Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-07-12


at twenty miles an hour over rails that
had only been down for ten days. But
the perfection with which the work is
done allows it, and makes il safe. 1t was
exhllarating in the extreme, thus under
the flags which streamed on either side,
to rush over these prairies so lately bound
with links Of iron TO the empire Of the
East.
"Three hundred and twenty Ave miles
out, construction train of eighty cars
stood on a side track. Ii was loaded with
iron, ties, spikes, and chains, in exactly
such proportions as were needed. It.ook-
ed the very embodiment Of system, and was
one key to the rapidity with which the
work progresses a lhtle further on stood
a similar train, aud next we stopped in
rear Of the one where the tracklayers re-
sided. Seyenty-six hours swift riding had
brought US to this goal. The hills of
Colorado were 10 plain sight. San Fran
ciscL <sas nearer than Boston.
The road had been q constant wonder
from the start. Its depots. its car shops,
its equipment, its remarkable smoothness,
its high rate Of speed, its long bridges,
and its we'll ordered eating houses, had
attracted constant attention to il as rail
road alone.
Every step trod revealed now wonders
The great achievement grew upward to-
ward its real proportions with every tLrob
of the engine. But all we saw was CON-
monplace aud natural beside the scene
that awaited us where the track was being
laid Ii the rest had excited amazement
this new wonder took all the attributes of
magic. Ficiions Of the Eust must be
re written to match the realities ,f this
West.
HOW THE ROAD Is BUILT.
"The plain fact will reveal the magni
tude Of the work. There is really little
known by the people of the character OF
the enterprise Most think that compa-
ny Of capitalists are hastily putting down a
rude track. over which cars can be moved
with care, for the purpose of securing
lands aud money from the Government.
The fact is that one OF the most complete
roads of which the country can boast, with
equipments that surpass many, is being
Land with u speed that fails to impress the
nulion, simply because Il is not believed.
But let the facts tell their plain yet won
deriul story.
General J s. and D. G. Easement, Of
Ohio, grade the road, lay the track. and
put up the telegraph. The graders 90
first There are 1000 OF them. Their
advance is near the Beach Hills, aud their
work is done to Julesburgh.
"Of tie geiiers aud -W0Qd choppers there
are ,5B0. Their axes are te-Ouaos.ss- ~
the Black Hills, over Laramie Plains, aud
in the passes OF The Rocky Mountains.
They have 100000 ties in these hills
awaiting safeguards for trains to haul
them. Then follow the tie.layers care
fully performing their share Of the work.
Now 90 bsck twenty miles on the road
and look at the immense construction
trains loaded with ties and rails, and all
things needed for tho work. Iiis like the
grand reserve Of an army. Six miles back
are other trains Of like character. These
are the second line Next, near The ter.
minus, aud iollowngy hour by hour, are
the boarding cars aud construction train,
which answer to the actual battle line.
The one is the camp; the other is the
ammunition used in the fight. The board
ing cars nre each eighty feet long. Some
are fitted with berths two are dining halls;
one is kitchen, store room and office.
"The boarding cars 90 in advance.
They are pushed to the extremity Of the
track F; a construction train then runs up,
unloads its material and starts back to
bring another from the second line The
boarding train is then run back ill 1t has
cleared the uuoaded material
"The trucks, each drawn by two horses
ply between the ack-layers and their
supplies. 0ne Of these trucks takes on
load Of rails, about forty with the prop
or proportion Of spikes aud chairs. making
n load, whca the horses are started off on
full gallop for the track. layers. On each
side of these trucks aie rollers to facilitate
running uf the iron.
The rails within reach, parties Of five
men stand on either side. Que in the rear
throws rail upon the rollers, three in adj.
vance seize IL, aud run out with il 10 the
proper distance. The chairs have, mean
/ time been set under the last rats placed.
TIE Two men in the rear, with q single
swing, force the eud Of the rail into the
chair, aud tho chief Of the squad calls out
Down. IN \ tone that equals the "For.
ward 10 an army, Every thirty seconds
there came that brave Dawn, ''Down, on
either side the track They were the pen
duIum beats Of mighty era; they mark.
ed the time Of the march and Its regua
ton step
III il is asked: 'llow does the work get
on /? again let the facts answer. On the
9th Of May, 1866, but forty miles Of road
were completed. In hundred and eigh-
~ two working days thereafter, two hun
dred aud iorty-6ve additional miles were
laid, aud put in prime condition, every
rail AID tie and spike having been brought
up from the rear. Seven saw mills furn-
ish the ties aud lumber. All bridges are
framed, the pieces numbered, aud set up
where wanted without the least delay
Tie bridge ut Loup Fork is 1900 feet
long, aud as iiue Howe truss as eau be
found in the land. While our train was
running the sixty miles from North Platte,
over mile OF track had been put down
aud one train passed over il. From one
o'clock till four in tho afternoon. mile
aud two hundred feet were added TO thi.
while the party was looking on.
WESTERN CAR SHOPS.
"Altcr the return of the party to Oma
ho, 1t visited tho extensive shops OF tn,
4. / Al. Ia