The Delta independent., 1907-11-15
S. S. Conventions and Tunnel Trip.
GRAND VIEW RANCH,
OLATHE, Nov. 13, 1907.

AS delegate form the First Presby-
terian church of our village, visited
the Sunday School convention repre-
senting % Schools of our county, held
in Delta on the 4th inst. Also the
Western Slope division of our State
Sunday School organization held at
Montrose on the 5th, 9Th and 7th.
Both were interesting and will prove of
permanent value.
Several of the state officers present
are brainy, eloquent and devoted Sum-
day School workers who spend their
whole time in this work. often pene-
trating, in stages and on foot, sections
of the state remote from railroads.
1t was developed that Colorado, the
frst::state to engage in ORGANIZED Sum
day School work, is even now, as to
territory, more than IS per cent organ
lied. The appreciation of Montrose in
this work emphasized on Wednesday
evening by mass meeting of eight or
ten hundred people at the Opera house
which, besides magnificent address by
DR.. Harper, was replete with delight
full music and was conducted by the
State Superintendent.
TRIP TO TUNNEL.
On Thursday, as per program, a
special train carried the delegates to
the tunnel entrance. About 100 people
were on board We were met by Mr..
Sands, the noted because of his YOUTH
engineer in immediate charge of the
great work, and escorted to the tunnel,
entrance to which is seven miles south
east of Montrose, near and on the south
side of the railroad track leading to
Pueblo. We stood beside the point
where the tunnel caved in year ago.
killing six workmen and across which
the surface water, which caused such
disaster then, is now being conducted
in plank sluice-way.
The tunnel entrance is at the bottom
of an excavation 40 feet deep, sloping
on three sides at an angle of 80 degrees
from the horizontal. The tunnel is II
feet high and shaped like horseshoe
with the toe-part (arch) flattened. 1t
is about six miles long; its direction is
north-easterly, and near the Gunnison
river it passes under neck-walls $500
feet high. 1t is perfectly straight from
end to end; its floor also rises at the
perfectly uniform rate of (as remem-
Der it) $50 feet to the mile.
Electricity furnishes the pressure
which supplies fresh air to the work.
men and the power which handles the
trains of cars-oUT, with rock from the
heading and IN, with timber and other
material for building the tunnel.
Mr.. Sands says the Government is
taking every known precaution that no
obstacle shall prevent the completion
of this great work in time to supply
water for irrigation in the spring of
1909.
INTO THE TUNNEL.
We, single file. descended As feet down
stairway feet wide to the tunnel
mouth where are provided eight cars.
en-train, which are steel boxes about
3Hx6 feet in size by feet deep, be-
grimmed with the dirt of their last trip
out Under difficulties the ladies are
hoisted, guided and dropped into these
cars by their gallant male companions.
All remain standing. All are ready.
Because of its irresistible ease in this
case, kissing" in the tunnel is gallant
" tabooed. A trolley wire runs along
the tunnel roof. The cry passes along,
"Stoop down. don't touch the wire"
The motor is an uncanny, diminutive
looking affair, with high wheels, re-
minding one of short necked dandy in
high collar 1t is about three feet high
and wide and 10 feet long; is as COM
pact as a watch and weighs s or 10
tons. At signal the Juice" is ap-
piled and. with jerk which shifts
! the ladies' to the other fellows laps
and elicits scream. our company of
so persons plunge into impenetrable
darkness. This is only relieved, at
long intervals by couple of electric
bulbs screwed to the roof. These
reflect both the fact and style Of
the concrete lining. At length We are
stopped by the concrete liners them
selves. and. after brief inspection, at
speed of Is miles per hour, We are
backed out into the the scintillating
sunshine of Colorado.
On inquiry, Mr.. Sands told me that
we had penetrated the tunnel one mile.
CAPT. C. P. BRAGG.
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