The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-11-01

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until her first child is born. For this
they give, oddly enough, the reason that
the people are poor, doctors not attain
able, and the birth of the first child, as
they believe, always dangerous to the
mothers life, wherefore the intending
husband chooses TO wait and throw upon
the parents the trouble and expense Of
q possible funeral. He wants wife to
cook, wash, sew and keep house for
him and If she is to die he don't want
her at all. .. ....r.
AS WE NBARED THE GREENBRIER
the farms became more important, and
at one point we noticed, across the river,
a place of considerable extent apparent
ly inhabited by a thrifty family, for a
corn field had been cut out on steep
slope, where should think a horse
could not easily walkto pillow; and, in
deed, the most probable theory of its
cultivation seemed to be that suggested
by one of our company, that the farmer
stood on the opposite bank and shot his
seed corn in with rifle. . u
On our journey through the New
river canon, we found hospitable en-
tertainment with the resident engineers,
or with the contractors Of the railroad.
These, with few exceptions, are Virgin
ians; and as they are engaged in practi-
cal affairs, found them cheerful, hope
full of the future, and by no means such
"soreheads" as conduct too many OF the
Virginia newspapers. You will find
commonly a picture Of General Lee
hanging over the fireplace; for most, If
not all OF these engineers and contrac-
tors served under Lee, and sitting about
the big fire, after supper, the converse
ton turned not unfreQuently to the late
unpleasantness, and Northern and
Southern men fought their battles over
in friendly way, and compared notes
and opinions upon events which have a
great place in history. OF one Of the
contractors, rude but efficient man, an
odd story was told me. He was a ia
vorite OF Stonewall Jackson, and during
that Generals campaign against Ere
mont, he called upon this man. Mason,
to build bridge across a stream near
Port Republic. you may get ready
your men and materials" said the Gen
eral to Mason, land the engineers will
be ready with their plans by that time"
After some hours, Mason reported to
the General. "The bridge Is done built,
sir, but them picture fellows haven't
come along yet" He had placed army
wagons in the stream, laid planks across
them, and completed good enough"
bridge, as he said, before the engineers
had their plans worked out. | Thought
it was no wonder that Jackson liked
him. ~
"You may take all the mep you need,
but build me the bridge in two hours
said Jackson to the same man, on
another occasion. Some days after
Mason was asked, "did you do it in the
time, and replied, Eyes, sir, and done
took two batteries in the time too
LIVING AMONG ENGINEERS,
sleeping among plans and drawings and
estimates, riding all day with the sound
of powder blasts in my ears, and seeing
everywhere the pick and shovel in the
hands of the negroes, /, not unnaturally,
became curious to know on what system
Of administration 80 great work as the
building of long line of railroad, far
away from money centres, is managed.
Perhaps you may like to know what |
learned In the first place, the work OF
the surveyors must be done with such
minute care, they must make 80 accur-
ate and detailed profile OF the line,
that it shall be possible for an able
engineer, sitting in his office, to lay out,
from this great mass of drawings, the
best line for the road, which means that
line which shall best unite low grades,
easy and few curves, and economy in
construction. When such detailed pro.
files are to be made in such a region as
the New river canon, this labor seems to
me endless; and, indeed, I was told by
engineers of long experience that the
work here was mo joke"
When the line of the road is deter
mined, new and careful survey is re-
quired, in order to get careful estimates
Of the probable cost OF constructing the
road bed. In this the amount Of rock
to be removed, of earth to be moved, Of
cutting and filing, bridging and tun-
melting must be carefully measured and
estimated-if the chief engineer is to
save his credit with the Directors-that
there shall nowhere be any great dis.
crepancy, in the end, between these esti-
mates and the actual cost.
The line is then divided into Lengths,
called sections and contractors, men.wbo
60 up and down the earth with one sole
thought, how best to pare down and fill
up its irregularities, so as to make a
smooth and level way for the locomo-
tive-contractors are asked for bids
upon these sections, which in tolersbly
easy work, are usually a mile in length.
The contractors, whose aim is to get as
much as they can for their work, now
pit their experience against the en-
gineers; and here comes the first prac-
teal test Of the engineers estimates.
When the work has. been begun, di.
vision engineers, having each about
thirty miles Of line to supsrinteDd, are
appointed, and under these are younger
men, resident engineers, whose duty it
is to measure the work that is com
pleted, and keep an account Of it's pro-
gress, under the eye Of their chief, as
we'll as to lay ont 10 zLe!5i02
THE WORK FOR THE CONTRACTORS.
But once q month each division ,engi-
-neer furnishes to thechief q profile map
of his part of the line, showing what
work is done and what yet remains; and
the chief engineer, in his turn, sends to
the president and directors profile OF