| The tunnel that opened the Anthracite-rich Mahanoy Valley to Philadelphia. The Little Schuylkill Railroad Company began construction in April 1859 and the tunnel was completed May of 1862. Two shifts worked from 6am-6pm & 6pm-6am for pay of seven dollars a week and not a single accident occurred during construction. Following the construction, the workers were owed three months back pay and refused to allow trains to pass until they were paid. They ripped up 11 miles of track to Girardville and eventually the Governor stepped in and forced the railroad to pay the workers. A few years later, the Philadelphia & Reading signed a 99 year lease to use the tunnel. Completion of the tunnel allowed Anthracite to be shipped more efficiently and later resulted in the closure of the more costly Mahanoy Plane. At 4000 feet in length, it was the longest of the 7 tunnels on the Reading System. Here, 148 years after it was completed, Reading & Northern's Mountain Job exits the east portal. The structures outside of the tunnel houses ventilation fans not used since the steam days. |