NEW ALPINE TUNNEL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1092, 3 April 1911, Page 5

NEW ALPINE TUNNEL.

SUCCESSFULLY PIERCED. . By Tclceraph—P?ess AfsociaUon-Coryrleht Berlin, March 31. The. Loetschberg tunnel, opening a new through route through the Alps, has been successfully pierced after four and a half years' work, The Loetschberg Tunnel, which was begun in August, 1906, will', it is claimed, eventually bo the shortest and, in every probability, the quickest of any routes that can bo made through Franco or through Switzerland between Boulogne or Calais and Briudisi, in conjunction with tho Simplon Tunnel and the central artery of the Italian railway system, which it will join at Piacenza. As the result of an accident which occurred in July, 1908, owing to the breaking through of tho Biver Kandar, it was decided to divert the centre line of the tunnel be•tween the two sections already completed, so as to avoid the deep moraine, This will extend the length of "the tunnel to about 9 miles. Iu June, 393 metres of the tunnel had been bored, of which 251 metres were on the north side. Tho advance is moTo rapid at this end, owing to the soft,;.stone, while hard quartz, which has been mot at tho south entrance, has retarded, tho progress of the work. The temperature is also 19 degrees higher at the south than at the north borings. At. this rate the tunnel should be pierced considerably in advance of contract time. There are 2832 workmen employed, of whom 2100 aro working in the tunnel.