The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-04-24

started at the junction of the Rockford and
Peoria roads and examined as we went, the |
track, rails, switches and bridges, which We
found of frat class order. The road bed
having been graded some ten months, was
solid. The iron used ia heavier and better
than any in use in this part of the state, and
is from the mandatory of MIR. Ben. Smith,
the contractor and manager of the road.
The bridges are all constructed in a very
substantial manner, and of very heavy tim
Der. Some eight or ten gangs of hands
were at work slong the line, and the scene
was decidedly animated.
Superintendent Brown, who has charge
of the construction of the road, we found to
be a man of business, and withsl as pleas
ant and affable gentleman as we would
wish to meet. We interviewed him, and he
courteousIy afforded US all the information
in his power. Mr.. Brown is one of the best
civil engineers in the west, and although
Young, has experience in reilrosding beyond
what his years would indicate.
Capt. Downs, an Ohioan, and staunch
democrats experimenting the track laying,
and is an old and experienced hand at the
business. We found him suffering some
what from the "blasted Illinois breezes,"
but IS pleasant as he could be under the
inhietioo. He has, We were informed, laid
more track, than any man of mis- age in the
Union, consequently his experience is
guarantee Of what the Peoria road will be
when his labor is finished.
The American Bridge Co., of Chicago,
furnish the ties, of which enough are on
hand to complete the road within few
miles of GAlvs, "a miles from the junction,
and enough beyond GAlva to complete the
entire line.
Mr.. Jameson, the original contractor, for
the pile driving and grading, has the grad
ing nearly finished.
Mr.. Baum, sub-coutrsctor under jamie
son, is hard at work on the pile driving and
bridging. The pile drivers at this end are
some FIVE miles in advance of the track
layers. The bridge over Spoon river, some
| ( miles beyond Gslvs, is the only one of
importance on the line, being about 800 feet
long; the pile driving at this bridge is nearly
finished, and will have when completed one
pier of the Howe truss patent
Mr.. Ben E. Smith, contractor for the con
struction of the road, is to iron and equip
the road, and erect all station houses and
other necessary buildings, and has already
at Peoria, so box cars, 25 flats, 3 engines,
and enough passenger coaches for two
trains. The coaches and other cars are
represented as being well constructed, and
the tact that the engines are from the cele-
brated Rogers locomotive works, a. Patter.
son, N. j., is proof enough of their excel
lence.
The road stands thus: From Orion eta
ton to and over Spoon river, distance Of
80 miles, unbuilt from this city to Orion
station, and from Spoon river to Peoria, g
total distance of so miles, the road is built
but not ballasted the entire length. The
track laying from Wyoming to Spoon rive,
was finished on Saturday last, and the work
men at that end will be brought around snt
set to work on this end tomorrow or mex
day. This viii double the force and give
such impetus to the work, that trains vii
be rafting through the silent streets o
Cambridge, IL miles from Orion in two
weeks. Iron enough to complete the road
is already received, and piled up at Orion,
The end of the track which we visited is
about q mile and half from the junction
and about half that distance from the depo
grounds. The depot grounds of the com
pany at this place, are located on the high.
est point of ground between the Mississippi
and Green rivers, some l75 feet above Goa
Valley, and are in Lilo, d, Higgins & Trego',
addition. They were donated the company
by the gentlemen who own the addition
and are 800 feet long, and 200 feet wide
The company have put down about ], 400
feet of side track at this station, and the
erection of sttsion buildings will soon com
| mence.
Already the erection of private dwellings
in the vicinity of The new station, has com
menced, and from what We could learn, the
main portion of the town will inevitably
cluster around the new station. A new Swede
Lutheran Church is being erected on the
north side of the depot grounds, which will
be 40x60 feet, and fine building when fin.
ished.
The time set for the completion of the
road varies, but favorably, the most sauguine
placing it at 40 days, and the most cynical
at so days, but judging all things fairly, and
considering who are at the wheel. we should
say that by the middle or last week of June
the road will be completed. In three weeks
time il is anticipated that an Accommoda-
ton train will be running between Rock
Island and Cambridge.
Supt. Brown informed us that the con.
structlon train would leave at noon, and
that We could return on that. This suited
and after the usual preliminaries, we mad
the acquaintance Of Conductor Mcdaniel,