The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-29

In 1891 the tlanewas submitted to the
Swiss government and the Swiss gov
ernment talked it ever with the Ital-
ian government! Both accepted the
proposition, grantedtyconcessions and
in 1896 ratified treaty for having the
tunnel between them. Next Name the
question of money. The cost of a sim
gle-track tunnel with parallel venti-
lating tunnel would be 10000. 900 francs
(about $4,000 000). Sixty millions OF
this was loaned by syndicate of Can
ton banks on 3h per cent. bonds guar
anteed by the Swiss Confederation. The
Confederation also gave subsidy of
4,500,000 francs, and Italy granted an
annual subsidy of, $4,000 ;ires l2,540).
Swiss parties subscribed 10000, 900
francs more, and Italian parties 4,000,-
600 lires. M 3
At once the Jura- Simplon let out the
contract for building the tunnel ito
Brandt, Brandau ct Cie who are
known assthe Enterprise du Tunnel du
Simplon. Only a war involving Swift
zerland or Italy or an epidemic, or
strike not the fault of the Enterprise
can affect the time-limit of the bar
gain. All other unforeseen difficulties
and catastrophies whatsoever DO not
count. The gigantic hole must be de-
livered FIVE and a half years after
commencing. The penalty for delay
will be $1,000 dollars a. day, with a oo-
nus of as much for each day ahead OF
time. The tunnel is to be 1890 metres
long (twelve and one-quarter ,mlles),
and there must be smaller tunnel for
ventilation, parallel to- the first at
distance of seventeen metres Tor eight
cen and a half yards). Under a future
contract. the Enterprise will make tho
second tunnel the same size as the first
for return back. Work began in No
vember of 1898. It should be finished
May Is, 1904.
1t is quite apparent that to dig tun-
mel from two sides and make both ends
meet is a delicate problem. Should
they happen not to meet, 1t would be
an expensive wandering in the noun
tain to find them and get them together.
But fortunately there is guide as true
and unbendabie as mathematics. This
is an imaginary straight line between
two points. One point is little OBJ
servatory shed on the bank of the
Rhone, with a spyglass pointing hori-
zontally towards Italy. The other
point is a similar little observatory on
the bank of the Doveria in Italy, with
a glass towards Switzerland. Between
the two points rises the Simplon noun
tain-mass. But the straight line goes
through just the same, for 1t is only
an imaginary straight line. 1t is, how
ever, steadily turning into reality
that is, the tunnel. And if ii were not
for the grade of the tunnel then some
day the observatory in Switzerland
could look through the mountain at
the observatory in Italy. 1t will be OBJ
jected, however, that we went around
a curve in the tunnel. In fact there
are two curves. but they do not affect
the straight-line proposition.
There is a small tunnel which joins
the main tunnel some hundred metres
or 109 yards inside. 1t is called the To-
eating tunnel and faithfully follows
the imaginary straight line. The main
tunnel finishes it's curve at the other
end, where again the straight line is
completed by a second locating tunnel
The Simplon tunnel is being cut by
means of rock-drills which bore their
full length, a yard and a half every
fifteen minutes. Nine of these holes are
made; each is charged with dynamite.
The dynamite splinters the rock out
cleanly to the depth of the holes Then
! the debris is hauled away and dumped
by an electric crane beyond the mouth
of the tunnel. Some five hundred cars
are taken out during every twenty four
| hours. This means that the excursion
moves about seven and a half yards a
Cay. 1t started alrHeSt two and a half
| years ago. The last official report
| April /; showed a progress OF
1858. meters (nearly three miles) from
| the Swiss side, and 3,160 meters from
| the italian side, or s.303 meters in all
Tower five miles.) The average daily
rate was $50 meters (about seven
| yards9 and 5.26 meterss The delay in
| Italy is due to the greater difficulties
| encountered there. However, the work
| is well up with the programme, and
| within three years train will leave
Brig, Switzerland, be lost for twenty
minutes, and come out at Iselle. Italy
| That little ride win ieost $4,000 900.
Should Italy and Switzerland fall
! out, what would happen to the Simplon
| tunnel. The opening on either side will
look like the great doors of some me-
| diaeval fortress. And they will be for
tresses in all reality.f Suppose these
| two belligerents should fail out. They
would rush like. a whooping plague
| through that tunnel and invade each
other? Indeed they would not. In the
| little fortress at each end there will
be man and button. The man will
press the button and bring down the
| mountain. When the smoke lifts there
! will not be any tunnel any more. Some
| five or six thousand men will have
worked night and day for FIVE years
and half at cost of 10000, 900 francs
| and dpctr1tofiny10