The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-08

est point of the Simplon tunnel is 705
meters; Of the st. Gothard, 1,154 me-
tiers, and of the Mont Cents as much
as 1924 meters. The greater the hight
the more formidable the difficulties. In
winter time especially the operation OF
Alpine roads is a herculean task and
involves appalling additional expenses.
With the completion OF the new road
these difficulties will vanish. Indeed,
there is probably no part of the Alps
more admirably situated for railway
purposes than the Simplon pass. The
construction of the st. Gothard route
necessitated the building OF approaches
of magnificent proportions, the cost of
which rivaled that of the tunnel itself.
The builders Of the Simplon will be
confronted by no such necessity. On
the northern side the new tunnel starts
at the level of the valley, and on the
southern side terminates after a few
miles at the very border of the great
plain of Lombardy.
So rapid have been the strides made
by the modern engineer that this latest
engineering work will be completed in
far shorter time than any of it's pre-
decessors. despite the character of the
country. The building OF the Mont
Cents road required thirteen years; the
st. Gothard tunnel was completed only
after seven and half years; but the
engineers Of the Simplon pledged them
selves to finish the tunnel through the
pass in i've and half years; which,
In comparison with the st. Gothard,
represents reduction in cost of rs per
cent. Despite the greater rapidity with
which the work can be pushed forward,
ana the consequent saving in expense,
the tunnel will cost s55, SOC, 900.
Temperature and Ventilation.
Keenly appreciating the difficulties
which confronted the engineers of the
st. Goihard and Mont Cents routes. so
far as the provision of proper ventila-
ton was concerned, the Simplon engi-
neers have hit upon a simple and in
genious method OF improving the sani-
tary conditions within the tunnel. In
stead of constructing a single two
track tunnel, 1t was decided to build
two single-track tunnels, one of which
was to serve, when completed, as a
huge ventilating tube for the other,
still incompleted tunnel How enor-
mously this simple expedient has inn
proved the ventilation Is shown by a
comparison with the conditions that
prevailed In the St. Gothard tunnel.
The quantity of fresh air which could
be supplied to the workmen OF the ST.
Gothard tunnel was one and a half to
two cubic meters per second; in the
Simplon tunnel the laborers are sup
piled with twenty-five cubic meters.
Moreover, by the use OF sprayers. the
temperature has been so far reduced
that the Thermometers In the cuts have
never registered more than 30 degrees
C.--the maximum temperature attained
at the st. Gothard. This result Is all
the more gratifying when It is consid-
cred that many skeptical engineers
had declared that minimum temper
allure of 40 degrees &. would be met.
Disastrous epidemics occurred only too
frequently among the laborers Of the
st. Gothard. In carrying on the work
OF the Simplon comparatively few men
have reported themselves III. The as
tonishlngly small sick list may also
be partially attributed 10 the admirable
provisions made oy the company In
charge OF the work, by securing the
very best sanitary conditions. The
tunnel exits consist Of covered passage
ways. through which the laborers
pass into large bathrooms. whore they