The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-06-29
GEORGE GoulD's VICTORY.
He Forces an Entrance for the
Wabash System into Pittsburg.

/ Pittsburg, Pa, June 25.-After
foar years of unremitting effort .and
ansexpenditure of $40, 600, 900, the new
lfae of the Wabash Railroad into
Pittsburg is about to become an &C
complished fact. The first train will
be run from this city to ST. Louis to-
morrow and will carry distinguished
party as guests of George Gould.
The event marks a victory without a
parallel in the history of American
railroads. When the Gould interests
decided to carry one end of their 15,-
coo mile railroad system into Pittsburg
they, faced stupendous obstacles which
could be overcome only by illimitable
resources. In the first place they
had to meet the opposition of the
Pennsylvania Railroad, which institut-
ed drastic reprisals and even went to
the length Of destroying millions of
dollars worth of Western Union prop-
erty along it's lines.
Almost as formidable as the opposi
tion Of the Pennsylvania we're the en-
eineering difficulties to be overcome
in the, construction of the new line.
From Pittsburg to Jewett, throughout
it's entire length of sixty miles, the
line is continuous series Of deep cuts
and high embankments, great bridges
and viaducts, tunnels and culyerts.
So rough is the country which is tap
ped by the new line that scarcely a
mile in it's whole length carries the
surface level of the ground.
Exclusive of two great cantilever
bridges, there are nine important
viaducts on the line, aggregating 1854
feet in length. The Monongahela
bridge at Pittbsurg is the largest
cantilever bridge in America, and,
excepting the Firth of Forth bridge,
the largest of its kind in the world.
It has a middle span Of 812 feet and
TWO end spans of S47 each, making
total length of 1,506 feet. The mean
pool level Of the river is cleared by
seventy feet.
Second only to this bridge is that
over the Ohio river at Mingo. This,
with a central span Of 700 feet and
two end spans, each of 29S feet, has a
total length of 1895 feet, and is 90 feet
above the water. These bridges cost
nearly s1,0O0,000 each.
There are nineteen tunnels on the
line, aggregating 20. 459 feet, or nearly
four miles in length. To reduce the
number of bridges the course of Cross
creek in Pennsylvania and West Vir-
ginia has been changed at several
places, new channels as much as fifty
feet deep having been blasted through
solid rock. The entire line is laid
with ninety pound steel rails.
Out of Pittsburg a one per cent.
grade carries four miles to the sum-
nit at the west portal of the Green
tree tunnel. Here will be the new
terminal freight yard, where trains
will be made up to full weight for the
run to Jewett. Except for this short
switching haul out of Pittsburg, the
maximum grade, either west or east,
is 81 feet to the mile.
Notwithstanding the great cost of
the line the Gould interests figure that
it will bring in ample returns. The
road was built with a certain know
ledge that vast traffic, running into
the millions of tons, was to be had at
the outset. Along the line local busi-
ness-coal, agricultural products and
passenger travels counted upon to
develop gradually. Already through
Washington county. in anticipation
of the new outlet, coal pits have been
dug and collieries built in what were
but yesterday grain fields and pas
lures. Oil wells have also been sunk.
From Pittsburg the Wabash will be
the short line to Toledo, while to
Chicago it will be only five miles, and
to St. Louis forty miles, longer than
the Pennsylvania routes.