Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-15
rORTy.EIGuT HORSES IN LINE.

FORTY.EIGuT HORSES IN LINE
Two Thousand People Witness tho
moving Of spool Of Cable.
lGlobe. Democrat.l
About five days ago there arrived in
the city on q fiat car, especially built
for that purpose, a spool of cable for the
cable railroad. AS the spool was about
ten feet in diameter, and as many In
depth, and the weight thereof about
95, 600 pounds, it's removal to the cable
company's works was a matter that
REQUIRED some elaboration. The
former spool had been rolled along
the streets, cutting them up and
crushing in the sewers over which
it passed with its great weight.
The company concluded this time
that it would get along more easily, and
the contractor who took the job OF
moving the spool had wagon, or rather
g truck, specially built for the purpose.
The truck is built upon mammoth pro-
portions, none of the timbers being less
than one and many more than two feet
in thickness. The wheels are little
souatty arrangements to fit an iron axle
of seven inches in diameter, and with
tires of nine inches. To look at it one
would think you could cart away the
courthouse on it. 1t took several days
to transfer the spool to the truck from
the cars. Yesterday morning it had
been announced the cable would
be moved, and there were fully
1000 people in the vicinity of Eleventh
and Poplar streets. They came in car
riages and on horseback, and the street
wore the appearance of section OF
some procesSion's line Of march.
Along the street there were forty-eight
horses and mules, all Of stout proper
tons, and all accustomed to heavy
pulling. Just opposite the Sumner
School, and alongside Of the railroad
tracks that end there, on the east SIDE
of Eleventh street, stood the truck
with the big spool on top. The
horses were stretched out in line
of twenty-four span, each hitched u
a log chain. The hitching-up pro
cess was watched with great Interest
by the crowd. The line of animal!
was bitched to the truck, and with
wild shout and terrible cracking o
whips and terrible rafting on tn
street. they made pull that it scenes
ought to have brought anything, but tn
truck didn't even tremble under tn
strain. Again and again it was tried
the excitement growing greater all tn
time, as the horses and mules almo;
bent to the granite ON their knees in tn
pull. The crowd was cheering, an
. men on every hand were betting upo
the point of the load ever bt
ing gotten out. 1t being demon
: strated that the teams coul
! not bulge the truck, it was determine
5 that locomotive should be mustere
into service. SNOW" the audienc
0 thought, as the engine seemed to swat
y ger up the track, "this will put tn:
: thing out in the street in about tw
: minutes" A very large beam wa
placed with one end against the loo
n motive front and the other against II
s rear Of the truck, though in diagon'
q position that did not admit Of the Ell
eine's full force being applied diEect
b the truck, The locomotive then starte
J, up, and, after few premoni.ory puff
6 1t began to push.
THE ENGINE FAILS.
To the intense surprise and deligl
Of the crowd the engine didn't NOV
and there was perfect storm Of chez
when another engine came up and a
q sisted. Between the two the truck W,
le pushed out into the street on Il
1t granite pavement. With over 10000
Of pounds resting on it, the granite stot
N it pretty well, though some of Il
in blocks sunk down and the tar in L
70 creviees spurted up like the soft MI
ct between q small boys toes in swan
d. 1t wasn't exactly headed straight, q
SO the truck WAS lacked up a
n headed due north on the east 81
by Of the street to steer clear Of I
in sewer. Once again the twenty.fc
teams were attached to the truck il
run line, and the drivers mounted the s;
dies. With q wild burst of drive
shouts and oaths. and a cracking
On. whips, and the shouts Of the eros
the animals bent TO their work, and
Id wheels moved. With kind of a Gro
the truck started, slowly at first, bu,
the teams settled down they got all
yes faster, the crowd keeping up ,
lad yelling sll the time. As the I
the mendous load passed the track Of
IL wheels on the granite was as plair
I'VE marked as q buggy track in q du.
tn road. Every minute some one thoul
De- the wheels, with their nine-inch tir
I'D would sink into the pavement, but h
it fortunately did net. and the truck o
ret the spool reached point about l
feet south Of Market street withC
its any stoppage. There the question {
d; truded itself how they were going
ut turn down and across Market street
IN 20 over Eleventh to Pine or Locu
be The jacks were brought int requisite
e. and the load was moved few feet f
Of .her, but just rs it was thought I
ID turn would be accomplished the tong
Q, broke off at the traces and opera.io
is bad to be stopped. The drivers We
q. sent home with their teams and the b
spool on tho truck was left on t
street. Il was intended st first
& transport the spool to tho power nous
le but II Is said this viii not now be don
a but that 1t viii be rolled In through d
y conduit.