Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-21
level of the old line, which they use


level of the old line which they use
into Murray.
A steam shovel is being operated at
this point by contractors, cutting the
embankment on which the old track
was built, in order that the new track
may be built through. This work
will be finished in a few days and it
will then be the work of but short
time for track gang to connect up"
the new track so that trains may be
run over it. This will not be done,
however, until the time comes for
opening the new line east of Alton.
The dirt which is being taken out
by the steam shovel at the place just
mentioned Is being. used to widen the
fill located a little more than half a
mile east of Alton. This fill is about
thirty feet in height.
About quarter of mile east Of
Alton the tracks, old and new cross
a second time, this time the
new track is higher than the old, and
the new line lies south of the old east
of the place of crossing. A short dis
lance east of this point long fill
commences, the one for which the
dirt is being taken out by the steam
shovel near Alton.
Rough Country.
For some distance east from this
fill there are deep cuts, alternating
with fills over culverts. The country
is hilly and the old track Is cores
pondingly crooked, but the new line
goes straight through the hills, rem
dering cuts very necessary. The
deepest cut is about fifty feet deep,
and is located about two miles east
of Alton. About a mile east of this
point the tracks again cross, and the
new track is this time forty feet above
the old one. A temporary bridge is
in use there now, but it is very prob
able that this will be filled when the
use of the old track is discontinued.
Alton junction.
Four miles east of Alton on the
new line is the new Alton Junction, or
the crossing of the Burlington and
the Great Western. The present AT.
ton junction is located on the old
line and is almost half mile to the
south of the new road. On the new
line the Burlington crosses the Maple
Leaf route on an overhead steel grid.
er bridge, and the station is to be
maintained by the Burlington. At the
old Alton Junction the Burlington
tracks are considerably below those
of the Great Western and the depot
is maintained by the latter company
This overhead bridge is just being
finished by gang of bridgemen un
1np FNrnnoo Tnhr Dnnni1 oe
The riveting is being done by means
Of compressed air, method that is
new, quick and efficient. This bridge
is Of the latest and most approved
style, and is well built. The
Orders rest on concrete piers and
at either end of the bridge is well
built concrete abutment which
strengthens the fill and assures per
manency in the bridge.
Grand River Bridge.
At Grand river, which is crossed
by the new line less than a quarter
of mile east from the new. Alton
Junction, there is another huge fill
leading to the bridge on either side
of the river. This fill averages a
depth of thirty-ive feet, and is seven
ty feet deep near the bridge. Fore
man Nellans, of this city, has gang
of about 100 men rat work on .the
Grand river bridge, and has much o.
the work done. A deck span $50 fee
in length has been put in place and
there are yet Orders at each end, eacf
one los feet in length, to be put in
AS soon as this work isl finished the
gang will go to Seven Mile creek, two
miles west of Murray, where another
bridge similar to that at Twelve Mile
creek is to be built.
Half mile east of the new Afto1
Junction the two lines come together
and for about 100 yards the old line
which is still being used by trains
makes laying the new track impossi
BILE for a time. This is through Sum
nit cut and the Williams Construc
ton company has men and teams a
work here making this cut deeper il
order to bring it to the level of tn,
new line. Wheel graders are beinl
used and the work is nearly complet
ed, SO that the new track can be con
nected up when it is ready to be op
ened, as is the case just east of Alton
Ballastng New Track.
The old line, in one of its man.
curves, leaves the new track after GO
ing through the cut and goes to tn,
south again. The new line goes on to
ward Thayer through more cuts ant
/ over more fills. Along this line Their,
are several extra gangs, balIasting tn,
new track. The ballast which is uset
on the whole of the new work is RET
burnt clay, brought from the McDil
ballast pit near Murray. This ballas
is about twenty inches deep under tn,
track, and when a good shoulder il
made it makes a splendid road bed
1t is used all along the Burlington
road in Iowa, and adds no little t,
the expense of constructing the nev
track.
Foreman Frank Bruhn has charg,
of thirty-one men, Henry Estes, of thi
city. has thirty more, H. M. Gaffin an,
William Grandstaff have gangs o
twenty men each. All these gang
are ballasting the new track between
Thayer and Summit Cut.
Linemen at Work.
A gang of sixteen linemen is work
ing westward from Thayer, putting vi
poleS for the telegraph line. This gan,