The San Francisco call., 1898-03-17
RAILW AY WITH BED OF BRUSH How the Point Richmond Branch Will Be
 Constructed. When Completed It Will Appear as One Strong and Last
 ing Bridge. Enoineers Confident of Overcoming Difficulties in the Tule
 Region.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

STOCKTON, March 16.-When the Marshall Pass route of the Denver anu Rio Grande Railroad was completed the success with which the engineers mastered the problems confronting them surprised the world Whle the difficulties are widely different in the construction of the Point Rlchnohd ronte. they are none the less complex. The completion of the line may not awaken such applause from laymen, but the world of civil engineers Will regard it as a triumph for their profes- sion.
 Only those who are familiar with the features of the tule and reclaimed lands lying by the route between Stockton and the other terminal or the branch can appreciate the dlfncuitles in the way of establishing permanent roadbed across this treacherous sec tion. It seems impossible to obtain a ahhard pan on which to operate. II plies could be embedded in solid earth even ten feet below the surface part of the difficulty would be solved; but, according to old-timers more famlnar probably with the changeable nature or the levels than are the engineers them selves, no reliance can be placed on the OI eAAty on the surface.
 Stripped of all technical explanations it seems that the heights of the land as compared with the sea level are eX- ceedingly tickle, being made so, as lar as can be estimated by laymen, from currents of water very near the sur face. An illustration vouched for by Oscar Marshall, who has hunted and fshed over the territory for many years, will probably best make the phe- nomenon plain.
 Chinese gardeners who had tract of land adjacent to a slough concluded to try irrigation, their land having become very dry. To this end they excavated the small levee and put in a small water gate, the top of which was made to sit about three inches above the water marks. On leaving at night they closed the gate and were dum- l founded the next morning to find that the top of the gate sat nearly two feet | below their garden. There was not 1 a crack in the ground, or anything | other than the gate and frame work to 1 indicate that the land had changed al- titude. A few days thereafter the top of the gate again marked the water surface.
 1 So far as can be learned the conclu- sions of the engineers are that the roadbed must be established much after i the manner of jetty work. The base of the work will be upon brush, cut and laid in cradle form. Into this sand and some mixture calculated to solid- fly the formation will be placed. Filling will be used, but the weight of the line
 will not be dependent on the piles
 which will apparently have more the effect of an anchorage than supports The work must necessarily proceed
 slowly, as the brush must be sunk as far as possible by heavy weights. The
 broad base of the grade will give the
 regular grade a base of perhaps two
 times the width of the surface lines
 Ample calculation will be made for the
 settling process. The composition o1
 the grade as built must necessarily
 partake largely of rocking, giving
 weight and permanency.
 The line as it will be completed vii appear as one vast bridge, strong an6
 lasting, but without suspension, gird. 1 CTS or Suppnrts.