The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1891-12-18
Written For the SIFTERl
RAILROADs-PAsT AND PRESENT.
No. ..

1t is said that each and every ii
laid on the railroad across the Isthmu
of Panama represents the sacrifice of
human life.
The railroad built by Mr.. Meigg
from Lima to the crest of the Ande
mountains in South America was on
of the greatest engineering feats in tn
world and cost S27, 100000 and 100,
lives.
The "Pan-American Railroad" $
much talked about last year, is con
templated line from New York +
Buenos Ayres via St. Louis and Mex
leo. Ifbuilt it would be the longes
railroad in the world, the distance be
ing 10000 miles. Atone point, Quito
it would be $500 feet above the sea
The estimated expense of building tn
road from Mexico to Buenos Ayres
$1,000, 900.
Another railroad project is the con
struction of a road 5000 miles lon,
from Minnesota via Bismark, Britisl
Columbia and Alaska, crossing Behrin,
strait by bridging it, to Pekin, China
and Irkutsk, in the Russian empire
thus connecting the two hemispheres b,
rail. The scheme seems visionary, bu
it may be carried out in time, for al
of that.
Russia is actively engaged in tn,
building of railroads, mostly for mill
tary purposes, which, when completed
will involve an outlay of 50, 100000,
900.
The Argentine Pacific Railroad
from Buenos Ayres to the foot of the
Andes is the longest strait piece of rail
road track in the world. For a dis
tance of 211 miles there is not curve
nor bridge or opening larger than al
ordinary culvert.
Probably the first instance in the his
tory of railroading where track wa:
laid in and ballasted with salt was wher
the Southern Pacific Railroad" laiC
their tracks to the salt mines in the Col
orado desert.
The longest railroad bridge in tht
world is said to be the "Tay' bridge
in Scotland, which is 10,7S0 feet ii
length.
The longest railway bridge span il
America is that at Poughkeepsie, New
York, across the Hudson River, which
is 54S feet.
The highest railroad bridge in the
United States is the "Kinzua Viaduct,' .
on the "Erie Railroad 305 feet high
The first cantilever "deck' bridge
ever built in this country was the "Ni
agara bridge" 495 feet in length.
The St. John, N. B., cantilivel
railroad bridge, AT feet long, and cost
ing 400, 900, was the first Through
bridge of the kind ever built in Amer
lea.
Bridges of great dimensions are being
constructed everywhere to accommodate
the increasing railroad traffic of the
country. The steel bridge being bull
across the Columbia river at Vancou
yer, Washington Territory, is 5000
feet long, and the draw pier 400 feet
The cost of the structure will be 81,
100000.
Still another big brigde under con
struction is the one at Memphis, Tenn.
which is to be, including the iron via
duct and timber trestle, 5000 feet il
length.
It is claimed that a bridge over thu
Pecos river, on the Southern Pacifi,
Railroad" which was being built no
long since, would be, when done, tn,
highest railroad bridge in the Unitet
States, the center span being 37S fee
above the water. The entire lengtl
of the bridge from cliff to cliff is 1,20(
feet.
The longest railroad draw bridge il
the world, it is said, is the one at New
London, Ct, across the Thames rive
which is 500 feet.
Bridges are the most expensive par
of railroad construction. Iron bridges
however, in most cases, are taking tn
place of wooden ones, because of thei
supposed durability and the fact, too
that fire cannot destroy them.
Nevertheless it is the opinion ofman,
bridge engineers that wooden bridg
of the "Howe-Truss" pattern, whel
properly built, is about the safest kin'
of a bridge after all, for the reason tha
any break or strain in the arches o
braces can be easily seen and remedied
while with an iron bridge it is next to i'm
possible to detect any hidden flaw or dc
feet in the same.
CARSON.