New-York tribune., 1909-04-04
ROBBED OF REWARD BY DEATH.

The narrow canyon Of rock through which runs
the Salto del Sodado presented most preplexing
problem To the engineers II seemed that the sim
plest plan would be some kind Of tunnel but the
difficulty that from above it only practca-
BE for the track approach tunnel on the right
side OF the river. while below il have to ap-
preach from the left These conditions being ai7se-
lutte and unalterabe. il had been almost decided to
give Up The tunnel idea and surmount the obstacle
with a switchback. when OF the American drill
men suggested a simple solution Of the problem.
This plan. which WAS carried without delay.
consisted Of tUnnelling both sides OF the river
and connecting IN the middle by bridge. The
bridge is fifty feet above the water and almost as
broad ii is long-the shortest railway bridge IN
the world. in fact.
Coming down from above. the train first passes
through short tunnels on the right si5e Of the
Saito running from the Of the second one in
Tnediately upon the bridge. which IN turn LEADS
quite abruptly into the third tunnel on the op-
posite side. The last tunnel carries you out into
the open valley below.
The two Americans whose keen minds had seen
the way through to light where the best engineer
3ng talent available had groped IN darkness and
who were 10 have been rewarded their services
by being made superintendents Of tunnel construc-
ton on the Gillian and Argentine side when the
time came for rushing work otI the great bore at
the summit. killed watt. several Of their com
panions By the premature explosion Of blast in
ene Of She smaller tunnels about year after their
arrival.
So satisfactory had proved the experiment with
American drillmen that when the most OF the
original eight killed in the explosion alluded
10. no time lost IN sending for others from the
same section-COorado-to take their places 4
dozen men were contracted for through New York
and II is these who pushing construction
beth sides of the divide at = rate never before
approached IN South American tunnel work The
youngest of the twelve was a drillmln's helper of
twenty-five, nagnei John Han = youth 50 resource
ful and energetic that hc vas placed in charge Of
the tunnel gangs q bolh sides before he had been
81 work month. and whom to-day rests the
responsibility fer completing the longest tunnel ever
constructed anywhere rear 50 sreat an altitude
Tza1 showed something of the stuff lie Is made
o. within Z da- OF his arrival The station
master 1t E. fortiiio the camp al he end OF the
railroad near the ChjIian mouth Of The tunnel was
& Spaniard OF most amabIe disposition entirely
devoted to the interests of railroad but handl-
capped by 2 tendency 70 observation-disclosures. That
this was serious failing in man who with his
o-be- duties, combined that OF train dispatcher
WAS made plain just after The Americans came.
when Sefior Blanco started off the down freight
with the up passenger only two miles from FL
Porttllo. Scarcely the freight under way be-
fore he discovered his mistake and went tearing
OF in pursuit. Of the swiftly moving train Several
OF the Americans. Who Just going on shift
soined with him in the hopeless chase but yoln.
Hail. recalling thc zgZags By which his train had
mounted 10 Portillo, calmly picked up 4 piece Of
broad plank. stepped over the frozen slide at
tho edge CT the grade. and dropped ont Of sight
HaH minute later, with his hands bleeding and
fan OF siivers, but otherwise unhurt. he had
nGzsed the sioN-eTawling passenger and sun