Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-07-23
A Railroad Mystery
AN EMBANKMENT WHICH WON'T STAY W
1T IS PIT.

AN EMBANKMENT WHICH WON'T STAY WHERE
1T IS PUT.
1t was mentioned in THE STAR of Saturday
that the tressewOrk on the Alexandria and
Fredericksburg railroad near Freestone Point
had gwen way, causing a slight detention of
TRAINS and making transfers of freightS mails
and passengers necessary at that pOint-abOuJ
thirty miles below this city. The company
placed on the work large force, who, work
Ing I'D TO Saturday afternoon, had the track in
such condition that trains could pass over it
early On Saturday, and by Saturday afternoon
the track was in a better condition than ever
before. This place is mystery to the railroad
offlclals, and has cost more trouble and more
money than any other portion of the road. At
ment some forty or fOrty-fve yards from the
river, the grOuI d being somewhat marshy,
ana When the road was first constructed this
embankment was over 700 feet long, $50 feet
wide at the bottom and Is feet at the top and
Y feet high, and this is the fourth time i'm
ABOUT as many years in which trouble has
ensued from ITS settling. The first embank-
ment has long since disappeared, sinking no
one knows where; and it has been filed in
again, and finally on top of the sinking EN-
4ankmeht tresslework OF the very strongest
tlmbers, with wide base, was put in,
On friday last, as has been stated
heavy freight train passed over this place
and the embankment with the tresse work
settled down about four feet for distance of
% 1eet, and Sagged out towards the river
WIN the successive repairs at this place, the
WORK mas decreased in magnitude, the en-
DdIhIient Delng now only about 400 feet long:
ana thls Time large quantity of timber haV-
Ing Oeen used, IL Is in better condition than
ever before. Among the railroad men there is
lnuch diversity OF opinion as to the cause of
TINS emDankment giving way, and some OF the
OldtSt inhabitants OF that section state that
the ground was first known to be treacherOIrS
ABOUT hall century ago, when a large Quan
tity OF earth, several thousand Yards. one
nlght slid out and entirely disappeared. Som,
mink mat there are quick sands about, and
others think, from the rapid disappearance of
any heaVy weight thrown near the foot of the
emDankment, that there must be hole about
Ii Is generally believed, however, that the true
solution is That some distance below there is q
sIone ped shelving towards the river, and that
the action OF the waves causes the earth to
start: MI. VIM Buckly,, of South Washing
ton, Is the contractor, and extra care will be
taken of this place, and doubtless it will soon
become as sale as any other part of the road
THIEVES entered the cigar store of MIR. Thos
johnson, on l. street, between I'd and Sd
streets southeast, yesterday afternoon and
walked out with the money drawer and con-
tents, amounting to 81 or s., and escaped arrest
Yesterday, about O'Clock, a thief attempted
10 rob house No. 1904 New Hampshire avenue
by breaking open the front basement door
Dnt was frightened OFF by young lady (named
Miss CAM belly before he could get anything.
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