FUSHING INWARDS

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume VIII, Issue 2472, 9 February 1909, Page 3

FUSHING INWARDS

progress of otika tunnel,

IJTTLE HOLE THROUGH A BIG

MOUNTAIN,

What is considered to be satisfactory progress is now being made on the Otiru tunnel, through which will some day run the railway to connect tho )\ est Coast with the main railway system of the South tlaud. Tho tunnel k already in for over Iwenty-thrce chains, buMhero aro yet live miles of rock to bo gono through before the Bealey side is reached. A representative of the Now Zealand Tillies who was down at Otira last week gathered that the work was now being pushed on faster than over boforo, and that the distance which had been driven during the previous week constituted a word. Tho men aro now boring through solid rock. Hitherto tho boring machines, which make the holes in which tjic explosives aro inserted to blast out Ifo-faet »f the tunnel, have beep driven hv compressed air, but an electric plant liiis now been installed which will enable operations to be pushed on much faliter. This plant was given its first trial run last week, and the results obtained were said to be quite satisfactory. The electrical energy is generated by water power, of which there is a superabundance running to waste in all directions. The water in this case is brought from Holt's creek, which is situated further up the Rolleston gorge, and is led to the |w*er-houso near the tunnel mouth by means of iron piping. THE FIRST HEADING.

Though the tunnel is generally referral to «s the Otira tunnel, it really dots not start from the Otira gorge, at nil, As a matter of fact, it takes off from the liollcston gorge, though cqrliilnly only a comparatively short distance above the hitter's junction with the Otira. As already indicated, itwill bo just about five miles and a qiiarU<r in length wlieu completed, and will climb i-teadily upwards the whole of the nte from west to east, with a grade ol l/iii 33. At present only what if. teclinicallv known as a heading is being put in. This is really a small nearly square tunnel of about seven feet wido and eight feet lrgh. but it lias yet to he widened out and arched out to tho proper dimensions and shape. This work will be done by a second gang of men working some distance from the actual borers. The approach of the tunnel is boiiig constructed by the Public Works Department, and appears to be fairly well forward. - A good deal of work was ncc- . rbsitatcd bv reason of the fact that the My route which could bo .followed from tho present terminus at Otira to tho tunnel mouth, about two miles distant, was practically along the riverbed. This meant a long and high embankment, though the engineers wo saved some trouble by the presence , right alongside of n superabundant supply of material in tho shape- of stones Hiid boulders. In places tho embankment is twenty or over in height. Moro than one bridge has had to bo constructed! in order to cross tho river, while m lirta place a dcop cutting has had to bo made.

This cutting in quite close to tho tunnel. It is through a high bluff on the .south-western side of the gorge and al- --> most immediately tho line gets clear of it it will swervo to tho left, cross a steel bridge over the liollcston river, and plunge into the long tunnel, tlio mouth of the hitter only being a few chains from tho end of the- bridge. A large number of men aw being employed on the work by the Public Works Depart--Vnic-ut. *"'' '. STEADILY ONWARDS. Work ou tho tunnel itself is boing Hashed on night and day, the only slop being from just before midnight on Saturday till just after midnight on Sunday. Three shifts are employed, eight men comprising a shift. Two boring machines aro used. Tho men actually employed in the tunnel, however, do not by any moans comprise tho whole of tho staff, for there- aro very many jnoro who aro occupied out- . sidi> as tool-sharpeners, blacksmiths, /-engineers, electricians, and mechanics of various kinds. All active operations apnear to bo carried on at present from tho Otira side, though it is understood that shortly tho contractors will commence boring in from Bcaley also,. Future travellers by train from the West Coast to Canterbury will got many beautiful glimpses of waterfalls and hush-clad mountains as they aro whirled along the rapidly-narrowing valley toward* the tunnel, though they will miss the far grander sights of tho ..1 conch route over tho mountains by way Arthur's Pass. Dot it will fio n much safer way, aud doubtless this will compensate in the minds of many people for the loss of the scenic beauties nowgazed tmaWsby the coach traveller— can get through. Otira yNi" tjip\'ep l| tiilii>i' of being one of the wettestihiccs in New Zealand, which niuans mi very often tho rivers aro up, and tho coaches aro unable to venture, over tho Pass. Tho black,- nnrnniantie tunnel will do away with all .that, and the littlo hole through the • -{'''"''rt of the great mountains will pio■'"vido a far safer aud quicker means of travel than tho old leathern-hung couch mid iU fivo liokoii.