Fergus County argus., 1902-12-31
ARE COMING
THIS WAY
Many Difficulties Met With In Build.
ing Railroad In the Winter
Time.
HEAVY WORK ON BEAVER CREEK
Three Outfits Grading and Blasting
Away the Hills In That
Section.

In order to appreciate the diff
culties Of railroad building in the
winter time, one has but to make a
visit out to Beaver Creek, where
three outfits comprising in all, twen-
ty-eight teams and fifty men, are at
work grading down the steep hills
just above Keller's ranch, prepara-
tory to the laying of the track. The
three or four miles above Beaver
Creek gap require the heaviest work
of the entire route and it is likely
that, even with good weather which
will permit the work to go on unin-
terrupted, it will take the present
force the greater part of the winter
to reduce the hill sides to roadbed
grade.
The largest force is that of Nc.
Shane & Elmore, comprising fifteen
teams and thirty men. Their camp of
seven sleeping tents, one kitchen and
two long tents used as barns, is sit
uated down in the valley of Beaver
Creek, Just below Keller's ranch; and
Immediately above the camp, the men
are at work grading away two high
hill sides, one of which requires a
twenty-five foot cut, the other a
twenty foot cut. The greatest trou-
BILE experienced at this time of year
is plowing up the frozen ground. Al
though they hitch eight of their best
horses to a plow, they yet find 1t i'm
possible in many places to break the
ground. In the places where they
have made an opening in the earth,
it is necessary to break the ground
the last thing in the afternoon in or.
der to have loose dirt to scrape away
the next day. Although handicapped
in such a manner very good progress
is being made, two eight foot cuts
having already been made along the
hillsides. The deepest cut, thirty
FIVE feet, ia to be blasted out. Fiji
teen holes are being bored in the
hills to the depth of fifteen feet and
in each hole three kegs OF black
powder are to be placed. It Is reas-
onably expected that when forty-five
kegs of powder explode there will
be one hill less over in that vicinity.
]. H. McShane is the superintendent
of the grading forces but while he is
in Omaha spending the holiday. j.
Cunningham, the walking boss" has
charge of the men. He has been hav-
ig his share of troubles this week as
the men hare been celebrating the
holiday season and the drunks have
considerably decimated the working
ranks for several days. But he never
lacks for men very long at time. as
every day he turns away transients
who are looking for work. Mr.. Cum
ningham is very accommodating to-
wards giving information to anyone
who may 60 out there. Billy O'Han-
lon, the book-keeper for the outfit Is
another gentleman who does every,
W udhC q Nioit w thC SohP -
pleasant and profitable one. Beyond
the McShane camp is the Anderson
camp and outfit which is a small one
and has not yet begun work to any
extent. Anderson has a sub-contract
from McShane & Elmore, as has
Naught, whfo superintends the third
and next to the largest outfit, now at
:, work on the Cottonwood about three
miles east OF the McShane outfit.
None of the contractors expect to do
much work before the first Of March
unless climatic conditions become
more favorable than at present
When spring, opens up. more men
and teams will be rushed In, more
!, sub-contracts let and the work of
completing the road pushed with all
possible dispatch. For few days be-
Store the holidays, the surveyors were
surveying the route coming. into
;town and there is a bare possibility
5that some changes will be made in
fthe original route.
Il 80 .-.fI-'- .s... ....I