Читать книгу Report of the Hoosac Tunnel and Troy and Greenfield Railroad, by the Joint Standing Committee of 1866 - Tappan Wentworth - Страница 3

Deerfield Dam.—This structure is completed. Flashboards to be used in low stages of water may have to be occasionally renewed.

The canal is finished as far as wheelpit No. 3. The machine-shop is about 72 feet long, and 36 feet wide. It has three turbine wheels. A fourth wheel is designed, but is not required at the present time, and the pit to receive it is not completed.

In the basement of the machine-shop are two compressors. The first was put in January, 1866. It has four cylinders 13 inches in diameter, and 20 inches stroke. This compressor is used to drive the drills, and furnish air for the blacksmith shop. The second compressor was put in some time in October. It has four cylinders 25 inches in diameter, and 24 inches stroke, and is used for ventilation one-fourth of the time, two hours after each blast, viz., from 8 to 10, A. M., from 4 to 6, P. M., and from 12 to 2, A. M. The compressors work satisfactorily. The loss of power in the transmission of air from the machine-shop to the drills, a distance of 4,500 feet, being hardly perceptible.

In addition to the compressors, there is in the machine-shop the following machinery, viz.: three lathes, one of them worked by hand; a drilling machine; a planer; a bolt-cutting machine and a saw-table. Sixty horse-power is required to carry the machine-drills, the machines in the shop, and to furnish air for the blacksmith shop. When the large compressor is used, 75 additional horse-power is required. A circular saw at the east end of the machine shop, is occasionally used, driven by power derived from the turbine wheels.

The blacksmith shop, near the entrance of the tunnel, contains three forges. The hand-drills are made, and, together with the machine drills, sharpened at this shop. The ordinary repairs of the drilling machines are done in the machine shop. New parts of the same are furnished from Fitchburg.

The heading in the tunnel at this end when driven by hand was about 15 feet wide by 6 feet high. When driven by the machines it is 16 feet wide and 8 feet high. Its location is in the centre of the tunnel, 4¹/₂ feet above subgrade, and 1¹/₂ feet above the road bed.

The force employed at this point in July last was—

The first day of November there were employed here 115 men. There are at this point, besides the shops and saw mill above mentioned, 2 small offices, 1 boarding-house, 2 carpenters' shops, 2 powder-houses, 1 temporary blacksmith's shop, 1 temporary horse-stable, 3 sheds, 1 engine-house, 1 barn, 1 instrumental station-house (all used by the State,) and 2 cottages; 6 first-class shanties, 13 common shanties, 10 temporary shanties, 1 store under school-room; with 1 cottage, 1 old store and 8 shanties, built by H. Haupt & Company, which are rented.

A resident engineer was stationed at the East End in charge of the work.

The progress of the excavations at the East End heading for the year ending December, 1866, has been 569 feet; at the rate of 47.42 per month.

The progress during the six months ending May, 1866, was 338 feet; an average per month of 56 feet 4 inches. One week was lost in June in introducing the machine-drills, in consequence of which the progress that month was reduced to 50 feet 6 inches. During the five months ending November 30, the progress has been 219¹/₂ feet; being an average of 43.9 feet per month. It will be seen by the table, that in July, the first month after the introduction of the drill machines, the progress attained was only 26.5 feet. As the men became better acquainted with them, the progress was increased to 48 feet in August, and in September it rose to 54.5, having nearly attained the average progress of the six months preceding their introduction. Had there been an adequate supply, there can be little doubt that the progress would have continued to increase, and would have shown the superiority of the machine-drill over hand-labor; but the supply fell off, and the progress in October was reduced to 34 feet and 6 inches.

Table showing the progress at East End Heading, from November 1, 1865, to January 1, 1867.