Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1852-08-28
NEW YORK AND ERIE RAILROAD.

Having recently returned from trip over the
New York and Erie Railroad, We will proceed
10 state some facts in relation 20 this immense
work, which may not prove uninteFesting to ON
readers. II must be remembered that this RoaC
Is 400 miles long with only about 20 miles O
double track including switches or turf outs; anJ
as the locomotives travel $50 miles every TWEEN
y~lours hours, the greatest care and atenlio" Is
necessary to the management Every thing
seems 10 move with cloCkwok precision, and
the drivers and engineers having assurance
that all Instructions are strictly observed, push
on at a rate Of speed attained by probably no
othef road IN the Country The telegraph be.
loa sing to the CONN, alen. tlr whoie lima.
is an important aud powerful auxiliary ia She
hands Of the superintendent and his division
agents, and tend much to inspire confidence in
those who make use Of this line Of transmit
The system Of police adopted on this line must
give grealsalismction, for in one division alone,
where tho road passes on shelf along
the Delewdre river 10 men are employed oy day
watching ald. repairing the track and the tray
elcr by the night trains may see their lanterns,
at short intervals, indicating that "al's right, as
he speeds along those parts which have been
considered dangerous, but which are ia fact tho
safest, from the circumstance Of the road bed be.
ing solid rock. Until We isited lhis road, we
were not aware that arrangements had been
made for any extent of double track, and were
consequently surprised to find 1870 miles under
contract, the ground broken, and the whole in d
fair way Of completion before the winter sets in
The construction Of the double track is under
the supervision Of Mr.. S s, Post, and II could
not have been placed in better hands. In con-
npcton with the laying of the double track, the
company having erected at Owego, building
sos feet long by SO wide for the purpose Of con
srlcting McCaIlum's bridges to span the many
streams which cross the road in lis course to the
lake. This immense affair 10 worthy of notice,
wethere0re take pleasure in giving some &C.
cosnt Of the operations going on within its
dous. Il is estimated that 1900, 900 feet of
timber will be required TO construct the now
bridges, and as they will be made in this esiab.
Ishmsnt, saving Of at lea S. % Sd per Ct to
the Company will be effected, the trees, which
ure selected with great care aud come under The
head Of "cear stuff" are brought in their rough
state, on trucks, from Allegany Co, and ruu IN
Of the carriage, calculated for timber
so feet long, which moves them to the saw, and
are cut al the rate Of 800 revolutions per minute,
to the desired size after which, by means Of ma
chnery, the pieces are placed on two planning
mills calculated for dressing timber so and 35
feet long, after which they are again swung into
q room where 90 men are employed in making
the bridges. The framing and putting together
is done with the utmost care and dispatch, when
The whole is taken apart placed on a truck, and
carried to any point along the road where It is
required. The engine which does so much work
is So horse power, the steam is made entirely of
5awdust and shayings, and the slabs are all cut
into lath. Thus everything in tie way of wood
is made good use Of aud nothing seems to be
wasted. This is without doubt the largest and
most systematic establishment for the purpose in
be world; and the erection Of il displays good
Judgement and an eye to economy. The whole |
S under the immediate supervision Of Mr. y. G. |
lcCallum, the engineer in charge of bridges |
nd buildings. Journal of Commerce.