The Great Bore
A Souvenir Of The Hoosac Tunnel

IIOOSAC TUNNEL. recapitulation. First proposed for a canal, Surveys made for canal, 1819 Iroy and Greenfield railroad chartered, • • 1826 Surveys made for railroad tunnel, 1848 Work begun on railroad tunnel, 1850 Headings met November 27, • • 1851 Completed, 1874 First train through, February 9, 1875 First freight train through, April 5, 1875 First passenger train through, October 13, 1875 Sold to the Fitchburg railroad company, 1875 Total length, feet, • . 1887 Distance from east portal to central shaft, feet, • . 52,081 Distance from west portal to central shaft feet • 12,837 Distance from central shaft to west shaft, feet ’ • • 12,244 Depth of central shaft, feet, • 9,694 Dimensions of central shaft, feet, • • 1,028 Depth of west shaft, feet, . 15x27 Dimensions of west shaft, feet, 318 Width of rock excavation, feet, • . 10x14 Height of rock excavation, feet, 24 Rock excavated, tons, 20 Tri-nitro-glycerine used, pounds, • • 2,000,000 Total length of brick arching, feet, • . 500,000 Brick used in arching, number, 7,573 Grade per mile, from portals to central shaft, feet, • 30,000,000 Water discharged, east end, per minute, gallons, • • 26-40 ” ater discharged, west end, per minute, gallons, • • 100 Lowest elevation of mountain above tunnel, feet,’ • • 600 Highest elevation of mountain above tunnel feet • ■ 800 Men employed, . 1,718 Lives lost, • 800 to 1,000 Miles from North Adams, 195 Miles from Troy, • . 2 Miles from Boston, 50 136