The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-28
The New Rock Island s.. Louis Line.

in material, but expects to resume the
work within a day or two.
The new line will connect with the
FriscO's branch, the old Blair line, at
point near Sheffield, and will use these
tracks to a connection with the Belt
line, which viii bring the St. Louis
Kansas City trains into the union depot.
The recent contract signed by the Rock
Island and Belt line for this arrange
ment is one of the things that has
strengthened the belief that the Rock
Island intends to go with the roads
which select the south end site for a
new union station.
The new line has cost Is million dol
lars. 1t has an 8 per cent grade, which
makes it the easiest road between
Kansas City and st. Louis to operate,
and the fastest road despite the fact
that its mileage is seven miles greater
than that of the Wabash and one mile
more than that of the Missouri Pacific.
The easier grade of the new line viii
make it possible to haul freight for 10
per cent less cost than the Missouri Pa
cif1c with its liz Per cent grade The
top Of the grade Of the new line is
tWenty-four feet wide, while most rail-
road beds are only sixteen feet across.
1t is to be rock ba4lasted. Tt mas 293
bridges and culverts. all made Of solid
concrete; the longest is 400 feet long.
The superstructures are of steel. The
maximum curvature is 8 degrees. elm
mating sharp curves. Forty car loads
of dynamite were used in the construc-
ton. It has one 400-foOt tunnel near
Lees Summit. While there is only one
tunnel on the line. rock and cement
work between Kansas City and Pleas
ant Hill and between Versailles and
Cole camp is the heaviest done in rail-
way construction in a number of years,
the Rocky mountain railroads not ex-
cepted
In the building of a railroad there
are all the methods and discipline of
an army From 1000 to 5000 men nave
been working continuously on this con-
tract, to say nothing of 5000 horses,
teams and six 65-ton steam shovels, or
by a grading gang, wheel and scraper
outfit, or simply by men and shOvels.
About the first move was to bring
''dinky'' locomotives to the scene of
the work. A traction engine hauled the
"iinky' engines. The grade is of course
already laid out and from profile maps
the amount of material to cut and
"f1ll' is readily ascertained. Six miles
out from Versailles a 65-ton steam
shovel reduced a cut containing $4,000
yards of rock and cement, with scarce
" yard of dirt and put it in a fill two
miles further west. But the cut con-
tanned only $4,000 yards and the NIL
required 165. 900 yards Some material
was taken from a cut further west and
further material was borrowed" from
a field along the right of way. But the
farmer whose land was SKINNED Tor
the benefit of the railroad was paid 500
an acre for his land.
The Stubbs-F7lick-Joh nson Construc-
ton company includes w. r. Stubs Of
Lawrence, Kan; J. H. Flick and E. s
Johnston of Davenport Ia MT StuobS
and the men associated with him have
been connected with many import
ant contracts They constructed the
Rock Island line between Liberal. Kan,
and FL Paso, Tex; the line recently be-
e11n between Amarillo. Tex, and
Tucumcari. N M; the Chicago. Mil
waIlkee & st. Paul cutoff between OF
tumwa and Davenport, Ia; the Burling-
.ton-Alton cutoff between Mexico, Mo-,
ana old Monroe No, and lines for the
Santa. Fe in Oklahoma. Mr.. Stubs is
comparatively young man. He is a
member of the Kansas legislature and
was president of the company that is
reproducing the city of Jerusalem at
the St. Louis Worlds fair.