The interest awakened by the magnitude of the undertaking to tunnel the
Hoosac Mountain, and the anxiety manifested for its early completion,
prompted the commissioners to the discovery of means to accelerate the
progress of the work. Their attention was naturally directed to the
operation of drilling, and with a view of improving upon the machine
drill used at Mont Cenis; scientific mechanics have been employed to
devise and construct a drill that should attain that end.
As a first step Gouch's patent of the hollow piston-rod, was purchased
for New England, for the sum of five hundred dollars. After which, a Mr.
Gardner was employed to construct a drill; but his efforts failed of
success after an expenditure of thirteen hundred dollars. A Mr. Butler
was engaged to devise a machine, but in the course of studying the
subject, his health failed and his services were lost.
A Mr. Hanson completed a machine which promised some success; but on
trial it proved a failure.
A second machine called the Brooks, Burleigh and Gates drill, was made
under the direction of the commissioners at Fitchburg. This machine was
put upon the works and used for several months.
A third machine, called the Burleigh drill, an improvement upon the
preceding one, was next produced, which is now at the works on the East
Heading.
About $13,000 was spent upon these experiments, resulting in the
construction of the Brooks, Burleigh and Gates drill, and the
manufacture of four of them. About one-half of this expenditure may be
charged to these last drills; the other was unproductive of anything of
value.
The Brooks, Burleigh and Gates drill was patented, but the Commonwealth
has the right to use them in the construction of the tunnel.
These machines will now be described.