Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-24
THE ALPINE TUNNELS,
New One to Supersede the SimpIon
and Mont Cents.
From the Paris Messenger.

From the Paris Messenger.
All visitors to Italy, passing through
Switzerland, have seen with wonder and
delight the St Gothard railway, which ex-
tends from Lucerne to Chiasso. Travers-
ing. as it does, the Alps in its passage. and
embracing nearly 100 tunnels. of which
that at the summit is nine and half miles
in length, it has justly been considered one
of the greatest engineering feats in the
world. As it forms the direct line of com
munication between Italy and Germany. its
traffic has not only grown to very large
proportions, but the return to the share
holders is equally large and satisfactory
The other great tunnel through the Alps
which was constructed at an earlier date
Is the Mont Gents. This tunnel at an alti-
tude of 4.241 feet above the sea Is nearly
eight miles In length, and was also, in its
day, considered a marvellous undertaking;
but, unfortunately. although most solIdly
constructed and capable of carrying a large
traffic, it is, owing to the war of tariffs ex-
listing between France and Italy, but little
used
But now a third tunnel-that under the
symptoms not only proposed, but its con-
struction has already commenced This
railway will form the most direct COM
muncation between Berne, Lausanne and
Geneva to Domo d Assola Milan and the
north of Italy, and it has the great advan-
tage of being on a low level. While the
altitude of the st. Gothard is $3.50 feet
above the sea. and that of the Mont Cents
is 4 ,24l feet, the Simplon is only 2312 feet.
In other words, the heavy traffic will pass
through the Alps at lower level, by some
LAY feet, than in the case of the St Goth
ard Another great advantage it will pos
SesS Is that the approach on the Swiss side
will be of the simplest character The
Jura-Simplon railway has its terminus at
Brieg in the Rhone valley. and the tunnel
mouth will be on the present level Of and
at a short distance from, the end of the eX-
listing sidings of Brieg station. The length
of the tunnel will be twelve and a half
miles, the Italian end being at Isele The
maximum gradient will be in 49, and the
work will consist of two parallel tunnels
each for one pair of rails-at a distance
apart of about fifty feet.
This tunnel has been proposed for some
years, but it was for long time considered
impracticable. The great advance. within
the last few years, of engineering science
has. however, convinced thinking men not
only that it is feasible. but that it will
possess very considerable advantages over
the other tunnels. The profitable results
of the st. Gothard no doubt stimulated its
promoters to proceed, and the great rail-
way company Of SwitZerland-the Jura-
Simplon Company-has- taken the matter
in hand Many and great were the objec-
lions raised by its opponents, and the Swiss
government wisely decided that, before
committing themselves in any way to its
execution, they would obtain the opinions
of a commission of experts on tunnel con-
struction and ventilation. They had al
ready the reports of their own able and ex-
perienced engineers, but they decided to
seek advice from sources which would be
absolutely disinterested and impartial.
They applied to the governments of Eng
land, Italy and Austria to nominate an en-
gineer one from each country. Mr.. Giusep-
pc Colombo, member of the Italian parlia-
ment for some time minister OF the treas
ury of Milan, was chosen by that country.
Mr.. Francis Fox, member of the lnstitu-
ton of Civil Engineers, was nominated by
the board of trade, while Herr Wagner,
one of the government inspectors, and also
an engineer of the Great Arlberg tunnel,
was the Austrian representative. These
three gentlemen sat in Berne for two
three weeks, and, having visited the site
way, presented a report unanimously in
dorsing the views Of the Jura-SimplOn rail-
way Company and their able advisers.