PIERCING THE ALPS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 254, 20 July 1908, Page 8

PIERCING THE ALPS.

FOUR CHAINS IN. , BEALEY MATERIAL TO BE CARTED OVER ARTHUR'S PASS. (by TEiiEQßArn—rnEss association.) ; ; > - Chrlstchurch, July 18. • ■ Mr. Murdoch M'Lean, one of the .contrite- ■ • tors : for" the Arthur's Pass tunnel, arrived, h; town from Otira yesterday evening, and ■ ' <ia a chat with a representative rof the ■; ' . '.'Press ", gavo some information regarding : ./tho progress -of tho works connected with his• firm's 1 big-.contract.■■ ■• •' ; : CANTERBURY END. At the Canterbury end of,tho tunnel, Mr. - 1 ' M ! Lean-stated, a. start at putting, in tho : : heading:-will bo mado in'about "two .months. ■v ■ At• present tlio steam plant which is to bo used until .the'.electric installation^- lids' been • -:completed, .and the materials 1 for-;the.pow-- : : • er-house.are-awaiting to bo transported from Otira, but delay is takiugplaceiowing to the . fact that the-snow on Arthur's Pass justnow prevents heavy traffic. - v . Work is proceeding 111 connection with the- ■ pipe track from tho Punch Bowl to tho power house site, and .about 300 feet of. tunnelling • has-yet to bo done before tho track is com-' pleted. l ' An aerial. tramway- has been erected •' for tho purpose of conveying pipes, and material over the Bealey River. A start, has - 1 been made to erect a temporary bridgo over the Bealey near, tho mouth of_ tho tunnel,, and 1 the contract for the foundationsiof the permanent bridgo in tho same locality has been - let to .Mossrs! M'Lean by the Government. • At' present, and iuntil tho railway from :■ Broken River reaches the.Pass, all the ma.te- : rial for the works at tho Canterbury end 1 of the tunnel is being sent to Greymoutli, •••: railed to Otira, and thenco carted- over Ar- >■' thur's Pass. Tho cost of cartage from Bro- • . keu River, makes it -.unprofitable, to- get;tlio material,by that route, , and -it . wjll not bo - profitable 'until-the railway is constructfed 1 t) the Pass. ' • i Near-the.Canterbury ontrancei.to the;tun-, nel .tho eontraetors i have built huts, stables, ■ , and storcs,.and havo got ; ,m'atters wpll;for- ; , ward 'in readiness -for the commencement' of ; work on-tho- tunnel. ■. •' WEST COAST END, , At tho Otira end, tho .tunnol is in a littlo •; bvor four and . a half chains, and- driving is • ' at 'present ,in hard rock and; in good; stand--irig. country;;ho'rtimbering'; bdirig: necessary.. . . About a fortnight ago work was begun with •itidfihine drills, 'and they ;aro 1 working splenv didly. When the" mon becomo more accutf- ; tomed to their use, better progress,will, be . made;' Tlireo shifts are at work daily,; six ; ; men being: at the faco with tho: drilling machines. • '• • , ■ Most of the-men employed by the.contractors are at present busy,on the water supply tunnels in connection with, tho; liyd_ro T ; ■ ; electric power* scheme; >tho wator for .which is to 1 be got from Holt's Creek; Tho .power-- : v house for tho. motors and air . compressors ■ has been finished, ■ and the foundations have been put: down for tho power-houso for tho ■ Pelton wheels and dynamos; A lathe, a ■ • drilling and : a -machine, ' ■■with other - machiriDryj'vhave been: installt>d. . ' . The .final, instalment of • pipes, for line from Holt's Creek is expected to como ti hand, nest week, but it will bo four or. five months before the hydro-electric mstallation is completed,.as heavy high pressure . , pipes havo to be imported -from England. When, Mr. M'Lean loft the works all wis going Well,-.and ;thore wero.no indications of ;' : .among.;the, men. ' . 1 l " J .: 1