A crude hotel was hastily constructed to house the tunnel workers. A local resident described Gallagher's Hotel as "little more than a tar paper shack" built near the east portal on the south side of the tracks. The pious farmers of Irish Hollow avoided the hotel as it earned a reputation for intemperance and prostitution. The hotel mysteriously burned after construction of the tunnel was complete. At least one man was reported to have perished in the fire.