Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-16
THROUGH TIE MARSHES.
PROGRESS or WORK IN THE
TYREE RAILROAD.


sThe Grading at the Eastern End OF the
Line to be Commenced To Day-rhree
Miles Of the Road Already Completed
The WOrk On Queens Island to
Begin in Two Weeks-The Contractors
Expect 70 Have the Road Finished In
February.
Work will be commenced this morning
on the Tybee end of the Savannah and
Tyhee railroad. The force working east
from the city has reached the middle
OF the marsh beyond Cost0n's Bluff
batteries. Starting from BilboN canal,
the grading is well nigh completed TO the
marsh. The line across Deptford is about
ready for the ties and rails. For three
miles east Of Bilbo canal the roadway is
so nearly finished that weeks work
would complete il. A few gaps have been
Jeff for waterways, but aside from those
there is not much to be done until the
easternmost point where the force is work
ing Is reached. That point is one and
three-quarter miles to the place on Will
mington river. where the road will cross
over 10 Queens Island.
The road will run along water shed
on the island two feet higher than
the marsh in which the men are now
working. Just where they are at work is
where the greatest trouble was antic-
pated. They are, however, throwing up
mud bank which rapidly hardens and
settles and becomes as firm as any road
Oed needs be.
THROUGH THE MARSHES.
The engineers say that the embank-
ment through the marsh will be as solid
n hp L vV
the more readily believed after private
roadway made across the marsh years
ago is seen. 1t is as firm as road bed
along BrOughtOn street would be. At the
point where the road cuts through the
bluff on COston's Bluff plantation ia one
OF the most picturesque spots around Sa-
vannah.
The immense Notifications erected there
in 1861 still stand as thew were left-silent
sentinels commanding the Savannah river
and the approaches to the city from
Thunderbolt. The great old bomb proofs,
twenty and thirty feet nigh, are covered
with heavy growth of Young timber,
and within the Notifications are old live
oaks more magnitcently b0ary and
grandly venerable than the universally
admired moss-bearded Druids OF Bona
venture.
on HISTORIC GROUND.
Within few months the underground
will be cut out, rustic bridges thrown
across the deep meats, easy steps built
up to be top Of the greatest batteries in
this part Of the country, and picnic par
lies and tourists will step from the train
to historic ground. There are te'' pots
rs pretty and romantic in the country.
The road runs right under the most north
eastern battery ana corner OF 1t has to
be cut away. No otner bluff or highland
TW,f. bot hat a
and from there to 'lybee the track will be
swept by a fresh ocean breeze.
In two weeks more the contractors
hope to put men TO work on both ends
of Queens Island and have the gangs
work toward each other. From the west
END OF the island to the east end Is eight !
miles, and that Is part OF the road that !
the general public always said would |
have TO be built upon piling.
The progress made thus lar ia highly |
satisfactory to the company. Maj. lnnes,
the contractor, has until April, 1887, to !
complete the line. but he began two
months earlier than was expected, and |
he may get through with the work IN Feb |
ruary. In a few weeks more the en-
baEkment will be constructed to Will |
mington river. which is TO be SPAWNED by
an iron draw-bridge.
THE LABORERS.
An interesting ii not curious fact is |
that the ricefeld darkies dislike to work
on a cut. and the up country darkies will
not go IN the marshes. The latter want |
To dig the dry dirt and the former prefer
To die the marsh mud. There is one old |
darky in one of the gangs who went up |
The country after the savannah and Dub |
lin road was started and joined the force
under Ferguson IL Co. When the con-
tractors broke the cid darky trudged |
back home and got job on the Savannah |
and ry bee road. He was first offered |
work on one OF the cuts, but he declined, |
and waded off into the marsh, declaring |
that he never intended 10 dig any more
dry dirt ms long as he lived.
Capt. d. q. Purse, the President OF the |
road, yesterday said that it will be ''the !
lungs of Savannah" With thirty |
minutes schedule from the city 10 the |
south end OF Tybee, the aptness of the
expression is apparent. A surf bath and |
sea breeze Will be 4 possibility for every !
day, and 1t will really be through the |
road that Savannah will breathe the
ocean air.