The San Francisco call., 1896-03-07
Construction Forces of the Scenic
Road Are Making Rapid
Progress.
SUFFERING AT THE CAMP.
Laborers Complain of the Treatment
They Receive-Plaint of an
Ex.Foreman.

MILL VALLEY, CAL, March G.
Wednesday marked an important epoch
in the history of the Mill Valley and
Mount Tamalpais Scenic Railway. The
first engine to be used on the mountain
road arrived here ana was transferred
from one of the fatcars OF the North Pa
cific Railroad to an improvised track on
the 'Shaughnessy block near Eastland.
The engine is one of the latest pattern
and was manufactured in the East by the
Lima company. 1t is of peculiar construc-
tion and specially adapted to mountain
climbing. All the machinery is upon one
side, while the boiler rests upon the other
side. The engine weighs twenty tons and
is the property of a lumber company
which loaned it 70 the Mill Valley and
Mount Tamalpais Scenic Railway until
the 1st OF May, when another and larger
locomotive will be sent to Mill Valley in
its place.
Secretary Louis L. James of the noun
tain road company to-day said that the
engine which arrived on Wednesday was
to be used during the construction Of the
engine, which has already been ordered
and is now being built, will arrive.
THE new engine" said Mr.. James, twill
be capable of travelling at the rate of
twelve miles an hour, which, owing to its
peculiar construction, is considered quite
good rate. The locomotive is not built
for speed, but it has enormous power and
could easily haul three or four crowded
cars over the route of the mountain road
if it should become necessary to accommo-
date such a crowd.
"We are pushing work along as rapidly
as possible. Already the ties for over
mile OF the road have arrived and we ex-
pect the rails almost any day. AS soon as
they get here the road from Mill Valley to
Blythedale will be constructed, and the
engine which arrived this week will be
used to carry the rails and ties up to the
men at work on the mountain"
When the engine arrived almost the
entire population of Mill Valley turned
out to see it. After it had been removed
from the hatcar to the improvised track
house was built around it.
President ]. B. Stetson of the North
Pacific Coast Railroad was here this week,
and arrangements were made by which
the railroad and the mountain road will
build one large depot at Eastland, the
right hand side to be used by the noun
tain road and the other side by the North
Pacific Coast road. A large ffeight-shed
will also be built.
The Tamalpais mountain road will be
propelled by electricity, and the engine
purchased from the Lima company will
be used only in case of crow DIS. Two cars
double e-enders-will soon be built and
work on the power-house is shortly to be
commenced. The railroad will lay third
rail as far as the proposed wer-house, SO
as to have the freight and machinery with
out loss of time.
The bitter cold of the last few days has
told upon the workmen employed by the
California Construction Company. The
roof OF their quarters on the mountain has
leaked and the water soaked their bed
covers. The cold has been most intense
on the mountain and the trails have been
covered with ice and dangerously slippery.
Yesterday foreman left the company's
employ. When he went to get his pay he
was offered 81, which be refused to accept.
He said he had been working for the COM
pany for nineteen days in the position of
foreman. When he resigned he was in
formed that 10 per cent of his wages would
be deducted on account of his leaving be-
fore the month was up. Not only was
this 10 per cent deducted, but 10 per cent
was added for every article he had pur-
chased from the store of the construction
company during this time. When the
paymaster finished his figuring the ex-
foreman was informed that just 81 was
due him.