt
cation can be established Bur win -.
rapidly with which new and great mo
chanical enterprises are entered unon N.
completion of an ideal traffic system will
be accomplished here more rapidly than !,
could be anywhere else under the sun
The "forty-niners' who trudge5 scro.,
the continent, actually leading their team,
through the winding passes Of the Rock-
les, would have ridiculed, as we now da.
ride air travel, the idea of crossing bv
train according to timetable as infauibIa
as the sun. If it wasn't for Pixies Peak
there'd be some hope" one Of them said
to the first railroad surveyor who went
over the mountains with his line.
The railroad has long been an accom-
plished thing. 1t has to wind around Pixies
Peak, it is true, and go fifty miles out Of
its way before it comes back 10 tba
straight line again. But it does it with
skill, passing over and through some Of
the widest and most marvellous scenery
known in railroad travel. The CANYONS Of
Colorado, the mountain sides and the tres
sells are world famous.
They are now beginning a work that
while 1t may rob the Colorado Journey Of
some of its scenery, will be one of the
most important steps in the cross-coun-
try travel which the forty miners began.
This is the work of tunnelling under
Pixies Peak.
Those who are familiar with Colorado
know that it is crossed by three ranges
of the Rocky mountains. These are sepa- i
rated by plateaux of great hight, which
form the natural parks" for which Col
orado is famous. Above the parks rise the
mountain peaks piercing the heavens on
either side.
One of these peaks at one time thought
TO DO the highest, was climbed by Mai
Pike in 1906 and named after him. Moth
ing more was known Of it until the Path
hnder,' Col. Fremont, visited it in 49,
and took observations from its sides at
an altitude of 1900 feet. In 1858 settlers
located upon the Peak looking for gold
which was found there in some abundance
and formed little settlements, one of which
is now the fiourishing town of Victor.
Inc Peak, unfortunately for settlers is
located in the midst of the richest known
spot IN the world. Here are found woods,
ores, stones and every mineral that has
ever been unearthed. Its natural re-
sources are such that, in spite of the diff
Guilty OF road construction there are more
paths-railroad, wagon and foot-running
around Pixies Peak than can be counted in
any two states in the union
The profit to be gained by a further
development of the natural resources Of
the Peak was the motor power which set
IN action the present enterprise Of dig
ging tunnel under Pixies Peak.
IL has just been begun, under gigantic
by the employment of two i'm
mense gangs of workmen, who are now
excaVating at the rate of thirty feet a
day. 1t is proposed that one tunnel shall
run In a straight line under the noun
tain, and that other tunnels shall branch
out from the main one, coming out at
9unol, victor, Gillette and the other towns
upon or near the mountain.
The most important tunnel will unite
Cripple Creek and Colorado Springs con-
Meeting them by railroad only sixteen
niles in length. The trip frem the Springs
o the Creek can then be made in half
IN hour. instead of the average of two
hours now necessary.
The starting point Of the main tunnel
where the men are row working is at the
DOT of the mouI % in leading up to
likes Peak, near the old town Of Colorado
lily. From here it runs almost due south
vest The further end of the tunnel Is
L the edge of the mountains at Four-Mle
reek in Fremont county, Colorado six
niles south of Cripple Creek, and near su-
ol
The main tunnel will pass directly un.
er the cone of Pixies Peak, at a depth or
early 1900 feet and 200 feet beneath the
own Of Victor. Most Of this lies directly
nderneath the Cripple Greek district at
n average depth OF $500 feet.
The expense Of excavation is about 500
err foot, but 1t is certain that this expense
I'll be fully met by the minerals that are
rought out IN the process Of excavation
erhdps In the secret pockets of the noun
lin lies diamond mine, a suppostlon not
all improbable
The contracts for the work read that
lall be completed Jan. ]. 1901
Allen G.. Hungerford