HOOS/C TUNNEL TPl1-N1TR0GLYCEI|1NE WOf S, GUTTA PERCHA FACTORY, and all the Materials for economic Blasting, Horth Adams, Mass. O-EO. . Proprietor. Mowbray's Powder-Keg Blasting Battery and Electric Fuse Exploders. Sub-Marine Exploders. Section of Exploder. REFERS TO WALTER SHANLY, Esq., Monteeal. FRANCIS SlIANLY, Esq., Tobonto. W. KINGSFORD, Esq., EnRiueer in charge Western Lakes and Ilarborg, Ottawa. B. SUTIIERLAND, Esq., Supt. Public Works, North West Territories, Ottawa. CIL^S. F. DUNBAR, Contractor, Pt. Colhobne. JOS. WHITEHEAD, Contractor Sect. 15, C. P. R. R. Winneveo. IJtSI l>} Cnrtelon J'lace c i'iuiubur. St.Albans Perth CUpogn T.nlr#* 9 Potsdam Jc. f^-aver>:h7irst Proekvillc Walton >V^jrinf7 Road OgroTTimr CoboconJc PORTLAND Clam Lakp Orillia, Clifton Javerhill \ Ptnienrj;^!''? \ Tlco«dero,;„lfN North Ci-,;cko\ f BaMw-InWI o CaJ^7„WJ' / ^ ■ X. HUD. R. B-R. V* "/a; Leicester Jc. Woodviire Cl5*«l( Fhlladclpbia White Barrio Pentwaloi'l Carthage Rochester^ istlctoi Portage City TORONTO f iCichlano Codorlch CONCCjff). iHoTrard Cy.^ f .\.eTbor< 'Tan^'iX^ Quaker St>fTS v-t Gleucot St.Tlioiii Attica^ Cobblcskill ^bneonta Stamford \ Athens 'aimer Aiucvbh ICHAMtrOtl ^naan Wmsted PondeuL ^Tuukhannock McndoU R Rmporium ^..Driftwood Scranton Plttstoir Red Bank Limaj iBelleffj Tf/rone DeUM Reading ^Itk Harrlsburgl Tawfon Linco n vf r 'yVheclIng mmAN/Ai^OL Xcntau Gred % [HarJTd^ Grace. Chillicothe^ Harpers Marietta Bclpr^ ^Marshall INCINNATl 'lifflUi COMPOSED OF THE Troy & Boston and FitclilDiirg' Railroads, And Prinoinal Connections, OHIO '^Ou/S JelferaoaTj U.Sierlini, LIBRMY H E^-7 U -A)^ H-1 p^- IIO O S A C. COMMENCED, 1851. COMPLETED, 1876. A ROYAL pathway has at last been made, five miles in length, through Hoosac Mountain, by the Commonweaith of Massa¬ chusetts, by which New England may more readily receive the products of the farms and mines of the West and North, and send in return the productions of her vast and numerous manu¬ factories. The reader can get something of an idea of the immense amount of work necessary to accomplish this great undertaking from the fact that more than a million tons of rock have been excavated, and, in portions of the tunnel where arching became necessary, more than twenty millions of brick were used in its construction. At seven minutes past three o'clock on the afternoon of Nov. 27, 1873, the final blast between the two headings of the Hoosac Tunnel was fired, and an opening eight feet square was made between the Central and Western Sections. Thus an uninter¬ rupted passage was eficcted through Hoosac Mountain. Long years of weary toil, untiring perseverance, and extraordinary en¬ gineering skill were this day crowned with success ; and, as the deafening thunder from the explosion died away, a shout an¬ nouncing tlie successful opening between the headings rang from the crowds assembled in the sections. '1 he wildest enthu¬ siasm prevailed; a headlong rush followed, each eager to be the first that should step through the opening. An event of such importance, both from a commercial and engineering point of view, dcscr\'cs a careful and extended account; although to write a history of the Hoosac Tunnel in all iis details would be an almost endless task. The legislative bills and hearings, the reports of committees, remonstrances and private pamphlets on the subject, if stacked up in an orderly pile, would rival the size the mountain itself. Phe Hoosac Mountain is a part of the Green Mountain range ! mSTORY OF THE UOOSAC TUNNEL. extending through the western part of Massachusetts, and has, up to the time of the opening of the tunnel, formed a natural barrier between the States of Massachusetts and New York. The tunnel was first proposed iu 1819, but at this time nothing of importance was done. In 1825, a board of commissioners was appointed by the legislature to select a route for a canal extending from Boston to the Hudson River; in 1826, they reported favorably, stating that no unusual difiiculties presented themselves excepting the tunnelling of the mountain. But the first railroad in America, built iu 1825, having been put in opera¬ tion and proved a success, the canal project was abandoned. The idea of tunnelling the mountain, however, was not entirely given up. In 1842, the Boston and Albany Road was ccMnpleted. This road was built, running over the mountain, about twenty miles south of the tunnel Hue. It was constructed on grades unequalled in the history of railway building up to that time, and owing to this fact, the running expenses and tariffs were and are still necessarily very high. Boston capitalists were not satisfied; and, from time to time, the subject of building a more direct route between Boston and the West, to compete with the Boston and Albany Road, was agitated. In 1843, the Fitchburg Road, running through the northern part of the State, was completed, and the Vermont and Massachusetts, which is a continuation of the Fitchburg to Greenfield, was completed about three years after. In 1848, a railroad company, known as the Troy and Greenfield, was incorporated for the purpose of constructing a road from a poiut at or near Greenfield, through the mountain, to Williamstown, there to connect with a road leading to or near the city of Troy, N. Y., thus forming, with the Fitchburg and Vermont and Massachusetts, another through line to the West. It was comparatively an easy road to build, except for the great mountain barrier that separated the valleys of the Deerfield and Hoosac. One of the most important ques¬ tions which arose when the tunnel was projected concerned the geological character of the mountain. Prof. Edward Hitchcock, of Amherst College, who had been studying the formation of the Hoosac for many years, came before the legislative committee, and gave his opinion, — said that ho had been examining mountain with special reference to a tunnel, and, in his opini /T HISTORY OF THE IIOOSAC TUNNEL. there would scarcely anything else be found but mica slate, with occasional seams of quartz. The ground, he thought, would be found easy to drill, and that but very little would be encountered which would require arching. The prognosis of Prof. Hitchcock was, in most particulars, found strikingly correct. It was modi- fled in some respects, however, as at the west end a new and unexpected formation was encountered, occasioning much delay and a heavy additional expense. The reader will notice, by referring to the profile of the moun¬ tain, that, directly above the tunnel, there are two summits, with a wide valicy intervening, the west summit being 1,718 feet above the tunnel, the east 1,429 feet. A great portion of the line over the mountain is covered with forests, the earth aver¬ aging about ten feet deep. In portions of the valley, the land is swampy. The rock through which the tunnel passes is princi¬ pally mica slate, with occasional veins of quartz. Now and then, in portions of the tunnel, rock was encountered which could not be distinguished from granite and often exceeded it in hardness. The stratification dips eastward at an angle of from sixty to eighty degrees from the horizontal, changing two miles from the east end to a dip of from twenty-two to thirty degrees, which continues for the next half or three quarters of a mile. At this point the dip changes to the westward and lies at an angie of from twenty to thirty degrees. In 1851, work was first begun on the tunnel with a ponderous and costly boring machine, with which it was the intention of the company to cut or bore a hole through the mountain the full size of the tunnel. This, together with other machines of a similar character which were tried, proved a failure; and the company, finding the undertaking more formidable than had been imagined, ceased work until 1854. At this time, the State voted a loan of $2,000,000, and took a mortgage on the company's property. The work went slowly on until 18(il, when the funds gave out; and, in 18G2, tiie State foreclosed its mortgage at the desire of the company. Commissioners were then appointed by the State to prosecute the work, and made new appropriations. After six years' management by Commissioners, the legislature, ^veary of making constant appropriations and seeing small (5) m Qp/O oOl? /> HISTORY Ol" THE HOOSAC TUNNEL. results, authorized the governor and Council to make a contract with some one for the entire work of completing the tunnel. Soon after, a contract was made with Messrs. T. Shanley & Co., of Montreal. Up to this time, —January, 18G9, —the amount of work done by various contractors and State Commissioners was as follows : East end, advanced 5,283 feet; west end, 4,055 feet; west shaft sunk to grade, 318 feet; central shaft sunk to a depth of 583 feet. Thus it will be seen that up to this time but little more than one third of the work necessary for the completion of the tunnei had been done; and the actual amount of money expended by the State and contractors thus far, not reckoning interest, was more than §7,000,000. The contract made with the Messrs. Shanley required them to complete the tunnel, of which there still remained to be opened 15,743 feet, the central shaft to be sunk to grade, a depth, in addition to what had aiready been done, of 445 feet, for the sum of §4,594,268. Under this contract, the work was successfully and vigorously prosecuted. Obstacles and difficulties, e\en greater than any that had heretofore been encountered, through the indomitable energy and perseverance of the contractors, were overcome, and on Feb. 9, 1875, the first train of cars passed through Hoosac Mountain. WBITTEN TWESTY-nVE TEARS AGO BY OLIVER WENDELL HOLUE8. ■When publishers no longer steal, .^nd pay for what they stole before; When the first locomotive wheels Roll through the Hoosac Tunnel bore,— Till then let Curamlngs blaze away. And Millers' saints blow up the globe; But when you see that blessed day. Then order your ascensiou robes. Up to 1865, the drilling had been done by hand power, and ordinary black powder used in blasting, by which means the tunnel advanced but slowly. About this time, the Commission¬ ers became interested in machine drills driven by compressed air, they at this time being successfully used on the Mount Cenis Tunnel, which was being built under the Alps, between Italy and France. ' nisTonv ov thk iioosac tunnkl. BURLEIGH AIR COMPRESSOR. The Beerflekl River, a stream which flows down through the Deerfleld Valley, passing near the eastern entrance of the tunnel, was dammed at a point three quarters of a mile above, and the water brought by canal, with a fall of thirty feet, to within a short distance of the tunnel. It was at first thought that suf¬ ficient power could be obtained at this point necessary to run the drilling machines and other machinery used in carrying on the work at the east end, central shaft, and the west end. The air compressors being located at the east end, it was proposed to run a line of iron pipes from them, over the mountain, to the central and west-end sections, through which to convey the compressed air, thereby supplying power necessary to carry on the work at these points. The dam supplied, however, sufficient power for the east-end work only; and, at the central and west- end sections, steam power was employed. The drilling machine first used in 18CG was complicated, costly, and failed to do the work. A short time afterward, a company was formed, known m 0 DR(LL CARRIAGE, frames, or what were more commonly termed a drill carriage on wheels, two of which were used, each mounting four drills. The maciiine consisted simply of a cylinder and piston, the drill being fastened to the end of tlie piston, which moved back and forth in the cylinder, propelled and operated by compressed air, like the piston of an ordinary steam-engine. They were arranged on the carriages so as to be easily adjusted to any angle, there¬ by enabling the miner to drill a hole in any direction desired. A hole from four to Ave feet deep could be put down in one hour. One of the machines used in tlie west heading was at one time kept running for a period of three months without repairs, dur¬ ing which time the total depth of holes drilled was equivalent to one hole a mile in length and two inches in diameter. This remarkable fact is, no doubt, owing in a great measure to their simplicity of construction. (8) as the Burleigh Rock Drill Company, at Fitchburg, Mass., who perfected a machine which was lighter, less expensive, more easily repaired, and proved far more ettective. In the headings, eight drilling machines were kept constantly at work, except when tlie men were employed in blasting and clearing away the rock. They were mounted on IIISTOnV Of TIIK HOOSAC TUXNUL. HISTORY OF THE HOOSAC TUNNEL. The air, after being compressed, was taken into a tank or air chamber, and from tliis convoyed into tlie tunnel through iron pipes about twelves inches in diameter, on which the pressure was from flfty-llve to sixty pounds to the square inch, connec¬ tion between the permanent iron pipes and drills being made by a rubber pipe, which could be easily disconnected when the drill carriages were to run back for a blast. The method of con¬ struction was to drive a heading eight feet high by twenty-four wide. Back of this, some five hundred feet, another gang of men were employed enlarging the tunnel to its full size, twenty- two by twenty-four. Thus, it will be seen, by keeping the head¬ ing several hundred feet in advance of the enlargement, that nearly twice the number of men were employed that could have been had the tunnel been made full size as fast as carried for¬ ward into the mountain. During the time of the Shanlcy con¬ tract, from eight hundred to nine hundred men were employed, five hundred being kept constantly at work in the tunnel. The tunnel men consisted of two classes,—the miners, who did the drilling, and the "rock men," whose business it was to clear away rock after blasting. They were divided into three gangs or shifts, each working eight hours in the twenty-four. Work was carried on continually, night and day, Sundays excepted. In the headings, usually from ten to fifteen holes were drilled and blasted during a shift. As I have before stated, up to 18G5 the principal explosive — in fact, the only one — used was the ordinary black powder; but about the time that machine drilling was being introduced in 18GG, experiments were being made with nitro-glycerine. It was used but a short time. Later, in 1867, Prof. George M. Mowbray, a gentleman who had about this time become considerably interested in this explosive, came to Korth Adams at the request of the commissioners, they having become fully convinced, from experiments that had already been made, that double the progress could be made with glycerine over that with powder, and at a less cost. A contract was made with Mr. Mowbray to supply glycerine for the work, and in December, 18C7, a factory was completed for its manufacture near the west shaft. Prom early in I8G8 up to the completion of the tunnel, more than a half-million pounds of this powerful explosive were used. I would here state that the explosive invented and man- / HISTORY OF THE HOOSAC TUHKEL. ufactured by Prof. Mowbray is known as tri. nitro-glycerinc, and is still being manufactured by him at North Adams. Men were employed,—usually three on each shift, — called "blasters." After the holes were drilled, the glycerine was brought into the tunnel by them from the magazine in copper cans, and from these poured into tin tubes, about two inches in diameter, vary¬ ing in length according to the depths of the holes drilled, they varying in depth from eight to twelve feet. In a hole ten feet deep, a cartridge or tube, from three to four feet long, wonld be inserted, containing three pounds of glycerine. Into the end of each cartridge an electric fuse or exploder was inserted, to which were attached connecting wires. After loading the holes, the wires running from each were then connected with the leading wires, after which the blasters, retiring back some three hundred or four hundred feet, would connect the leading wire with a fric¬ tion electric machine, from which a spark of electricity, sent over the wires, exploded all the charges simultaneously. After the introduction of glycerine, numerous experiments were made with other new explosives, all of which failed to do the required work. The number of accidents attending its use were con¬ siderably less in proportion than during the time that ordinary powder was used. The number of lives lost during the whole time foot np a total of one hundred and thirty-six, which, when one considers the magnitude of the work, the time occupied in its construction, and the number of men to ivhom it gave employment, was com¬ paratively small, as, during the construction of the Mount Cenls Tunnel, nearly one thousand lives were sacriticed. One of the saddest accidents on the Hoosac took place at the central shaft, Oct. 19, 18G5. Some time previous to this, experiments had been made with an apparatus for lighting the shaft with gaso¬ line, but being considered unsafe, its use was abandoned. New contractors took hold of the tunnel work at this time, and were trying to utilize the old apparatus, when the gasoline, confined in a tank near the engine, took fire from a lamp. The flames, spreading rapidly, drove the engineer from his post. Then all chance for the thirteen poor fellows below to be foisted to the surface was cut off. All the buildings over the shaft were soon a in flames. Tons of steel drills, together with burning timbers, y (10) (? ^ . ' T¥TC!t»^T>V ^TTT* ¥Ty-V>-kO 1 ll fTTWIT'T ' HISTORY OF TIIK IIOOSAC TUXNEL. 0 were precipitated into the shaft, no doubt killing many of the men outright, while the remainder were probably either suffo¬ cated or drowned by the rapidly rising water. The shaft at this time had been sunk to a depth of five hundred and eighty-three feet. The following day, a brave miner—Tom Mallory by name — was lowered into the shaft, but was soon hauled to the surface in an insensible condition. He recovered after a short time, reported from fifteen to twenty feet of water in the shaft, but no traces of the unfortunate miners. Work at this point was aban¬ doned for a year, after which it was resumed, the shaft, in the mean time, having filled withwater nearly to the top. This was pumped out, the bodies recovered, a few of which were identi¬ fied. Altogether, twenty-four lives were lost in this part of the work. It is in connection with this sad side of the work that I would especially speak of the contractors, Messrs. Shanley; for here they have shown a tender and sympathetic care for the sufferers seldom seen. I have been informed that, during the time they were connected with the work, the total amount of money expended for the relief of the sufferers reaches nearly $10,000. The central shaft, which is located near the centre of the tunnel, as will be seen by referring to the Profile, is 1,028 feet deep. Work was first begun here in December, 18G3. The chief advantage that was expected to be derived from this was that it would serve as a ventilator to the tunnel, and it was also thought it could be sunk in time to be of great use in expedit¬ ing the work; as, after being sunk to grade, two more headings would be aflbrded from which to work the tunnel. As a ven¬ tilator, some are of the opinion that it is of no practical value; others that it is. After sinking it to the tunnel grade, going west an advance was made of 2,00G feet; going east, 1,563, — thus undoubtedly shortening the time of construction of the tunnel some few months. The Messrs. Shanley were obliged to put in a pumping sys¬ tem, at an expense of $80,000 or more, to carry off the immense amount of water that fiowed in; and, taking into consideration the expense of sinking, it is a question whether its great cost ^ was money wisely expended. The west shaft, which is now V partly filled, is located 2,500 feet from the west portal. At the (11) HISTORY OF THK HOOSAC TUNNEL, western entrance, the engineers and contractors had to contend with great, in fact, almost insurmountable difBculties. Eock, termed mica schist, was encountered here, which, by the action of air and water, formed what was called "demoralized rock" or porridge. This could not be depended on for walls or roof Consequently, through this ground, which extended iu some 2,000 feet, it was found necessary to construct a brick arch, twenty-six feet wide by twenty-four high, varying in thickness from seven to twelve courses. The progress, at this point, was necessarily very slow; and, to facilitate the work, it was deemed advisable to sink the west shaft. They reached grade in 1861. Finding the rock Arm at this point, the tunnel was pushed west¬ wards towards entrance and eastwards under the mountain. Mules were lowered down the shaft, where they remained some four years, and were employed in hauling loaded cars from the headings to the shaft, where the cars were run into cages and hoisted to the surface by machinery above. To one not acquainted with the principles or details of engi¬ neering as applied to tunnels, it is difficult for them to under¬ stand how a tunnel of five miles in length could be worked from either end so accurately that the holes projected should exactly meet. After the main line is located, the methods adopted for keeping the men working in at the ends on this line are much more simple than one would at first suppose. The reader will notice by referring to the Profile, as I have before stated, that directly over the tunnel there are two summits. When the tunnel was determined upon and the surveys made, upon each summit was built, in solid masonry, what were called "signal houses." From the top of these were erected iron poles, fifteen feet in height, two inches in diameter, these being placed exactly on the proposed tunnel line. By the use of a transit instru¬ ment having a powerful telescope, a straight line was drawn from one of these poles to the other. Eastward, this line was extended beyond the proposed east portal, across the Deerfleld Elver, to a point on the hill beyond, known as Eovf's Head, where another pole was erected. Westward, in the same man¬ ner, this line was extended across the Hoosac Valley to a point on what is known as Notch Mountain, where another signal house was built. Thus a line drawn from the centre of the pole fl2) HISTORY OF THE HOOSAC TUNNEL. established on Row's Head, which lies several thousand feet east of the east portal, to the one on Notch Mountain would pass directly through the centre of those on the east and west sum¬ mits of the Hoosac. From these, the portals of the tunnel were not visible; and, for that reason, the line was extended to the points named, as from these they could be readily seen. Now, the miner, for instance, at the west end, wanting a centre to work from, the same transit instrument being placed in position on Notch Mountain, the engineer draws a line from the pole on the west summit of the Hoosac down to the western portal, when another instrument point was established. As the tunnel advaneed into the hill, it beeame necessary to extend this centre line into it, which was done by placing the transit in position at the point last named; from this point or centre were established, inside the tunnel, at intervals of twenty-five or thirty feet, by setting hard-wood plugs in the roof of the tunnel, into which were driven iron hooks, these being placed exactly in the centre of the tunnel line, after the tunnel had been pushed into the mountain so far that it was no longer possible to establish cen¬ tres from the portal, by suspending a plummet line from the most advanced hook and anotlier from the hook back of it, the transit being placed in position ahead of these, and, the engineer getting both in the line of his sight, readily established another point further ahead. In this manner, the lines were extended into the mountain, east and west, as the tunnel advanced, up to the time of meeting the central shaft headings. The tunnel had brought out engineering work which in point of accuracy has not been approached on similar works either in this country or abroad. After the central shaft was sunk to grade in August, 1870, the question of how to project a centre line from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the shaft, 1,028 feet, became quite an important one, as it w.as quite essen¬ tial that headings run east and west from the shaft meet exactly those coming from opposite directions. This was a work requiring much nicety and exactness, and there were employed some unusual devices entirely different from any heretofore used on similar works. They were originated and patented by Carl O. Wederkinch, engineer in charge of the central-shaft work, (0 and have since been used on other tunnels, in California, with (13) tes ^ -e^sg? I HISTORY OF THE HOOSAC TUKNEL. equal success. Seventy-flve feet from the shaft, on ether side of the tunnel, were instrument piers. From observations made at these points with a transit brought into exact line with the poles on the east and west summits, which, as I have before stated, represented the true tuunel line, it was found that, in projecting a line to a point nearer the shaft for the purpose of establishing another centre, observations made at different times would not agree. In consequence of which, it was found neces¬ sary to project lines, at different times, noticing their variation. Twenty-flve feet either side of the shaft, stone piers were buiit, on each of which were placed and securely fastened an instrument, consisting of slides, divided scales, motion screws, clamps, etc., for recording and establishing each and every line projected. A great number of lines were olitained; these were averaged and the mean computed; thus the true tunnel line was established at these points near the top of the shaft. The instru¬ ments above referred to being set on this line, two parallel steel wires were stretched across the shaft from one to the other, the intervening space of about a twentieth part of an inch, repre¬ senting the line above referred to, exactly between these wires, not touching either, were suspended plummet wires of copper, on each side of the shaft, eleven and a half feet from the centre; to the end of these were attached.plummets, weighing fifteen pounds each; tliese were suspended down the sliaft about one thousand feet, the wires were encased in wooden boxes eight by eight, the plummet suspended in buckets of water for the pur¬ pose of protecting them from the disturbing influences of air currents and drops of water; thus shielded, the oscillation never exceeded 1-100 part of an iueh. The buckets stood on a floor, thrown across the shaft, two feet above the roof of the tunnel. Observations were made at different times, the oscillation of the wires on a scale placed in fi-ont of them carefully recorded; tliese were averaged, the mean computed, which was taken as the true tunnel line; thus two points or centres were established, near the bottom of the sliaft, twenty-three feet apart. By suspending plummet lines from these two points into the tunnel directly below, the centre line, as the headings advanced east and west, was carried forward in the same manner as those at the east and west ends of the tun- (14) ^ f HISTORY OF THE HOOSAC TUNHEL. f nel which I have already described. A communication from Consulting Engineer Edward S. Philbrick, published some time since iu the "Boston Advertiser," develops some interesting facts iu relation to the engineering work of tlie tunnel. He reproduces portions of a report written by one of the engineers upon the Mount Cenis Tunnel, in which the meeting of the two headings is there described. The two axes meet almost exactly; there was barely half a yard error; the level on our side was less than three quarters of a yard too high; but after thirteen years' continued work, who could even hope for so perfect a result? The methods used in producing the lines at the Mount Cenis differed in soma important details from those pursued at the Hoosac Tunnel, where the processes inaugurated by Thomas Doane have been followed out by his successor, Mr. Benjamin D. Frost. The superiority of the American plan is illustrated by a comparison of results. Thus, although the Mount Cenis Tunnel had advanced 20,000 feet before meeting, their error was half a yard, — eighteen inches, — or nearly one inch for every 1,000 feet advance, while we here found our largest error in line at the points of meeting to be only nine sixteenths of an inch in an advance into the mountain of 10,000 feet, which is a deviation of less than one sixteenth of an inch for a thousand feet advance, and' therefore only one fifteenth of the angular deviation developed at the Mount Cenis. But with the great achievement of the Hoosac Tunnel by which Mr. Wederkinch laid a horizontal line with such accuracy from the bottom of a shaft over 1,000 feet deep, the Mount Cenis Tunnel can offer no comparison, being without shafts; and indeed Mr. Philbrick says, "This achievement is unique, and challenges comparison in its way, so far as I am informed." The Hoosac Tunnel, including the forty-four miles of railroad owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, has cost the State, after adding the interest on the investment up to the present time (1877), about $17,000,000, a much larger sum than it would now cost to build it, after years of engineering experience in tun¬ nelling, which was comparatively in its infancy when this work was begun, with improved methods by machine drills, more powerful explosives, simultaneous blasting by electricity, chea""'* labor, etc.; yet, while the cost of the tuuuel to the State ] (15) HISTORY OF THE HOOSAC TUNNEL. been great, it is the opinion of many far-seeing railroad men that, if retained and properly managed by the Commonwealth until its value can be fairly estimated, it will be found to be worth to the State much more than it has cost. It is now under the control of the governor and Council, who employ the able and efflcient manager, Jeremiah Prescott, to superintend and look after the interests of the State, both in the work of con¬ struction, which is now about completed, and in the operation of the road. The road is directly operated by the Fitchburg Railroad Company from Greenfield to North Adams, and by the Troy and Boston from North Adams to the State line, the State receiving a proportionate rate of the gross earnings. The busi¬ ness of the road is rapidly increasing, and bids fair to exceed the expectations of its most sanguine friends. The Hoosac Tunnel route is not only one of the most popular lines for pas¬ senger travel, but, from its easy grades aud shorter distances, one of the best freight lines between the East aud the West. One of the best ways to visit the tunnel, for parties coming ft-om the East, is to leave the cars at Greenfield; from there drive up through the charming Eeerfleld Valley to the east end of the tunnel; from this point the highway passes up through forests of birches and beaches to the eastern summit of the Hoosac, from which there is a grand outlook, to the eastward over the outlaying spurs of the mountain, the valley stream and railroad below. From this summit the road descends sharply into the high valley that stretches along the mountain top and runs through a dozen rocky farms, where the owners derive a good living from stock-growing and potato-raising. On the west slope of the valley, about oue mile south of the main high¬ way, is located the famed central shaft. Hascending the western summit, however familiar one may be with the finest mountain scenery on the continent, he will exclaim with delight at the striking baauty of the scene that lies below and beyond. A lovely green valley contains the village of North Adams; the great, grayish-green hulk of Greylock Mountain, the highest peak in Massachusetts, rises across the valley, — these are the chief features of the picture whose charming details it would take long to describe. I (10) T LIBKw 1 BL'SEAU Of WASHINGTOr C OKLY A TUNNELLEE. 1 BT E. A. WRIGHT, *' Only a tunnellor " passing your door. In the solemn hearse to-day; Another bark from life's rough shore Launched on the unknown bay. ** Only a tunnellcr " killed last night, JUown up about twelve o^clock. There's no one to blame. The fellow was tight, And could n't endure the shock. " Only a tunneller,** nothing more, Gone to get his pay ; He ought to have given his notice be¬ fore. In a decent, sensible way. Tom Lynch was known by all his gang \ s one of the boys *• that is tough," Which simply means, translated from slang, A diamond yet in the rough. Tom used to work on the first night shift. And at twelve his work wis done; But often, to give his brother a lift, He stayed in the shaft till one. His brother Joe was a family man, With children a dozen or more; And they used to work on the mutual plan, '*To keep the wolf from the door.** Tom knew there was trouble ahead that night. For the careless " glycerine cuss ** Had so " tamped *' a hole that it wouldn't light, Which always creates a fuss. 'T is a risky job to draw a charge Of glycerine well "tamped" in; For the man that tries it, the cbaucc is large That life will be brief for him. Tom knew that the job had got to be done, And that Joe would have it to do; For Joe came to work with the gang at one. And the shift was nearly due. So the cage went up, leaving Tom alono In the shaft, so dreary and dark. A low, deep rumble: 'tis all that's known Of the launch of the tunncllcr's bark. Oh, good friend, did you stop to think, Ere you uttered your heartless jest. That in life's great chain this rusty link Has held the very best. For the tunncller's heart was true and brave, And cherished no selfish thought; And in giving his life another to save, liis mission he faithfully wrought. I've somewhere read, in days gone by, I'hat our life is at best but a span. And the fittest place for a man to die Is where bo mes for man. (17) Jan. Feb. Mar. April Hay Jane 20 21 27 28 3 10 16 17 18 23 24 25 20 21 27 28 1 2 8 9 15 16 22 23 29i30 5 6 1213 19 20 26 27 5 6 12 13 19 20 26i27 2 3 910 16 17 22 23 24 29130 ••• ...... 1 6 7 8 11 12 13 14 15 1819 20 21 22 25 26 27 28,29 29 30 4| 5 11 12 18 19 25,26 3 4 1011 17 18 24 25 31 - ... 1 7 8 14 15 21 22 28 21 22 28 29 4 5 11 12 18 19 25 26 2; 3 910 16 17 23 24 30,31 61 7 1314 20 21 27128 Jnly Ang. Sept. Oct. Hot. Deo. 1 Sun. 1 Mon. a e. •C !c 1 Tliu. "C a X 1 2 3 4 6 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 ... ... ... ... ... "i 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 "i 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25:26 27 28 29 30 ... ... ... ... ... 1 2 "3 4 "5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30|31 1 2 3 4 6 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26,27!28 29 30 ... ... ... ... "1 2 3 4 5 6 "7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17|18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25126 27 28 29 30 31 ... ... ... The folloTPing named Hotels are located in the principal towns and cities on the Roosae Tunnel Tine and its connect ons, and can be relied upon as being first-class in every particular: — I FAtMOUTH HOTEI,, Portland, Me. ROCKINGHAM HOUSE, Portsmoutb, N. H. AMEBICAN HOUSE, Boston, Mass. EAGLE HOUSE, Concord, N. H. CHESHIRE HOUSE, Keene, N. H. MERRIMACK HOUSE, Lowell, Mass. FRANKLIN BOUSE, Lawrence, Mass. NAURAGANSETT HOUSE, Fall River, Mass. PARKER HOUSE, New Bedford, Mass. HATNES HOUSE, Springfield, Mass. AMERICAN HOUSE, Fitchbnrgr, Mass. WILSON HOUSE, Northampton, Mass. BAT STATE HOUSE, Worcester, Mass. HOLTOKE HOCSE, Holyoke, Mass. -e^ I OCEAN HOUSE, Newport, R. T. ALDRICH HOUSE, Providence, R. I. WAUREGAN HOUSE, Nornich, Ct. ALLYN HOUSE, Hartford, Ct. MOSLET'i NEW HAVEN HOUSE, New Haven, Ct. ATLANTIC HOTEL, Bridg^eport, Ct. ISLAND HOUSE, Bellows Falls, Vt. B.ATES HOUSE, Rutland, Vt. VAN NESS HOUSE, Burlington, Vt. WELDEN HOUSE, St. Albans, Vt. WINDSOR HOTEL, New York City. UNITED STATES, Saratoga, N. Y. GIRENS HOUSE, Schenectady, N. T. STANWIX HALL, Rome, N. Y. ST. JAHES, Auburn, N. Y. BAGGS HOTEL, Utica, N. Y. I r GLOBE HOTEL, Syracuse, N. Y. OSBORN HOUSE, Rochester, N. Y. TIFT HOUSE, Buffalo, N. Y. SPAULDING HOUSE, Binghamton, N. Y. BUS^ELL HOUSE, Detroit, Mich. BOODY HOUSE, Toledo, Ohio. KENNABD HOUSE, Cleveland, Ohio. NEIL HOUSE, Columbus, Ohio. BURNETT HOUSE, Cincinnati, Ohio. PALMER HOUSE, Chicago, 111. PLUNKINTON HOUSE, Milwaukee, Wis. LINDELL HOTEL, St. Louis, Mo. GATT HOUSE, Louisville, Ky. • QUEEN'S HOTEL, Toronto, Canada. ROYAL HOTEL, Hamilton, Canada. EMPIRE HOUSE, Akron, Ohio. I -oo 5 HEYWOOD'S PATENT SNOW PLOW, o 1, Application of Wings. 2. Tool Tlouse. 3. Caboose. 4. Application of Plow to Car. 5, Brake for Extending Wings. TOO (~>OT ^ () HEYWOOD'S () w ^ FOR SINGLE OR DOUBLE TRACKS. "With Safety Wings and Flange Clearers; safe to run at full.passenger train speed, leaving the track and flanges enti.-ely free from ice and snow. Reference may be made to the following Railroads, where they have been fully tested: F^itchburg, Vt. & M!a«s., Flushing & North Side, Flint & Fere Marquette, Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore, Inter-Oolohial, Wise )nsin Central, Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg & New Bedford, Boston, Barry, Oardner & Monadnock Rail¬ roads. "i 5.) Indian\poUvS and Cinctnnatt Railroad. Master Mb<^hanic*s 0^^ICE, Cincinnati, Ohio, Nov. 28,1865. Mr. C. L. Heywood. Boston, Mass.,— Your letter requesU ^g me to give an opinion relative to the merits of your Snow Plow and Scraper,i8 received. It affords me pleasure to say t at while engaged on the Kitcbburg Railroad 1 had an opportunity to examine it carefully, and witness its operation. It is the best machine I have ever seen, not only for clearing ice and snow from the track, but at the same time removing it deep enough so that the flanges suffer no impediment whatever. The great speed at which it can be run with pv-rfcct safety gives it an advantage over any other machine now used for that purpose. Its simplicity and durability render it a desirable machine for any railroad obstructed by snow or ice. Yours truly, H. M. BRITTON, Afaster Mechanic, The foliowing gentlemen fully concur in the above statements; G- A. Cool- IDGF, 6upt of Motive Power; Enos Varnet, Supt. Car Depot; L. J. Spauld- ING, Road Master, Fitch >urg Kaiiroad. .Arrangemerx'e made to liave the Plows mode at the Car "Works of the dlfteretxt JRailroads. APPLY TO C. L. HEYWOOD, Boston, Mass. if Young's Hotel. EUROPEAN PLAN ^EAD OF ^TATE ^T., ^OSTON, JAASS. HALL & WHIPPLE, Proprietors. This favorite Hotel is unsurpassed in all its comforts, Inxnries, and appoint¬ ments. Situated in the heat t of the business p-^rtion of the city» it offers superior inducements to the pleasure seeker, commercial traveller, tourist and business man. Geo. a. Haix. j. B. Whipple. '■ iyit it* HOOSAC MHUMTAIK J-/^ SIGNAL HOUSE i"'' ^ SHOWING TlINNBl ,' r i •> f i '■llferi ■ 'i CENTRAL SHAFT ■;?^c W.7L. 1^ WEST END SSt A% LC A' ■'^'i-S": /."* ? ce .ri"»^A T 7> A •I* i, O'"- j