Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-01

the following foremen: H. Jackson,
the Winfield yards and switches and
to mile post So; B. M. Stoller from SO
to 40 and from mile post 40 the work
was under the direct supervision of
R. Shields.
One of the interesting features of
the work was the feeding of the men,
who were provided with 5000 sand
wichs, 500 dozen hard boiled eggs and
1870 gallons of coffee.
The. Work of Widening.
Immediately upon the arrival of the
men at their various stations the work
of widening the track was begun with
an energy and dispatch that did not
subside until the last spike was driven
at $3.50 o'clock last evening near mile
post So just west of Coppack and the
work of transformation from a narrow
gauge road to one of the standard had
been completed. Shortly after 4
yesterday morning the narrow gauge
train left Oskaloosa with the men
from the Ottumwa division of the Bur-
lington under the charge of w. j. Cal
win together with representatives of
the Ottumwa Courier and Des Moines
Capital. AT 4:23 o'clock the first spike
along the line was drawn at mile post
103. The men on this division We're
all experienced workmen and had
been thoroughly instructed with the
work that would be required of them
and they went at it with vim and en-
ergy that gave to them easily the rec
ord for speedy work.
Shortly after o'clock G. G. Wilcox
a + hor
stating the roadmaster's east gang
was on it's third mile and from reports
received later these men easily hold
the record for speedy work, having
completed their four miles a little more
than as many hours. Composed of eX-
perienced track men, the work of the
men on the west division was almost
phenomenal and with the exception of
the laying of the crossing at the North
western track at Stark the twenty
miles between Oskaloosa and Hedrick
had been completed at the noon hour.
All along the line the work progress
ed in a most satisfactory manner. The
work of the preparation for the NOV
ing of the rails had been excellently
done. In this the ingenuity of the
Roadmaster J. T. Sheahan was shown.
For the leveling of the ties he had sew
eral days before arranged contrlv-
ance on car, consisting of four saws
just the height of the plane upon which
the rail should rest. This he run
over the track and each tie that was
| too high was shaved off with speed
and accuracy that was almost amazing.
For some time the section men
along the line had been pulling the
spikes in the track, leaving just
enough to make the rail safe for use.
Spikes had also been partially driven
along the line of the outside of the
rails on the broad gauge. With all
these preparations possible to carry
on the work of widening the track
with the dispatch that was in many
places manifested, two spike pullers
were sent out fom each gang drawing
out the spikes from the outside of the
narrow gauge track. These were fol
lowed by two men for each rail- who
with crow bars threw the rails out
against the spikes that were ready
and after these came the men spiking
the rails securely into position. Thus
the men worked and from one end of
the line to the other the $50 men
moved the rails out to their position
ten and one-half inches from their
former position with a rapidity that
was almost astonishing.
The First Train.
Shortly before IL o'clock yesterday
the gang in the yards at Oskaloosa
made the connection from the depot to
mile post 103 and the first broad
| gauge train to pass over the B. & w
track left the station in that city and
began its trip over the newly con.
structed track to Burlington. At 11:23
this train in charge of Conductor A
Goodspeed and Engineer Ed. Mohr
caught up with the first gang Of track
men as it was nearing the completion
of its last mile and at 11:45 connection
was made at mile post SO, the starting
proceeded to Stark. Here the men
were given opportunity to eat their
4 dinners. The work of placing the
crossing was tedious task and at 81
/ o'clock the train left Stark picking ur
the men along the line. Aboard Of
this train was Assistant Genera
Freight and Passenger Agent Morel
Law of Burlington, who had gone tt
Oskaloosa the evening previous tc
make the east-bound trip over the
new road. He was accompanied by
A. M. Hixson, general agent for the
B. & W., and B. e N. W., at Oskaloosa
together with representatives of the
press.
At 1880 o'clock yesterday afternoon
word was received by Morrell Law
who was with the western train al