Known as the false start, to the left of the Hoosac Tunnel East Portal on River Road in Florida there is a partially drilled tunnel. During the summer of 1852 the infamous $25,000 “Wilson’s Patented Stone-Cutting Machine” built by Munn & Co of South Boston began chewing away at the east side of the mountain. This machine was supposed to cut a 24 foot tunnel through the entire mountain in 1556 working days. The general idea was that the machine would cut into the rock and then that cut rock could be blasted out. After about 12 feet of progress the machine seized up. It is often referred to as the false start, but in fact this was never supposed to be the tunnel portal, instead it was meant to be a testing area. A blacksmith shop was later built here, the small building with the boiler tank in it can still be seen.

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