Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-08-02
@iseellaneons.
HOW THE GREAT RAILROAD FEAT WAS
ACCOMPLISHED.

Ohio and Mississippi Railroad from six
feet to four feet eight inches and halt
was commenced and finished yesterday
morning. Long before the first streak of
dawn appeared in the sky, cars were IN
motion conveying men to their work on
the road, and as soon as the morning
light rendered objects visible, the great
work was commenced. In each gang of
workmen, six went ahead of the party
drawing the old spikes on the inside of
the rails. This was done by the claw
bars, curved at the ''clawed" end to give
leverage by which the spikes were pried
out and the rails loesened Six men fol
lowed with crowbars and handspikes, with
which they threw in the rails seven and a
half inches on each side, to line of spikes
which had been previously driven into the
ties, and served not only to fasten the in
side edge ofthe rails, but also to mark the
new gauge of the track. The rest of the
gang, numbering between 90 and 30 men,
came next and fastened down the rails in
their new position, with spikes driven on
the outside rim of the rails. To expedite
the work, only three spikes were thus
driven for each rail-one at each end and
one at the middle This was all the fas-
tening necessary to admit of the safe pas
sage of trains till the whole of the spikes
can be driven
At 9:2O am. special train, with
Messrs. j. l.. Griswold, General Superin-
tendent Isaac A. Smith, Assistant. Chief
Engineer; w. w. Jones, Superintendent
of the road c. w. Temple, superintead-
ent of Telegraphs; II. d. Hannible, Road
master; Mr.. Ewing, General Purchasing
Agent; j. l.. McCullum, Lane Repairer;
MIR. 0. c. Curry, Louisville Courier-Jour-
nal, as representative OF the city press,
lett East st. Louis to test the narrow
gauge track, which, they had been in
formed by kilograms received up to the
time of starting, was nearly COM
pleted, even at that early hour. The
train consisted of an old, broad gauge
locomotive and tender, which had been
reduced to the new gauge, a passenger car
and palace drawing-rOom Car. In front
OF the engine was an open platform car.
with seat in front, where Mr.. Griswold
and his fellow passengers sat the greater
part of the trip. The position was not
only delightfully."- cool from the breeze pro-
duced by the motion of the train, but it
afforded an excellent opportunity to in
spect the work as the train approached
and passed over it.
For the first two miles there were three
rails laid, that number having been placed
there some time since to furnish track
for the narrow gauge rolling stock used
in filling up ground at the new passenger
depot. After passing these two miles,
however, there was a single narrow gauge
track all the rest of the way, and row
of old spikes running parallel with the
rails on the outside edges of them marked
where the rails had been. The track
was remarkably smooth and even, and as
the train passed over it at express speed
for miles without creating jar, it was
difficult to believe that the rails had been
placed in position but few hours before,
and that so much work could have been
so thoroughly accomplished in such a
short space of time.
AT each station, as the train drew up. a
crowd of people greeted its arrival with
repeated cheers, and at one place an en-
thusiastic youth waved a national flag in
commemoration of the successful event.
At each telegraphic station on the way.
dispatches were received showing that
the work was rapidly approaching COM
| pletion, and, when the train reached Sand
oval, at IL 80, a telegram was received
intimating that the change of gauge was
completed throughout the entire length OF
|
Griswold and Mr.. Smith, to whose ability
and untiring energy the success of this
great undertaking is principally due, re-
ceived the congratulation of friends on the
receipt of the happy tidings. At Odin,
65 miles from st. Louis, a special train
was in waiting to convey portion of the
party back to the city. During the short
delay at Odin, those who did not go on
with Mr. Griswold to Vincennes had an
opportunity to examine the system adopt
ed in changing the gauge at curves.
The outside rails of the curve were al
lowed in such places to remain in the old
position, and new rails were laid for the
narrow gauge. This was necessitated by
the lesser area. To suit the old outer rail
for the new position, it would have been
necessary to unrvet the tish-plates, cut
little off of the end of each rail, and
then fasten together again with the fish
plates. To avoid the loss of time which
such an operation would have entailed,
new rails were laid as stated. With the
inner rail, however, it was different, and
it was thrown into the new position the
same as straight rail. No trouble was
occasioned by the tish-plates. They yield
ed sufficiently to prevent the track from
being too rigid to move, while they held
the rails firmly together. Some slight
difficulty, however, was experienced with
the old chairs, and more time was employ
ed in moving the track in a couple of
sections where they were than any other
part of the line.
The first section in which the change of
gauge was completed Was 50-mile sec
ton, between Vincennes and Clay City.
| The last spike in this section was driven
at 0 so A. NJ. The best time was made
between East st. Louis and Caseyville, on
the straight stretch of six and three-quar-
ter miles across the bottom. The change
in this section was completed IN four
hours.
On the whole line there was force oil
2,720 men employed. OF these. $50 We're
, from other roads centering at st. LOUIS,
and so were from Springfield and the
r southern part of Illinois. Each man re,
ceived 25 cents for each hour he worked
/, ON the road. The actual work OF chang
ing the gauge, without including .rsau.
LIS ~ n DiffCEdSfS