Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-08-05
TEE NEW RAILROAD.
Progress of tbe Work ON the PhiIa-
delphia End.

The Philadelphia Ledqer snys: The
Schuylkill river bridge Of the Baltimore q
Ohio railroad Is practically completed, as
trains loaded with material are crossing II
every dny. On the Delaware river exten-
sion OF the line three-quarters OF a mile
OF track has been laid, and the engineers
expect that IL will anon ba constructed as
far Rs the river, From the bridge to tho
Arsenal the track ls already finished, while
the roHi betwean the latter point aud the
sito OF the nov depot. Mt Twenty-fourth and
Chestnut streets, will hs finished later,
some buildings along this section not yet
being torn down. At the foot OF Sunsom
street wharf, ON the Schuylkill river bank
workmen are engaged In building the strue-
ture which Is to have four largo platforms,
to which passengers will descend from the
second floor OF the depot. Holes about ~
feet square and 10 feet deep have been dug
along the line of the foundation, into
which piles are being driven still further
down. Upon the latter will be laid double
thtcknesses OF timber placed horizontally.
Masonry, rising to hight Of six feet, is to
be built on this timber aud will be sur
mounted by Iron columns, the latter sup
porting the roof by means of truases. The
foundations OF the depot, 1t is said, will be
begun In q few days.
The freight station at the corner OF Dick
inson and Meadow streets Is about one half
finished, while the construction OF a similar
building at the foot OF Race street wharf, at
the Sehuylkill river end, will soon ba under
way. The bulkhe' ds are being filly,d In on
the river front from Fiibert street rs far up
as the old Fifteenth ward gas works. The
approaches to the tunnel on Twenty fifth
street, extending northward from tho works,
are pretty we'll completed and about $50 feet
OF the covered way" on that street from
Oallowhill street to aDovo Biddle street, has
had layer OF vulcanite placed upon It.
The remainder will be covered with the
slme material as soon as the plates are all
attached to the iron Rlrdefs that have been
built over the roadbed, on level with the
street, When the vulcanite is all put down
tho Lhuroughfare will be paved.
From a point a little above Biddle to
Spring Garden street, on Twenty-flfth, ex-
cavatiuns and blastlngs for the arched tun-
mel ara In progress, while above Spring
Garden street about 80 feet of brick arch Is
heing constructed, the sides Of the tunnel
on which the top will rest extending some
distance further up. Between Green and
twenty sixth streets, where the tunnel turns
towards Pennsylvania avenue, 800 feet Of
arch has been completed. Operations on
that portion Of the tunnel south OF Spring
Garden street will shortly be begun by
the contractors, Messrs. Drake a Stratton.
The work at this end OF the line is con-
tinued at night as well as in the day time
and 1t is said that during the present warm
weather as much, IL not more, can be
accomplished after dark than when the
workmen are exposed to the sun. James
j. Ryan, the contractor for the upper por-
tion OF the road, has 200 feet OF tunnel
ready above Twenty sixth street, there being
about 100 feet more to finish. Above that
point excavations for $50 feet OF covered
way along Pennsylvania avenue are being
rapidly pushed forward, while the grading
OF the road from Twenty-seventh street to
Thirtieth, on the same avenue, is about
completed.
Mr.. Ryan, who hss a contract for laying
track on the Baltimore 4 Ohio railroad
within the city, expects to have the track on
the lower section OF the tine constructed as
far north as Chestnut street during the
next week,