Year: 1871

1t truly surprising that such giglu-
tic work as that of the Mont Gents tunnel,
one which from its difficulty and novelty
has attracted the attention of the civilized
world for years past, should be SO quickly
followed in the far and newly populated
occident by the Inauguration of a similar
ly difficult inauguration of similarly
difficult undertaking. 1t is another illus
tration of the indomitable energy and in
domitable energy and dete mined .'>7ard
progress of the American nation. Much
has been said and written of late as to the
Lake Tahoe project of Col Won Schmidt,
as to its feasibility, its legality, and the
prospect of the work, if carried out, being
success financially, The two former
may be considered as settled, and the last
presents so favorable prospect as to leave
no doubt of the speedy completion Of the
work. In order to bring the water from
the Lake in the most convenient and de-
sirable manner, it was found that tunnel
would have to be cut through the western
summit of the Sierras. This tunnel would
be of about five miles in length, and even
If of small dimensions would have invol-
we'd very heavy outlay. A happy com


munity of interests has led to a contract
between the Central Pacific Railroad
Company and Col. Won Schmidt, by
which it is arranged that this able and
indefatigable engineer shall construct a
tunnel of such dimensions as shall admit
of the passage of trains, thus enabling the
Central Pacific to shorten its road seven
miles, lower the line of the railroad up
wards Of 1000 feet, and dispense with
with twenty miles of snow sheds, which
last are' from their expense and danger
the most Objectionable feature of the line
These were advantages not to be be over
looked by the able management of the
Central Pacific, who have thus availed
themselves of Col. Ven Schmidts genius
and administrative talent for their owr
benefit while assisting him in the carry
ing out of his own grand project. The
precise points at which the tunnel will
enter the mountains have not yet been
precisely located, and for the purpose oi
deciding his, Col. Won. Schmidt and
Chief Engineer Montague, of the Central
Pacific, have just proceeded to the spot


1t will, however, enter the mountain on
Cold Streams, close to the north fork of
the American River on the western side
The entire length Of the tunnel will be
about, or little less than, FIVE miles. Fol-
one third Of this distance it will be venti-
lated by shafts sunk from the slope of the
mountain, and this and other improve
ments which have been designed will OBJ
yiate all those difficulties of imperfect ven
tiiation which has been the cause of Sc
much inconv nience and annoyance in the
Mont Gents tunnel Those who know
Col. Won Schu,idt's ability, know that
with him there is 10 such thing as failure.
His plans, even to the minutest detail


being pre-arranged in the most perfect and
systematic manner. The stipulated size OF
the tunnel is nineteen feet high by twenty
one feet in width, and it is to be complet-
ed in FIVE years; but Col Won Schmidt
fully believes he will complete it in three
years, and he is proverbially correct in his
estimates, both of time and cost The
cost will be Sl,500,000 Carefully made
examination shows that less than mile of
the boring will be through granite. which
IS very much less than was expected the
remainder, for the most part cement, is
easily removable by the pick without resort
to blasting. The boring will be performed
by an instrument of Col Won Sehmidt's
invention, consisting of diamond pointed
drills operating upon surface Of eight
feet in diameter, aud worked by means Of
compressed air, which, penetrating the
center, leaves easy work in blasting the
lateral portions on either side. Beneath
the railroad track will be laid two pines Of
six feet in diameter for the passage of water
This will give supply of nearly 200, 900
900 gallons of water per diem, or 233 gal
Ions per day Tor every man, woman and
child 10 the State of California. Such an
undertaking is in new country wonder.
full and that one of the main difficulties OF
its execution has been 80 greatly lesseaed
BY coalition of the interests of the Rail


road and Lake Tahoe Water Co. is mat


ter of congratuIation.