The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-22
RAIL AND CROSS TIE.

The cut off of seven miles, costing 81 ,OOo,-
COO, between Shumla and Flanders on the
Southern Pacific railroad, is to be begun
shortly. The bridge across the Pecos river
will be the highest In the United States, the
center span being 378 feet above the water
and IL 900 feet long from cliff to cliff.
1t is evident that the returns for various
years have been quite imperfect, for the
fluctuations from year to year could not
have been so great as shown in the table.
The manual gives the total freight cars in
the United States at the end of 1889 at
1000, l64. Assuming that all those built In
the railroad shops, and over %, 900 of those
built by private works, have gone to fil
vacant numbers, we should have at the end
OF 1890, say, 1,135, 900 freight cars in the
United States.
Los Angeles (CaL) dispatch saws: A
unique piece of engineering is Just being
completed on the Santa Fe line through the
CaJon pass that will take rank with the
famous Tehachapi loop on the Southern
Pacific. 1t amounts, in effect, to roofing
over the mountain. Much trouble was ex-
perienced last winter on account Of land
slides In this pass, which kept the line block
AIDED most of the time. and TO obviate this
difficulty this remarkable piece of work was
designed. Broadly described, the work
consists of a series of terraces four in num-
is deepest, excavated so as to break the
force of the water coming down the slope
and carrying it off laterally by series of
wooden conduits and surface drains. These
terraces range from 500 to 800 feet in length.
measuring in the aggregate 1900 feet, and
are all rooted over. An army of men and
teams has been at work for some months.
According to blue book just published
the list OF those killed and injured by rail-
way accidents in Great Britain during the
six months ended June so, 1890, shows a
marked improvement on the list of the cor
responding period of 1889. The number of
persons killed-passengers, servants, tres
passers and others-was AIT, as against
526. and of injured 1896, against 2,242.
The most noticeable decrease is
in the list of passengers killed or
injured from accidents to trains, rolling
stock and permanent way. From such
causes there were only 6 killed and 121 iu-
Jured in the first half of the year, against
81 killed and 523 injured in the same period
OF last year. Under accidents from other
causes to passengers there is shown a slight
increase-44 killed and 37S injured, as com,
pared with 80 and 327 The railway SER
wants killed by accidents were 2S7, aud in
Jured, 1885, as compared with 1919 and /, PCS.
Thirty-seven persons were killed in passing
over railways at level crossings, increase OF
lost their lives, decrease Of 10.
The last year was one of extraordinary
activity in all branches of manufacture
which go to supply railroads. Last week
the Rotttcdy Age reported 2, 213 locomotives
built by fourteen works, against 1860 built
by sixteen firms In 1889, and 2. $50 built by
seventeen In 1888. The increased output Of
freight cars has been even greater.
We now have reports from forty
seven works, which built the immense
aggregate OF 9S,0A freight cars in
1890, as against 20, SAG built by thirty.six
works in 1889, and 71.719 built by forty
three works ia 1888. Nearly every firm
reported increased its output. Four works
built over 5000 cars each, and one reached
10000. Counting $40 working days, this is
over thirty cars a day for one concern.
The average output per firm was 20S7. In
1899 it was 1880, and in 1888, I,66S The
net increase IN the number Of freight cars
for six years mas been, by "Poor's Manual"
as follows.