Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-07-13
HOW rHE PACIFIC R. R. rs BUILT.

ocunsoii"i 0ASuhoAou parry iEOm Omau"
to the western terminus of the road.
He says:
Thore is really little known by the
people Of the character of the enterprise.
Most think that a company of capitalists
are hastily putting down a rude track,
over which ars can be moved with care,
for the purpose of securing lands and
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
laid with a speed that fails to impress
the nation, simply because it is not be-
lisved. But let the facts tell their plain
yet wonderful story.
General US. and D. @. Easement, Of
Ohio, grade the road, lay the track, and
put up the telegraph. The graders 60
first. There are 1000 of them. Their
advance is neal the Black Hills. They
protect themselves and are digging the
great fertilization which makes the fu-
ture sure for us, on through Indian
battle-felds, while the daily fight goes
on. Their work is done to Julesburg.
Oftie-getters and wood-choppers there
are 1900. Their axe are resounding in
the Black Hills, over Laramie Plains,
and in the passes Of the Rocky Noun
tains. They have loo, 900 ties in these
hills awaiting safeguards for trains to
haul them.
A mile in advance of the track-layers
are the squads which place the ties.
| There are three Of these. First, how
ever, the engineers set their leveling
stakes at distances Of 100 feet on the
straight lines and so feet on curves. At
each Of these points sawed ties are
placed and leveled by them. Then come
two men with u measuring rod, marking
off spaces equal to the length Of a rail,
and also the half Of this space. These
sawed ties are laid by the second squad,
to give firm support to the ends and
middle of each rail. These arc placed
by sighting along the guide-ties already
laid. The third squad then place tho
intermediate ties, and the bed is then
ready for the iron.
Now 60 back twenty miles on the road
and look at the 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 cars and a con-
struction train, which answer to the
actual battle-line. The one is the camp
the other is the ammunition used in
the fight.
The boarding cars are each eighty
feet long. Some are fitted with berths;
two are dining halls; one is a kitchen,
storeroom and office. Under the whole
those men who prefer fresh air have
swung hammocks. Rifles are hung
overhead, plentiful in number, loaded,
and convenient. The party protects it.
self without attention from the Govern
ment. The track-laying gang numbers
four hundred. On the three hundred
and fifty miles already built, there are
one thousand track-repairers constantly
improving the road bed.
The boarding cars 60 in advance.
They are pushed to the extremity Of the
track; 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 till
it has cleared the unloaded material.
Three trucks, each drawn by two
horses, ply between the track-layerS and
their supplies. The horses run outside
the track, pulling with n long tow line,
as boats are moved on canals. They
must be out Of the way Of the workmen.
One of their trucks takes on q load OF
rails, about forty, with the proper pro-
portion Of spikes and chairs, making a
load, when the horses are started off on
a full gallop for the track-layers. On
each side Of these trucks are rollers to
facilitate running of the iron. On
reaching the end Of the last rail the
truck is stopped. A single horse is
attached to move it over each successive
rail. Meantime, the truck last emptied
has been turned on its side to allow the
loaded one to 60 to the front. The two
horses released are started back on q
keen gallop for another supply. The
third one moves up in like manner, and
thus through all the day they are rush
ing forward with their iron load. To
see them, and reflect what their rush
and roaring means, is as exciting as it
ever was to watch a battery thunder in
to position at o needed moment, at the
vital point in its line.
The rails within reach, parties of FIVE
men stand on either side. One in the
rear throws q rail upon the rollers,
three in advance seize it, and run out
with it to the proper distance. The
chairs have, meantime, been set under
the last rails placed. The two men 10
the rear, with a single swing, force the
end of the rail into the chair, and the
chief Of the squad cylls out "down," in
a town that equals the forward" to an
army. Every thirty seconds there came
that brave "down," "down," on either
side Of the track. They were the PEN
dulum beats of a mighty era; they mark
ed the time Of the march and its regula.
ton step.
Oue VI LuC LChL ihCu uEOf6 LQ6 cars,
in addition to handling the rail. The
horses started as each rail fell into its
place; the truck rolled on to the end of
it; a second rail was projected into the
wilderness, with tho Same precision and
haste; then came the magic down"
the car moved on again, and another
length wa accomplished.
Two spikers followed each rail, n
party o little in advance of the other,
One rail was fastened to the end and at
the middle. The second party then
drew the opposite rail TO the exact
gauge and fastened it at the middle and
the end. Then came other squads Of
spikers, moving along with the precis.
ion of military drill, each having a par
ticular spike to drive, and one interfer.
ing with another. Track liners follow.
ed these, and with their crowbars recti-
fed the line. The filters came last.
One party Of these filed and packed
the spaces at the ends and middle of tho
rails; the other completed the interme-
diate intervals, and the job was left till
the squads Of track repairers should
come up and finish the ~ballastinp. But
as the filters leave it, full trains can
run over it with safety at twenty-five
miles an hour.
These ara thu dry da,s1e " "