HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1962-04-05, Page 2Tunnel Costs Great
In Money ,And lives
Sixteen metal fangs projecting
from its three••tiered jaw, the
enormous shape moved to the at -
tacit hi the dimly lighted. cevern
With a roar it bit tato the farce
eR the cliff, leaving the imprint
of its giant teeth, Then the huge
thing retreated. Little ocher -colt
ar.'ed figures darted 'about, as if
inspecting wounds of battle.
The .figures were men in
Waterproof clothing. The "mon-
ster Was Jumbo, a 75 -tot tunnel-
ing machine, mechanically drill-
ing its way from France to Italy
through tine granite base of Mont
Blew' at the rate of 26 feet a
day, From the other side of the
15,781 -foot mountain, digging to -
warts Fratiee, an Italian team
with a 40 -ton boring platform
and pneumatic drills eventually
will meet the men coming the
other way. Every day the 432
tunnelers attacking the mount-
ain from Its French flank and
the 523 advancing from Italy
move 17 yards closer to a new
conquest of the Alps.
The Mont Blanc tunnel, to be
completed sometime in 1964, is
one of the most impressive en-
gineering projects currently un-
der way anywhere in the world,
To build 7,25 miles of two-lane
highway under Western Europe's
highest motuttein, the French and
Italians will have to remove
1,308,000 cubic yards of rock —
enough to lay a granite sidewalk
completely around the earth, But
though the cost of the under-
taking is high — at least $40
million — the achievement will
be immense. When the Mont
Blanc tunnel is complete, the
autostrade of Italy will be con-
nected directly with the French
autoroutes and German auto-
bahns north of the Alps. The
drive from Paris to Route, which
now must skirt the snow -block-
ed Alpine passes six or seven
months of the year and follow
the winding 1,000 -mile route al-
ong the Riviera, will be shorten-
ed by 125 miles and about one-
fifth the usual driving time.
Stimulated by the prospect of
increased trade resulting from
the Common Market, France and
Italy agreed in 1.957 to construct
and administer the tunnel joint-
ly. The Swiss canton of Geneva
contributed 10 per cent of the
capital and named two directors
to both the French and Italian
tunnel -building companies. Gen-
ova will benefit directly be-
cause the Mont Blanc auto route
will be the first to take heavy
trucks from Switzerland to the
nearest port at Genoa,
Tunneling under the Alps,
however, costs not only money
but Iives. The older Swiss tun-
nels, the St. Gotthard and the
Simplon. which handle only rail
traffic, took a toll of 260. So far,
the French crews have lost five
men in digging almost -3 miles
into Mont Blanc: the Italians
have lost four in digging a lit-
tle more than 2 miles.
"It's a war," says Italian en-
gineer Silvano Ricceri. "We de-
clared war on this mountain and
we intend to keep on letting it
have it until we can shake hands
with them Frenchmen coming
our way:'
Of :he two nanous attacking.
Mont Beane. the Italians are
fated by _geelept to stiffer the
brunt cf she battle. Almost from
the beginning they have encoun-
tered treatheeroue labs ea clay-
like rock which crumble as the
pressure of eons -old solidity is
di:embed.. Be.atese the mountain
origira:ed with an upheaval
ten; the south that pushed the
harder trek mass to the north,
the dangereus `sults are far more
numerous on the Italian side.
They ar sou ere their presence
nett: slsr'.'• explosions that drop
etas:ve hunks of granite to the
unnei floor, These blast, often
,:re followed by flokis of icy-
water
cywater bursting from Mont Blanc'e
underground ressetvoire. S ix
months age, one such wildtor-
rent caught up a long metal bar
and trove it `Bike a spear through
IT'S PAINLESS — Sandra In-
grrsana demansttotes new de-
vt:e copble of making a coma
pie e r'e t al X-ray in only one
r,
the chest orf Mince Gee:wive De
Eakin, 60 deet away.
't "be bar was one of thousands
'theItalians are bolting to -the
tunnel's 'ceiling, like disarrayed
corset ribs, to hold Unstable rock
in place, Before the surface is
lined with concrete, the restrain-
ed but continuing rockfall is
naught in a heavy metal netting
hung under the "corset." This
inside lacing is frequently pre-,
ceded by temporary timber work
erected in waist -deep water and,
81 -degree heat. Recently, an un-
derground river suddenly burst
through the rock at the rate of
300 gallons per second, adding
to floods already channeled into
run-offs along the tunnel floor,
Itis an eerie world inside the
tunnel, In cold weather, a thick
white inlet stuffs the tunnel
mouths like loose eotton. For the
first 500 yards, warm tunnel air
hitting sub -zero air coming in
from outside condenses and cov-
ers everything with a mountain
dew, Because of the deafening
noise inside the tunnel, all talk
is by hand and lamp: tip and
down for Yes, crosewise for No,
"The Sicilians have it over every-
one," engineer Riceeri explained.
"They're born talking with their
hands,"
The key tactic in the Italian
attack on themountain is the
valeta — the ten-hour unit of
work required to drill, charge,
fire, and then clean up after an
explosion. On the Italian side, the
fuochino — roan of fire — is
Giovanni Carnevale It is he who
drives down the plunger that ex -
pieties the charge. Just before
he fires, an assistant steps out
of .a hut and blows a trumpet
that sounds like the mating call
of a goat,
Despite the geological frustra-
tions, the Italian advance has re-
cently picked up to a rate of 8
or 9 yards a clay. Chief engineer
Virginia Scavarda estimates that
"we'll be drinking French wine
and they'll be drinking ours in
eight or nine months."
Between the tunnelers on the
two sides of the mountain, there
are disagreements about the
equipment and tactics being
used. "The French have had the
good luck to run into granite
and not water and crumbling
rock," engineer Scavarda pointed
out. Nor do the Italians think
much of the $500,000 Jumbo.
"Let the French bring that ma-
chine and their boasts over here,"
seid miner Salvatore Marocco,
"and they'll be buried."
Among the French tunnelers,
there is respect for the Italians
and understanding for their dif-
ficulties. "Let's get one thing
straight," says Andre Gervais,
the French project boss. "We're
not racing the Italians. You don't
treat building a tunnel like a
football game," Gervais never-
theless wonders if the Italians
would do better if they had elec-
tric trains like his instead of
diesel equipment, "If I had just
one of their diesels in the tun-
nel," he says, "I couldn't get a
French workman to g: inside
no matter what we did to ventil-
ate the pine."
—Front NEWSWEEK
Takes Half A Day
To Wind His Clocks
If you want to know the time,
and you live in the Isle of Man,
then don't bother to ask a palfee-
man. Suet drop into the public
house which Mr. James Tullech
keeps in Victoria Street, Doug-
las.
For what is surely :he biggest
and mos: curlcue cei:ection of
darks in the C.ourtry can be
feted there — and carefully
wound, ticking over the se onds
and telling the right time. It
takes Mr. Tul:och more than
half a day to wind his clocks.
He is not content just to collect
clocks, he makes them, too.
One of his creations is fash-
ioned with a group of Tourist
Trophy motor cyclists circling
round and round, each one bear-
ing on bis back a number which
indicates the time oe day or
night
On on the ceiling of his bed-
room, he has the dial of a work-
ing clock which he lights up
with the ftiek of a switch on the
bedherd.
In Mr. Tullocb's prized collec-
tion is a clock nearly 100 years
old which gives the day. month
and year as well as telling the
time. It also gives a pretty ac-
curate weather forecast.
Then there is a clock with
fingers which move backwards.
Side by side with it is another,
constructed like an owl with
great illuminated eyes which
squint in sinister fashion et a
quarter to three.
Some of his quaint clocks any
worked by springs; others are
electrically operated But pete
haps the oddest of all fs a tante-
piece nearby 400 years old which
still keeps perfect time. It is a
water clock — one of a type net
;rade today -- and you just gist*
it a drisik when it neede wind-
ing. Mr. Tullore claims that he
has a clock for every day of the
PRIME MOVER—Nick Young, 4, uses his pet terrier to turn
o park merry-go-round in Chessington, England.
1;. 1
TABLE TALKS
,i dare Andrews
If breakfast always means oat-
meal to you, there are delicious
ways of varying it so you can
enjoy it with a' different flavor
every morning, says a writer in
the Christian Science Monitor.
Have you tried using honey in-
stead of sugar, or maple syrup,
or jam, or brown sugar, or cin-
namon sugar instead of plain
white sugar? Chopped dried
prunes or dates are good as a
topping, too, as are stewed prunes
or apricots.
w * *
For, of course, you're not
obliged to have hot oatmeal for
breakfast, although enjoyment of
this popular hot cereal doesn't
preclude your having oatmeal la-
ter in the day as cake or cookies.
Here are two recipes in the des-
sert category:
OATMEAL CRISPIES
al cup sifted enriched flour
14 teaspoon soda
cup shortening (must be
room temperature)
/ cup brown sugar
IA cup granulated sugar
l teaspoon salt
1 egg
3e teaspoon vanilla
11.4 cups 3 -Minute oats
le cup chopped nut meats
Sift together flour, salt, and
soda into bowl. .Add shortening,
sugars, egg, and vanilla. Beat
until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Fold in oats and nutmeats.
Shape dough into rolls, wrap in
waxed paper, and chill thor-
oughly, Slice 14 -inch thick and
place on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake in moderate even (350° F.)
10 to 12 minutes.
a a
For an unusual and tasty des-
sert, prepare this special oat-
meal cake for your family.
OATMEAL CAKE
1/ cups boiling water
1 cup 3 -Minute oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
t_ cup shortening
2 beaten eggs
11 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon soda
la teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Stir oats into boiling water. Let
stand 20 minutes, Cream short-
ening with brown and white su-
gar, Add 2 beaten eggs,' Sift to-
gether flour, soda, salt, and cin-
namon, Add creamed mixture,
then add oatmeal mixture. Bake
in 71/2 inch by 12 Inch cake pan,
325° F., 35-40 minutes:
- TOPPING
sea cup butter
to cup brown sugar
Y4 cup cream
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup flaked coconut
1, teaspoon vanilla.
Melt ingredients t o g e t h e r.
Spread on cake as it comes from
oven. Place under broiler ap-
proximately 10 minutes or until
coconut browns,
. r
And here' are some good sand-
wich ideas using several differ-
ent types of cheese:
Blue and Swiss: Blue crumbled
between ham and Swiss cheese
slices gives new treatment for
an old favorite—ham and Swiss
on rye. Place on mustard -but-
tered rye bread and garnish with
lettuce,
Brick: For a different grilled
cheese, .use thick slices of Brick
topped with sauerkraut on but-
tered. pumpernickel and grilled.
Cream: Make dainty tea sand-
wiches by combining cream
cheese with chopped salted alm-
onds or chopped ripe olives or
chopped dates or orange marma-
lade. Cut into fancy shapes.
For those who enjoy the fun
of a fondue party, here's a recipe
for a dunking fondue:
SWISS DUNKING FONDUE
8 egg yolks
le pound grated Swiss -type
cheese
5 ounces butter
et cup cream
Salt, pepper, grated nutmeg
In a flameproof casserole or
chafing dish mix the egg yolks
and cheese with a dash of salt,
pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
Place over very low heat and,
stirring constantly, add the but-
ter bit by bit , When it thickens,
add the cream, stir until well
blended, then bring at once to
the table to keep warns over a
very tow flame; do not allow to
cook. This can be eaten with
French -type bread to dunk or
slices of fried toast can be dunk-
ed into the pot,
Noted Carrie! Driver
llack Horne Again
Ivisited a femme man of Paki-
stan recently, Camel driver Ba-
shir Ahmad and his family en-
tertained me in then one -room
straw, shack in the tiny refugee
village of Chatai path Mosgood
across the railroad tracks on the
outskirts of Karachi.
His camel pawed the ground In
a place of honor in the center of
the "compound" made up of
dozens of similar straw shacks
housing some 1,000 people,
Bashir's two little sons, wear -
lug short tunics, played near the
place where the camel was teth-
ered on the rough dusty grouizd
close by the shacks. His oldest
son, 17, had just come from a
school he attends outside the vi'1
rage.
Bashir was wearing the same
typical heavy Pakistan cap and
buttoned -up -to -the -neck coat he
had on in every picture that was
made of him in the United States.
His famous smile beneath the
fierce mustache was still wide.
Apparently the publicity of his
visit to Vice -President Lynde•n B.
Johnson, and his subsequent tri-
umphant tour of the United
States have not spoiled him at
all. True, as he confided, he had
been made President of the refu-
gee village since his return after
a conference with held by all the
elders of that tiny shack town.
A- half dozen. village women
had already gathered protective-
ly around Mrs. Bashir who was
hiding behind a straw stack,
Many Moslem women fear being
photographed. Slowly she peeked
' up over the top of the straw, one
dark eye showing beneath her
veil. Bashir's small daughter Ima-
man, 5,clung to her father's knee
shrinking back when anyone
looked at her.
Apparently gaining confidence,
Mrs. Bashir finally emerged and
smiled.
Rather reluctantly Bashir in-
vited me into his home, since his
wife had never yet allowed any-
one to visit. I promised I
wouldn't snap any pictures, He
led me into the dark Iittle en-
closure, scarcely bigger than a
large closet.— The one piece of
`furniture was a big bed with
ropes stretched across but no
mattress or pad of any kind,
writes Helen Waterhouse in the
Christian Science Monitor.
Swinging over the led was
Bashir's apparently prized pos-
session . , a Pan American
World Airways bag!
Bashir has turned down the
Pakistan Government's offer to
build him a house in another
better section of the city, a far
more pretentious home than the
one with the pole roof and straw
sides he now owns.
"I told them I would not move
from here unless they will move
this entire village," Bashir ex-
plains through an interpreter.
Small girls wearing bright
veils led me to the store where
the Bashirs do their shopping.
We stopped to talk to a native
barber seated outside a shop
clippingthe hair of a man sit-
ting cross-legged on the ground
in front of him, "Bashir was
alvaye a big thinker," the barber
told us, implying that Bashir was
always looked on as a "smart
man" by his fellow villagers even
though he never had a day of
sohooling: Tee idea some report-
ers raised that he might have
been coached for his famous trip
is unthinkable, they said, "He
just used his native Wit and
charm," one well-to-do Indian in.
Karachi told me;
Bashir confided that in the
"good six months" of a year, he
makes the equivalent of about
$90 to $100 a month by ,meeting
the nearby trains with his camel
cart and takixrg consignments of
freight to the various shops and
hotels M Karachi, which pay him
for his services. He has had sev-
eral offers of jobs since his Unit-
ed States visit, including one as
a watchman at a hotel but so far
has Made no decisions.
.barto, Shah, a taxi driver, de-
scribed best the reactions of
other camel drivers to Bashir's
trip to America. "Bashir will al-
ways be a very rich man," said
Shah, also a philosopher at heart.
"I do not mean rich in money,
however," he hastened to explain.
"His wealth will lie in the fact
"' evet+yone in the world will trust
him from now on."
The taxi man added, "We taxi
drivers get to know people very
well. I myself, have driven a
king and some of your senators
in my cab. But Mr, Johnson was
the first big pian who came here
and looked down at a common
man and made him happy.
"But Bashir is still the same
humble man he always was. ,
He will never change," he added.
Only two types of mammals
lay eggs: the duckbill and the.
spiny anteater, the animal _ with
the long tongue.
WAY OUT—A perpetual ava-
lanche is what takes place at
the Suuth Williamsport home
of Sumuel Bruno, The snow
melts, slides out to 24 feet
and hangs on the roof sus-
pended before dropping.
ISSUE 12 — 1962
s4r— L
Tene
0
• Orlcamille Medea
0 8oghori
280,000 *Mascara \\ Tiaret
f{eRourt
•
Tit trcee
•
Sedeau
•
EI- Attcha
300,000
• Pouf.Cozelles
pe
zoite / B,augie 70,oC0
CanstonflPhilipne 0eYill
• Souk
•-
Setif 80000 Aires
Bordj
`N Bou-Arreridj
� • Batne Tet este
1
Biskra
\w
•
Djel(e
Bir -el -Ater
A(1ou
Meth/tie
f
G;r}rilte
PORTUGAL
A;, Seitz
•
SPAiN
Atlantic
Ocean
1dy ITALY
GREECE
Meditarrsncan try
Saa
aConcentration of
Europeort Population
0 industry
Oil
Pipelines
Got
Pipelines
)' iron Ore
C) Ports
ALGERIA
TURKEY
LIBYA
ALGERIA: L Alli, PEOPLE. RESOURCES—A 1 g e r f a
Stretches . for 650 miles along the :,iediterranean Sea
between Morocco and Tuniafc. Annexed by France in
1842, it has been the scene of blood and death during
71/2 -year-long revolt by Arab nationalists. As Newsmaap
Shows, more than half of the one million Europeans,
mostly born in Algeria, live in the five largest cities.
UNITED
ARAB
REPUBLIC
Newsntap
Moslems number over nine million. Industry and coin-
mer°ce, as well as population, nro largely concentrated its
the coastal regions, Algeria extends inland about 35(t
relies. beyond are I'erattce's Saharan Departmentswhere
extensive oil deposits are being deVdloped, Indications
r,.v that the imminent hence agreement between Franca
and Algeria will include sharing of this Vahgable reseurcee.