Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-26
THE CABLE ROAD.
The Work In Progress ON Main Street
Observed with Interest.

' The Work in Progress ON Main stree
Q Observed with Interest.
Winters d Donahue, who have the CON
: tract Tor laying the cable road to Walker
!. snie' are pushing that work on Main stree,
WITH as much expedition as possible. There
. was scarcity OF carpenters in town. which
,nterferes with as rapid progress as would
% made could more be engaged. It is un.
stood additional carpenters have been sent
for from Salt Lake.
Inc work as it progresses is watched with
interest by many, and curiosity is excited
TO understand it's construction. With this
OBJECT, the following explanation OF the
construction wa sdraine bottom theenoinaer
in charge;
The wooden trenches now placed a y tho
| bottom'of the excavation in the street are
II by 12 inch drains to carry off watar
Above them are placed ties upon which
rest heavy stringers, 8 by inches, forming
the grip conduit, which will belaid 5K inches
apart. Between these stringers the wheels
or pulleys on which the cable is carried will
De set at distances 20 feet apart. They will
therefore revolve directly over the drains.
The rail stringers are three in number and
WIN De OF by inch timber, one ia
ene center OF the roadway and one on |
each side upon which the rails are fastened. |
There will therefore be only one center and /
Two outside rails. The center rail will be /
used IN common by the cars passing nm |
and down, and the cable will thus rnn
directly under the center of the cars, There
viii be tlrRouts on the line OF the road to /
be used by the descending car, which will
loosen lts grip on the cable, and pass over
fhe turnout without assistance, being on a
9SoWn-graae. Cross-planking will be laid
between the rails which will leave a seven-
elghths inch slot for the grip to pass along. |,
Heavy planking will be laid above this |,
again, bevelled on the edge next the rails.
making perfectly level surface when com.
pieted. The street outside the rail will !
also be planked as is at present the case
on the motor and horse car lines. II
The entire timbers and planking will be t
ooited together and present the most solid
and substantial roadbed possible to imap.I
'tructible as the iron conduits used in /,
other systems than the Vogel- Mcintosh. :
The four spaces between the rail stringers y
md the grip.conduit stringers will be filled c
With mine waste firmly packed down. Att
very pulley there will be pulley pocket. O.
y which access will be had to the pulley :.
hat can thus be taken out and cleaned as =
'l'ou e1 1oCCdSlou requires. Ina entlre length :.
4 the line from Walkerville to Park street.
Suite, will be one mile and quarter. The q
rade has been given to the constructors by
lr. Harper, City Engineer. and will necessi-
ate placing Main street on grade over that 3
ortion where the cable will be laid. As %
ne street is at present, the rails will be :.
bove the present street level on some ~
locks and below it on others. As q cable =!
unlike a motor or horse car line in being ~
nable to follow the undulations that are ~
1aracteristic OF Butte's streets, Main street
i'll have to be brought up or down to
'ade from Park street as far north as the
ty limits at any rate. That is, unless the in
tizens are willing to put up with the all
rnative. The depressions or elevations
Ill only be few inches at most The line pr
ON Park to WalkervilIe will vary but to
ightly from direct line. It makes al
ight DETECTION to the east up near the -.
ear Grit. otherwise it will be straight ~,
le all the way. The power house where VIC
9 heavy machinery will be placed which ~
u set the cable in motion will be located 81,
the summit. 'NI