Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-24
BORING PARTIES MEET
The Simplon Tunnel Pierced
Through the Alps.
TASK OF YEARS ENDED
SWISS PRESIDENT C0NGRATU-
LATEs THE KING OF ITALY.
Completion of the Greatest Work OF
Subterranean Engineering
in the World.

CONDO, Switzerland. February 24.-P1erc-
ing of the Simplon tunnel through the Alps
was completed at 7:2O o'clock this morn
ing.
The meeting of the two boring parties
(Swiss and Italian) was signaled through
out Switzerland by ringing of church
bells and salutes by cannon.
The work of preparing the tunnel for a
permanent way will be pushed as rapidly as
possible, and it is hoped to inaugurate the
tunnel about March 90
According to contract the tunnel must be
ready for traffic on May 10 next.
AS soon as the boring is thoroughly COM
pleted and the track laid a smaller tunnel
is to be constructed, parallel to the large
one, which will be increased in size so as
to permit of traffic both ways at the same
time.
BERNE, Switzerland, February a.
President Ruchet sent congratulatory mes
sages by telegraph to King Victor EN-
manuel and Premier Giolitti today on the
piercing of the Simplon mountain, express
ing the hope that the great work would
further strengthen the friendship between
Italy and Switzerland.
Over Six Years in building.
A cablegram received at the State De-
at Geneva announces the successful COM
pletion of the greatest work of subter-
ranean engineering in the world: His dis
patch reads:
''Simplon pierced. News received with
general rejoicing and firing of salutes."
The famous Simplon tunnel was Degun
in August, 1893, and is the longest tunnel
in the world, being twelve and one-half
miles in length and costing s2o,9oS,OV, M Sa,;t
zerland. The tunnel runs under the ALI
connecting Switzerland and Italy begin.
ming at Brigue, in the former country, ana
ending at Iselle in Italy. 1t is lower than
any of the other Alpine tunnels, and run
ming through solid granite was constructed
under the greatest engineering difficulties.
In fact. to surmount these the engineers
were obliged to devise an entirely new
possibilities in that direction.
Many Unexpected Obstacles.
Many unexpected obstacles were encoun-
tered, the most serious being hot springs
which threatened to wreck the whole en-
terprise and temperature, which at one
time rose to 131 degrees Fahrenheit, max
ing continuance of the work impossible
until the engineers found means of cool
ing the atmosphere.
Now that the borers have met 1t will
enable the water accumulated in the north
One device which has made it possible to
prosecute the work at a rate of speed
hitherto unknown in tunnel work is a hy-
draulic drill which boreS three-inch hole
twenty feet daily into the solid granite,
being forced against the rock under pres
sure of ten tons. Ten thousand workmen
have been kept employed, and owing to
the high temperature in the tunnel they
work in sprays of Ice water in short
shifts. The boring has been several times
suspended owing to the inrush Of the
enormous springs which the engineers clev-
erly employed to furnish power for the
work of tunnel drilling and ventilating. But
the most formidable obstacle was encoun-
tered about a year ago when the workmen
suddenly tapped vast subterranean lake
of boiling water, which obliged them to
flee for their lives, and made it impos-
sible to do any work on the northern side
for many months.
Bearing on the Canal Project.
The successful outcome of this great
work will probably have an important bear
ing upon the project of Chief Engineer Wal
lace of the Panama canal to make that
waterway a sea level canal by driving
tunnel four miles long under mountain
to divert the surplus waters Of the Chagres
river. 1t is possible that the Panama canal
commission will decide to make personal
inspection of the SimplOn tunnel before
proceeding with its own great enterprise.