Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-07-18

gar! lighted it and put it between his teeth
You ought to have seen the grateful smile Of TIN
DOOR sufferer No segar has ever done meas mucf
good as this one which I did not smoke p
Cincinnati Commercial
HOW THE PACIFIC RAILWAY Is BUILT
We have already noted the rapid progress made
by the construction parties who are laying down the
track of the Union Pacific Railway. The best ex
planation of the actual process Of construction Il
furnished by q correspondent of the Cincinnati
Gazette, who has recently been with the SENATOR
al excursion party from Omaha to the western ter
minus of the road He says:
There is really little known by the people, OF the
character of the enterprise. Most people think that
company of capitalists are hastily putting down
rude track, over which cars can be moved with
care, for the purpose of securing lands and none,
from the government. The fact is, that one OF tht
most complete roads of which the country cal
boast, with equipments that surpass many, Is be
ing laid with speed that fails to impress the ma
tion simply because it is not believed. But let tint
facts tell their plain yet wonderful story.
Gems. j. s. and D. G. Easement, Of Ohio, grade
the road, lay the track, and put up the telegraph
The graders go first There are two thousand O
them. Their advance is near the Beach Hills
They protect themselves and are digging the grea
forti6cation which makes the future sure for rs
on through Indiansb sbatte-felds, while the daily
fight goes on. Their work is done to Julesburg
Of tie-getters and wood-choppers there are ont
thousand five hundred. Their axes are resound
ing in the Black Hills, over Laramie Plains anc
in the passes Of the Rocky Mountains. They have
one hundred thousand ties in these hills awaiting
for trains to haul them.
A mile in advance of the track-layers are the
SQUADS which place the ties. There are three o
these First, however, the engineers set theil
leveng stakes at distances of one hundred feet OF
the straight lines and fifty feet on curves. AT each
of these points sawed ties are placed and levelec
by them. Then come two men with measuring
rod, marking off spaces equal to the length of 8
rail- and also the half of this space. These sawed
ties are laid by the second squad, to give firm sup
port to the end and middle Of each rail- These
are placed by sighting along the guide ties already
laid. The third squad then places the intermedi
ate ties, and the bed is then ready for the iron.
Now go back twenty miles on the road and loos
atthe immense construction trains loaded with
ties and rails and all things needed for the work
1t is like the grand reserve of an army. Six miles
back are other trains of like character These are
the second line. Next, near the terminus, and
following it hour by hour, are the boarding car
and construction train, which answer to the actu
al battle-line. The one is the camp the other il
the ammunition used in the fight.
The boarding cars are eight feet long. Some are
fitted with berths two are dining halls; one Is 6
kitchen, store-room and Office. Under the whole
those men who prefer fresh air have swung ham
mocks. Rifles are hung overhead, plentiful Ii
number loaded, and convenient. The party pro
tects itself without attention from the government
The track-laying gang numbers four hundred Or
the three hundred and fifty miles already bull
there are one thousand track repairers constant!
improving the road bed.
The boarding cars go in advance They ar
pushed to the extremity Of the track; construc
ton train then runs up, unloads its material ant
starts back to bring another from the second line
The boarding train is then run back till it has clear
ed the unloaded material
Three trucks, each drawn by two horses, ply be
tween the track-layers and their supplies. Th
horses run outside the track, pulling with lonl
tow line, as boats are moved on canals. The.
must be out of the way of the workmen. One o
these trucks takes on load of rails, about forty
with the proper proportion of spikes and chairs
making load, when the horses are started OFT Of
full gallop for the track-layers: On each side
these trucks are rollers to facilitate running of tn
iron. On reaching the end Of the last rail tn
truck is stopped. A single horse is attached t.
move it over each successive rail Meantime, tn
truck last emptied has been turned on its side T.
allow the loaded one to go to the front. The tw
horses released are started back on keen galol
for another supply, The third one moves up Il
like manner, and thus through all the day they ar
rushing forward with their iron load. 70 see them
and reflect what their rush and roaring. MEANS i
as exciting as it ever was to watch battery thun
der into position at needed moment, at the vita
point in its line.
The rails within reach, parties Of five men stan'
on either side One in the rear throws rail upol
the rollers, three in advance seize it, and nun GU
with it to the proper distance. The chairs have
meantime, been set under the last rails placed
The two men in the rear, with single swing, fore
the end of the rail into the chair, and the chief
the squad calls out down. in tone that equal
the forward to an army. Every thirty second
there came that down. down. on either side O
the track. They were the pendulum beats Of
mighty era they marked the time Of the marc]
and its regulation step.
One Of the rear men drove the cars, in addition
to handling the rail. The horses started as eac
rail fell into its place, the truck rolled on to tn
end of it; second rail was projected into the vii
derness, with the same precision and haste; thel
came the magic down. the car moved on again
and another length was accomplished.
Two spikers followed each rail, one party ittl
in advance of the other. One rail was fastened a
the end and at the middle. The second party thel
drew the opposite rail to the exact gauge, and fas
tened at the middle and the end. Then cam
other squads of spikers, moving along with tn
precision of military drill, each having particula
spike to drive and no one interfering with another
Track liners followed these, and with their crow
bars rectifed the line. The filters came last: On
party of these filed and packed the spaces at th'
ends and middle of the rails; the other completed
the intermediate intervals, and the job was left til
the squads of track repairers should come up ant
finish the ballasting. But as the filters leave it
full trains can run over it, with safety, at twent!
-oslo, ~, borr