The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-11

railroad enter prises has over the novice,
and often a large proportion of the secuTi-
tie. are given for the name and personal
services OF persons of established reputa-
ton.
A company having been incorporated
and capital stock subscribed, bonds are is
sned at given rate for each mile of road,
to be issued to the persons furnishing the
capital and delivered on the completion OF
each mile of road.
The route having been chosen and the
capital secured TO complete the project,
the chief engineer is instructed to make
the definite location of the line. For this
work one or more parties of engineers are
placed in the field, the number depending
upon the length of line to be located and
the duration of time which can be given to
the survey. The work of these parties
GENERALLY consist in running an irregular
line to develop the physical condition OF
the country and to make map upon
which the location of the line can be pro-
jected, and afterwards TO establish the pro-
jected line upon the ground by
stakes placed at intervals of nifty
feet along the center line OF
the proposed railway. During the pro-
gress of the work, copious notes are taken
in regard to the nature OF the country
through which the line passes, giving the
slopes of the ground and the character OF
the material of which the road must be
constructed. From these notes an approx
innate estimate is made of the quantity OF
each class of work required to be done.
Greater accuracy and fuller details being
required on these definite locations, the
expense is much greater than was incurred
in making the preliminary survey. The
cost of party per day is not necessarily
greater, but the progress of the work Is
much slower Of course the amount of
work done varies very largely according
to the nature of the country, to degree
even greater than that developed upon
the preliminary survey. In many in
stances the progress made in day
amounts to nothing, but upon an average
of a seasons work fair party will locate
about half mile of line per day in ordi-
nary country, at an expense OF $50 to $40 a
mile.
II DON as the construction of road is
finally decided upon it is customary to
send out agents along the proposed route
and secure deeds or agreements for deeds
of right of way from the landowners.
When the construction of the road be-
comes assured other agents are sent out
who, by agreement or purchase, acquire
the right-of-way, where satisfactory settle
ment can be made with the landowners.
Where it is found impossible to reach an
agreement proceedings for condemnation
are entered under the right of eminent
domain in accordance with the local laws.
A great deal of interest centers upon this
portion of the work and the labors of the
agents are often arduous. 1t is generally
found best to secure written evidence of
any agreement that is made, as land
owners are willing to make promises be-
fore the road is constructed which they re-
fuse TO carry out if the coming of the
road becomes assured before they are full
filed, and many men who will sign a
right-of-way agreement with great effusion
when the road is only a project make
great struggle and trump up every excuse
before they can be gotten to complete the
contract after the road is built.
When definite location is com pleted, the
work is ready for the inspection of the con-
tractors, and advertisement for bids are
made accordingly. The maps, profiles
and estimates are placed upon exhibition
for their guidance, and in many instances
they are required to examine the ground
critically in person. Bids are sometimes
required to be made in the form of a
lump sum per mile, but more often
they are made so as to state the rate per
unit of construction, based upon the APP
proxlmate estimate. In the case of the
grading and masonry the cubic yard is
usually taken as the unit in clearing the
acre; in trestle and timber work the unit
is 1000 feet board measure of lumber; in
piling work lineal feet of piles, and in
truss bridging fixed sum per span,
based upon the lineal length. When all
the bids have been received full compare
tive statement is made, showing the cost
of each class of work and the aggregate
per mile proposed by each of the pros
pective contractors. The work is sup
posed to be let to the lowest bidder, but
often outside conditions determine the
fortunate one, such as the influence of
contracting firms or their financial stand
ing. The successful contractor is often re-
qulred to give bond for the successful
completion of the work within the speci-
fed time and to insure the company
against all danger of liens or encum-
brances.
Very often the railway company finds
itself without the necessary funds to I'M
dertake the work. In such cases the most
prominent stockholders in the company
associate for the formation of another
company. generally incorporated under
the title of construction company and
undertake the completion of the work.
The railway company has the ability to
issue bonds but without the financial
strength to float them they are of no value;
on the other hand the construction COM
pany. with sufficient financial strength to
negotiate the bonds, Is in position to
construct the road and secure such profits
as can be made. Upon the formation of a
construction company a contract is made
with the railroad company by which the
construction company is to build and
equip the companv's line of road be-
tween given points for certain agreed sum
to be paid by the railroad company in
bonds, which are issued upon the compile
ton of each section of road at the fixed
rate. Usually in such cases the letting of
the contracts is the same as where the
road is built by the railroad company, ex-
cept that the construction company is the
company actually letting the work.
The work having been assigned to the
contractors, it is the duty of the chief
engineer to get the line of road ready for
the construction forces. The line is usual
lv laid of into one or more divisions of
about forty miles. determined by the
length of road, on each of which a diyis-
ion engineer is appointed 10 take charge
of the construction. Each division
is divided into RESIDENCES of from eight TO
twelve miles in length, according to the
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