Evening star., 1922-12-31
Fifty Years Ago
in The Star

While the completion of the trans
continental railway was regarded a.
"A great achievement IN
Hoosac the past century.
smaller but difficult en-
AunheI. ing feat in the eastern
section of the country was hailed as
an important accomplishment. This
was the cutting of the tunnel through
Hoosac mountain. in western Massa-
chusetts permitting a direct straight
rail communication between Boston
and Albany. In The Star Of Decem-
Der %. 1872. is a brief article:
This is the most important event
so far in the sistory of tho great
work. Two blasts of nitroG lNcerin-
each from fourteen holes. which re-
Guired cighty-four feet in length 81
the explosive. weighing about sixty
three pounds-the largest quantity
ever before used at one time in the
tunnel-made breaches through which
the water ran and the men of the two
gangs converSed. Lamps held at the
opening were Immediately extln-
guished, SO strong was the draft. The
last blast made hole about a foot
in diameter between the two sections.
This was speedily enlarged by hand
power and a small boy was let down
from the central shaft into the east
end. amid the shouts and cheers OF
both gangs Another person of larger
size followed and then the east end
reciprocated by sending up two OF
the men of its gang. who proceeded
to the shaft, and were the first 10
reach the top of the mountain from
the east end without ascending its
slope. Although the engineers have
not vet had an opportunity to verify
their calculations by the result. II ~
certain that the error is scarcely
more than a foot either in grade or
, in line, and II NAV prove to he very
much lees Another fact which is
likely to have an important bearing
on the matter of ventilation after
the tunnel is finished. is that the draft
from the eastern end into the central
shaft tunnel is so strong that II can
only be likened to very powerful
, wind. Work may now be begun on
the west heading of the central SHAFT.
so that on October is. 1873. If all goes
we'll there will be an opening through
the Hoosac mountain from east to
west, nearly FIVE miles in length. Not
quite half a mile west of the central
shaft remains to be pierced.
Fifty years ago Washington was
the scene of number of capital
crimes. followed by
o4.l convictions and eyecu-
tions Apropos Of
MurdererS. certain scenes en-
, acted at the gallows The star of De-
| cember "a. 1872. said:
"In view of the two atrocious muir
ders of last night and the night be
FOL
the late executions. some begin 10
think that our preachers Who ad-
minister scaffold consolation should
not impress 1t too strongly upon
criminals. as certainty. that they
are to be launched from the gallows
directly into heaven.
| "At the several executions lately
| this was the predominant sentiment
i of the scene; and the two wife mur-
derers particularly appear to have
been worked up into state OF ecstasy
over the prospect of assured bliss be
| fore them. Bunyan's pilgrims. when
arrived in their progress at the shore~
of the river that alone separated them
from the realms OF the blessed. could
not have seen brighter visions across
the dark stream than these guilty
| wretches, just about to expiate by
atrocity. Judging by the past. We
may suppose that the robber murderer
of last night. who. I'm the very excess
of brutality. mashed the features OF
his victim to a jelly. will also ascend
the scanolh with beatified counte-
nance. ready to lay aside the cares
and trials of this world and accept
, the blissful immortality promised him
by his spiritual advisers. Should not
these advisers, in dealing with crimi-
nails. have a care how they throw a
sentimental glamour about the scae-
fold. cheapening murder by making it
appear . short road to heavenf