The Great Bore
A Souvenir Of The Hoosac Tunnel

19 neers. It was a big one. It blew a hole five feet by five and a half through thirteen feet of rock. Before the noise attending the terrific explosion, effected by 160 pounds of nitro-glycerine, had died away and amid vibrations which seemed to shake the very mountain, a line was formed with Mr. Shanly at its head, and slowly advanced to the ragged opening. When it was reached Mr. Shanly courteously stepped aside, inviting Senator Sylvander Johnson, chairman of the Hoosac tunnel committee, to be the first to pass through. The tunnel received its second christening, so to speak, on February 9, 1875. On the afternoon of that bitter cold winter day the first train came through the mountain and the vision of half a cen- tury became a practical, working reality. Iheie was no public demonstration. The train, consisting of a locomotive, three platform cars and an ordi- nary freight car, made the trip through the tunnel, from east to west, in thirty-four minutes I here were about 125 persons on the train, among whom were Chief Engineer Frost, Dr. Elihu S. Hawkes, one of the oldest and most faithful friends of the tunnel and one of the directors who, on Januaiy 8, 1851, broke ground for the Troy and Greenfield rail- road; Engineer W. P. Granger, and Consulting En- gineer Doane.