The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-31
RAIL AND cRossTIE.

General Passenger Agent Charlton has
returned from trip north.
General Freight and Passenger Agent
| Cromwell of the Atlanta aud West Point
railroad is in the city.
The foundation for the railroad bridge
across the SOpohoppy river in Waku Ia
county, Florida, is completed.
General Manager Il. s. Haines, of the
Savannah, Florida and Wes5srn raj way,
left last night for New York.
Brakemen may soon be reIegated to the
rear by an electric device on railroad cars,
whereby the name of an approaching sta
ton is inscribed on tablet in a conspicuous
place.
Fifty thousand pounds of barbed wire
to be used in fencing in the Georgia Southern
and Florida railroad has been received at
Lake City. This wire will inclose 120 miles
Of track.
Supt. r. g. Fleming, of the Savannah,
Florida and Western railway, left last nigat
for the north. He will stop over in Rich
mond on his way up to attend a schedule
meeting. He will return Sunday from New
York, accompanied by his family.
The first large American order for steel
railroad ties has just been placed by New
York parties with a Pennsylvania firm
The tie is described as being simply a box
or fiat bottomed trough and will be i'm
bedded in the roadbed like the wooden tie
| Where the rail crosses the tie a groove
three-quarters of an inch deep is cut to ad-
init it. Under the rail is a block Of oak
compacted by hydraulic pressure, and with
| covering of creosote to increase its dura-
bility. The rail rests directly on this
wooden block, aud is caught by hooks on
| either side, SO beveled that, while the rail is
fastened above, the metal tie is caught be-
low. A steel bolt is forced through the
hooks and oak block, which not only holds
the hooks in position, bat prevents the rail
from moving on the block. 1t is believed
| by this arrangement the vibration which
ensues when the rail rests directly on the
metal tie will te obviated Outside Of this
the metal tie resembles the wooden. 1t is
believed that a tie of this description will
last forty ye rs, and that a mile of track
will cost 10000 The cost of renewals in
blocks, bolts and nuts is estimated at
81 ,6S9 making total cost of $685. It is
estimated that wooden ties, plates and
spikes costs 81, 1863 OF per mile. Renewals to
meet the life of steel rails, taken at six to
forty years, cost SIG, 400 Is. Labor at 80
| cents per tie and five and 0ne-half renewals
during the period. $4,646 40, total S21, JOG SIS.
This shows saving per mile in favor of
steel of SIPS 50.
Quite a number of Central railroad engin-
GERS are IN the city. They came yesterday,
1
exchange, the Telfair academy and other
plac es of interest by the Savannah engtn-
| GERS. Thew are members Of the Brotherhood
| OF Locomotive Engineers, and are here for
the purpose of attending a meeting to be
held tomorrow. The intent of the meeting
Is understood to be to discuss matters
| Of Importance TO the engineers.
cupy a good deal of attention, and
it is likely that they will ask the Central
for concessions and probably an advance in
| salary. Two of the Centraps engineers,
who reside in Savannah, were asked about
the matter, but they were not very COM
municative. The Columbus (Ga) ENQUIRER
Sun said yesterday that Engineer Lawrence
IS IN Savannah to attend the meeting. The
| Columbus division of the brotherhood is of
the opinion that employment as engineers
mas been given to incompetent
and inexperienced men, and that
much dissatisfaction exists among them
on this account. One case in point, the
Enqulrer~Snn CITES, is that of a man who
had been fireman for probably less than
a year and was given an engine. On the
first or second trip the man allowed the
water to run down too low in the boiler,
| and the engine was badly damaged. An
| other case is that of a man who failed to
stand an examination under the Alabama
color blind law. The man was removed
| from posi- ION winch required him TO dc q
portion of his work in Alabama soon after
he failed to stand the color blind examina-
ton. This man, it is stated, was sent out a
few nights ago in charge of an engine 1t
| is also stated that one or more engineers
who have been expelled from the
brotherhood for drunkenness have
been retained in the employ of
the railroad. General Manager Gabbett
is in New York, and nothing about the re-
| Of Of tha
can be learned until his return. 1t is I'M
derstood that the engineers will seek con-
ference with Mr.. Gabbett upon his return
| To Savannah