Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-07-13
SAND PATCH TUNNEL
NEAR CUMBERLAND
CAVED INLAST NIGHT
The Cave-In Believed to Have
Been Due to Blasting.
B. & o. FAST PASSENGER
TRAINS NARROW ESCAPE

TRAINS NARROW ESTATE
Old Tunnel on the connelsville Divis-
ion of the 8. & o. Falls In-Trains
Are Detoured Via FairmontMcon-
pany Hurries Many Crews There
and viii Rquire Many Days TO
Clean II Out.
Cumberland. Md, July 10.--The
Sand Patch tunnel on the Connells-
Vile dicision of the B. & o. caved in
Yesterday afternoon at about o'clock
Passenger train No. IA due here at
6 o'clock had passed through the tun-
mel only few minutes before the cave
in occurred. Just how much of the
mountain of earth and rock covering
the tunnel fell in could not be definite
ly ascertained but it is believed that
not less than 200 feet of the old cas-
ing fell.
One rumor among railroad men was
that half the tunnel had been closed
Another and probably correct report
was that the entire west portal of the
tunnel had fallen and that the cave in
extended abut $50 feet. The tunnel is
about 1000 feet long.
The trouble, it is certain, occurred
at the west end. Many experienced
railroad were not surprised when they
heard that the fall of that portion of
the tunnel roof actually happened. Por-
IL. l., rfrrftae nv
from time to time for several months.
1t seems the rock above the tunnel
had been Jared and cracked by the
blasting which had taken place in the
new tunnel which has been in course
of construction for nearly two years
and which was planned to displace the
tunnel which just caved in and by do
ing so give the railroad better grade
through the mountain.
The heading of the new tunnel has
been through for many months and
it was expected it would be ready for
use before this time, but after the
work neared completion it was found
that the grades were unsatisfactory
and the company was obliged to re-
new operations init and in the mean
time continue using the old tunnel for
the movement of trains.
Passenger train No. which leaves
Cumberland at SIP for Chicago via
Connelsville and Pittsburg reached
Hyndman before the train crew receiv-
ed information that the tunnel mad
caved in.
The train was brought back to Cum
berland and the comfort of the pas
sengers provided for here. B. & O..
local officials were at first undecided
which of three routes they would use
in detouring trains to Pittsburg
Trains could be sent over the Penn
sylvania road via Altoona to Pittt
burg; over the new tracks of the
Western Maryland to Connellsville or
over the main line of the B. G. o. via
Grafton, Fairmont and Morgantown
to Connellsville.
The Western Maryland afforded the
shortest route and the Pennsylvania
perhaps the next shortest distance, but
1t was finally determined that the best
time could be made by the b. & O..
using it's own lines via Fairmont and
Morgantown. No. 5 left here over
that route last night at 9.15 and No. 8
westbound and No. 10 eastbound la
ter in the night were detoured over
the same route.
The Sand Patch tunnel has great,
perplexing problem with railroad men
and contractors since the days when
the surveys of the road were complet-
ed away back in the early sixties. At
ter the plan of the tunnel had finally
been decided upon several years were
spent in building it. During it's con-
struction several contractors either
went broke or gave up the job in dis
gust with the difficulties involved. 1t
was finally completed by the late ia
cob and John Humbird of this city
about the year 1872. For many years
recently different administrations of
the B. & o. have studied plans for a
better grade through the mountain
than this tunnel afforded. The de-
termination to drive a new tunnel was
the result.
With every railroad man who heard
of the cave in last evening and the
narrow escape of passenger train No.
IA the first comment was the calamity
would have staggered people if the
fall had happened little earlier or
in time to catch the passenger train.
officials Hurrylng to Tunnel.
Vice President A. w. Thompson,
Chief Engineer Stewart and Chief of
Maintenance of Way Sfimsnn of the