The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-10-29
The Power of Modern Skill In the
Mechanic Arts.
From Lippincott's Magazine.

From Lippincot's Magazine.
The great camp Of Chalons had
just been completed, whole city
Of soldiers spread over the rolling
plain of Mourmelon, and all Paris,
ever thirsting after something
new" was full of anxiety to enjoy
the brilliant spectacle. The mill
tary authorities at the capital de-
plored the distance that separated
them from the army, the contrac-
tors were often behind in their sup
plies, and the committees sent
down to examine many important
questions were seriously hainpered
by the remoteness of the camp
from their books and their col
leagues. The emperor, aware of
these inconvenience. determined
to connect the camp with Paris by
q railway, and never was imperial
order executed more promptly and
triumphantly.
Fortunately, the Great Eastern
Company, which had line of rail
ways running from Paris to Stras-
bourg, and approached the camp
at the station of Chalons within q
distance ct about sixteen miles,
was one of the richest and best Or
ganized companies of France. 1t
owned already then lin 1861 more
than five hundred locomotives and
twenty thousand cars, and the GEN.
trail administration in Paris, which
had spent over one hundred mil
lion dollars On the road, could we'll
afford to crafty the emperor when
he expressed a wish to have a
branch railway built not only in q
short time, but more quickly than
the like had ever been known be-
fore. The directors at q glance
perceived the advantage that would
accrue to them from such an ad-
dition to their great work; and al
though the emperor allowed them
only ten days for surveys and pre-.
paratory labors, they at once as
sumed the contract.
The difficulties were by nc
means trifiing, although rthe rail
way was SO short. It had to cross
the valley of the Marine at q con
siderable height above its level
then the river itself and a cana
running parallel to it, and, after
several very short curves, to spar
once more q deep valley in whict
the Vesle flows, till it reached in 6
straight line Of about two miles The
camp itself All this involved nee
essarily very heavy works, three
bridges, and high entertainments.
On the 10th of July, in the eve.
ming, the repres entatives or thu
company laid before the emperor
WHO took a great personal inter
est in the matter-the complet,
plans for the work. They expec
ted, Of course, that not much tim,
would be allowed them for the ex
ecution, but they were not littl
taken aback when Napoleon askee
them if they would undertake t
have the railway ready in tw
months. They consulted a fe,
minutes with each other, durin
which they were left alone. bu
soon the emperor returned and dc
manded their answer. They claim
ed that the difficulties were yer
great and the time too short; ne1
ertheless they engaged to do th
emperor's will, if he, on his par
would order the authorities, fror
the Minister of Public Works dow
to the district officials, to d:spens
with all but the most necessar
formalities.
The promise was given and o
the very next day, early in til
morning, they received The con
tract duly authenticated, thus gi,
ing an earnest on the part of tn
government that everything shout
be done to aid them in their re
markable enterprise. At noon
meeting of the directors took plac'
at which matters were general
arranged, and when the sun 81
that evening the first spade La
been stuck in the ground ne,
Cha,ons.
The first trouble--for troubl.
there were, many and grievous-
was the want Of laborers. I'll
best and most experienced hant
were sent for by telegraph from q
the different works of the Gre