New-York tribune., 1905-02-25
SYMPTOM BORE COMPLETED
Tunnel Expected To Be Open to
Traffic about March 20.

Condo, Switzerland. Feb. 24-The work of
piercing the SmpIon tunnel was completed at
80 o'clock this morning The meeting Of the
Swiss and italian boring parties was signaIled
throughout Switzerland by ringing of church
bells and saIutes of cannon.
Many unexpected obstacles were encoun-
tered the most serious being hot springs. which
threatened to wreck the whole enterprise and
a temperature which at one time rose to 131
degrees Fahrenheit. making a continuance of
the work impossible until the engineers found
means Of cooling the atmosphere.
The meeting OF the borers will enable the
water accumulated in the north gallery to be
drawn of.
The work Of preparing a permanent way will
be pushed as rapidly possible, and it is
hoped to open the tunnel 20 traffic about
March 20
Berne. Fec. 24-Presidert Ruchet sent con-
ETatulatory messages by telegraph to King
Victor Emmanuel and Premier Giolitti to-day
on the piercing of the Simplon, expressing the
nope that the great work would further
strengthen the friendship between Italy AMI
Switzerland and add to their prosperity
Washington. Feb. 24-The boring of the
Simploa tunnel may have an important bearing
upon the project of Chief Engineer Wallace. of
the Panama Canal. to make that waterway a
sea level canal by driving a tunnel four miles
long under a mountain to divert the surplus
waters of the Chagres River.
To pierce the Snplon Mountain for the Jura-Siu1-
plcn Railway was. for a long period regarded as
an impossible task. It's completion is regarded as
one of the greatest engineering achievements of
the age The length Of the tunnel from Brigue in
Switzerland. to Iselle on the Italian side OF the
mountain. is about twelve miles It's completion
Will make possible direct railroad communication
between Paris and Milan without the steep grade of
the St Gothard tunnel. A very hard formation of
rock was encountered at the outset of the work on
the Iselle side, which rendered necessary the con
structon Of special machinery FOR the tunnel work
After the boring had been pushed bout two miles
powerful cold springs were met from which poured
more than five hundred gallons Of water minute
and for time caused suspension Of all work on
the Italian side Hardly had this difficulty been
overcome when. about two hundred feet further on
a stratum of shifting material was encountered
further tunnelng Of about $50 feet required
SIX months and expenditure Of over
100000
AS the work proceeded it was found that the
arch erected for the support Of the fin
lsEed portions Of the tunnel was threatened with
ruin because Of a slippery substance contained in
the mountains formation, and most of the work on
the archway had to be done over again.
But the greatest difficulty encountered was last
when hot water began to pour into the
tunnel and caused further suspension OF work for
several months
On the Swiss northern side there exists an ac-
cumuaton of water which had been expected TO be !
preciptated to the Italian side soon the two
squads of ROrkmeu met under the mountain and !
great precautions were taken TO prevent catas- |
-rOphe.
The construction company has contracted 10 have /
the tunnel ready for traffic OF May Is, under |
heavy penalty, but owing 10 the unexpected diff
,ulties encountered il is likely, should the
ract be broken. that the penalty will be enforced
Jy the Swiss and Italian governments.
As soon as the boring IS thoroughly completed /
ard the track laid. a smaller tunnel is be con-
structed parallel TO the large which viii be in
'reased in size to permit OF traffic both ways |
II the time. In the mean while a switching |
station is 10 Re constructed about halfway inside /
he large tunnel TO allow for the pa ssing OF /
rains.
The work begun in 1885 and the has been |
bout S4 00N 900. OF which the railroad company pays
nearly two-thirds, the rest beini betrayed by the
swiss and the Italian soverumept is.