3-052-490 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Sketches in the St. Gothard Tunnel, 1880. 'The...view of the tunnel's mouth, is taken at Göschenen, the north end...the portraits of Neccaraviglia and Chisso, who perforated and blasted the last hole, from opposite sides, are represented in the other Sketches...For removing the debris from the inner part of the workings to those parts served by the locomotive, horses have been employed...as the temperature within the tunnel has been about 100 deg. Fahr. it has been very deadly work for the horses, ten per month dying on an average...In other Sketches we see patient, brave, and laborious Piedmontese, Savoyard, and Swiss workmen, by whom this great and difficult task has been achieved...fixing up wooden beams to support the roof of the tunnel, which will eventually be cased with a vaulting of masonry; or taking away the rubbish in a cart, after blasting the rock. The men wear little clothing, as it is so hot, and carry rude lamps suspended by a cord from one hand. In the view of the south end of the tunnel [bottom], at Airolo, are shown the tube and a reservoir of compressed air, not unlike the boiler of a steam-engine. The locomotives drawing trains of ballast-waggons in the tunnel are worked by this compressed air'. From "Illustrated London News", 1880.