New-York tribune., 1901-09-22
THE SIMPLON TUNNEL.
PROGRESS OF A GREAT ALPINE WORK
MODERN METHODS USED


try) in the Valley of the Rhone. some seventy
two miles above the Lake of Geneva. At this
point the high mountains either side
close to one another, leaving in places but 4
narrow valley through which the river in course
of ages has cut itself passage.
In order that a correct idea of the task may
be given it will be desirable to recapituate very
briefly what has already been done in the way
of tunnelling the Alps. The Mont Cents Tunnel
has length of nearly eight miles, and all trains
have to attain altitude of 4.2iS feet above
the sea level The Arlberg is six and one-third
miles in length. with height of 300 feet. The
st. Gothard is nine and one-third miles with Il
maximum altitude of 3ISS feet. The Simpion
Tunnel, now in rapid course of construction viii
be twelve and one-quarter miles in length, but
with the great advantage the others that
its traffic has not to be taken to greater alti
tude than 2,314 feet above the sea level 1,4It
feet less than in the case of the st. Gothard
In other words the level of rails at their highest
point is only sixty feet above the present rail-
way at BriSue station. that costly ap-
proaches nor helical tunnels required to gain
access to the tunnel at its north end will
the haulage of trains be SO heavy in the
of the other tunnels
The work will at first consist of one single line
tunnel. lined with masonry throughout, and
parallel passage or heading ten feet in width
| by eight feet in height, preparatory to a second
tunnel. placed fifty-six feet apart axis from axis.
When the traffic necessitates a second tunnel it
can be completed for about one-third of the cost
| of the first tunnel. The experience gained dur
| ing the construction of the previous tunnels is
| being turned to very good account, and is re-
sulting in great saving of life. in much greater
comfort for the men, and in greatly abbreviat-
| ing the period of construction
BY the end of the present month, August the
aggregate length of mountain pierced will be
about 9S6S metres. 10 100 yards, out of a
total distance of 1870 metres 21 .56f yards:
| thus rather more than half the distance will
probably have been pierced; The work was be-
gun toward the end of 1898 during which year
! the progress was AL yards: by the end of 1899
the distance attained was 422I yards; by De-
| cembcr 1000, 1911; and by the end OF this
month August it will be about 10 100 lineal
| yards.
The rock through which the tunnel is being
driven is exceedingly hard consisting of granite
and gneisS. with veins Of white quartz but in
! consequence of the adoption OF the Brandt drill
/ the galleries on the north side being ad-
vanced daily by distance of no less than p
| feet ) inches, an unprecedented result and GER
/ tany four to five times what has eyer been At
tained in tunnels in Great Britain through SINH
! lar material. The drill is three inches in di-
ameter. slowly rotating. but kept up to its work
| by hydraulic pressure OF 800 pounds to the
men or OF ten tons on the cutting points of the
/ drill and all the waste water is DISCHARGED
along the axis of the tool right up to the cut
| uilS edEc, the temperature of the steel is kept
cool. and the debris is washed out Of the hole.
The ventilation Is excellent; the air is supplied
! 10 the men rlght at the end of the galleries in
great volumes, over $1,000 cubic feet of air a
minute being supplied. Owing to the height of
! the mountain and the great superincumbent
mass over the tunnel. the temperature of the
| rock is as high 80 degrees Fahrenheit. and
special arrangements are made by the employ
| mcnt of spray and of ice for cooling the air The
| total quantity Of water flowing from the tunnel.
! inclusive of bo>l north and south entrances is
! rather under 1000 gallons minute. and
| carried in efficient side drains cut in the rock
The greatest care is taken for the welfare of
! the men. they change shifts eight hours
ana are brought out in trainloads They
| not allowed to encounter the cold Alpine air
when emerging from the tunnel in their wet
clothes. but are landed in a covered building or
station. in which there cubicles FOE chang
! ing their clothes fitted with hot and cold douche
baths They take off their mining clothes
which are at once hung up in heated rooms to
dry, ready for their next days work Adjacent
Is Il restaurant at which they get all theil
meals, of excellent quality and at very low
price Breakfast, dinner and supper pro-
| vided at charge of lid. day and beds
provided in rooms with three others, furnished
with electric light, for further charge Of I'd.
u night Everything is kept in an excellent
state of order and cleanliness. and the organza-
ton throughout is quite without precedent.
| n strike took place recently owing to the ad-
! vent of two or three aSitatorS. but the
! themselves were not aware of the reasons for
striking, and they returned work without
having gained any concessions. The co-opera-
tive system is in force and the men have a di,
rect interest in their work. If they succeed in
doing more than certain rate of progress they
participate in the results Were the trades union
men to share profits with the masters. il would
| go a long way toward recovering the position
| in the manufacturing world which England
seems likely to lose.
! The contractors for this great work MessrS.
| Brandt Brandau & Co, and are ably represented
| by Colonel Looher This gentleman anxious
| that Sunday should be observed and work SuS
pended but the Italian workmen. who are de
sirous of earning much wages possible
| long these men are in Italy they obey their
| priests. but soon as they enter Switzerland
| they declare they have religion and in
SiSt working seven days week. This is the