PROGRESS OF THE SOUTHERN TRUNK RAILWAY.

Evening Star, Issue 2990, 18 September 1872, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE SOUTHERN TRUNK RAILWAY.

No, 2* At the mouth of the tunnel a wDodon chimney is raised to a considerable height. This chimney is connected with a ceiling of well-caulked grooved and tongued boards* extending to a considerable distance within the tunnel. It is not carried completely up to the roof a small space being left between so as to form an air chamber. Two currents of air are induced by this process. The hot and foul air rises to the roof, passes into the chamber, and np the chimney; while a cur. rent of eool, pure air replaces it below. It has not been found necessary te use means to rarefy the air at the mouth of the chimney, as the arrangement has been found sufficient for the distance. The journey up the tunnel was safely and even pleasantly effected, and we soon reached the lights seen at the mouth. There were a number of candles so disposed as to enable the men to pro* secute the work of boring, blasting, and filling the waggous with spoil. The work is continued by sets of men night and day, and every arrangement has been made to facilitate the process. We scrambled over lumps of rock to the head of the tunnel, under the guidance of Mr M‘Kenzie, who explained the arrangements made for carrying out the work. It was about dinner time. A fuse was ready for lighting, and after inspecting all that was interesting, by the aid of the arch of composite candles, we took our seats, aud our horse once more took us in tow. When about half way to the mouth of the tunnel, the blast was fired, and the report followed us, deep-toned and prolonged, as it rolled along the sides and the arched roof above us. It was at first proposed to visit the other end of the tunnel, but changing our minds, we directed our course along devious and difficult paths, through swamps, over creeks, along mountain sides, to the more distant part of the line. The tunnel is now nearly through, there being only a distance of about two chains between the working parties, who can distinctly bear each other working. At a distance of six miles from town—that is, by railway, though we should think it move than twice six by the road—we reached the end of Mr Smyth’s contract. A very short time will be required to put the line in working order when the tunnel is conqfieted, and, so far as may be judged, Mr Smyth’s portion of the line has been constructed in a most satisfactory manner. ' Where Mr Smyth’s contract ends Mr Brogden’s begins, and the work is being pushed by him with extraordinary vigor. All along the line are parties of men and horses, cutting or forming embankments, We Occasionally left the line to shorten our distance, and came upon it at a more distant point ; but thropgijout, as tav as the pepond tupnej through the Chain Hijls, at which our journey ended, the same activity was oh. servable. This tunnel wall be 454 yards long, and from the character of the rock is likely to be a much more tedious job than the first tunnel. Excavation has, however, been commenced, Mr Brogdtn having already broken ground. From the summit of this hill we had a magnificent view of the Taieri plain, with its green fields and ploughed lands giving promise of plenty of produce for conveyance on the railway. On reaching the road, our conveyance was in waiting, and we returned to town by the high road. The benefit to be derived from'the' construction' of these works was evident as we went along. There was scarcely a wheelwright’s or blacksmith’s shop in which signs of the railway were not visible. There were dofibin carts or wheels for dobbin ends ur earth waggpns (we forgo| their technical name), or some other vehicle, in course of construction or repair in almost every one The line as far as Green Island is in such a state of forwardness that it might, without extraordinary effort, be in working order by Christmas. We hope whatever Ministry may be in power that an effort will be made to open it, both for the sake of the regular traffic and the pleasant excursions that may be made.