The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1904-06-27

LeplsI Ra1 yest.rtay.
Pfttsbufe, Pa. June 27.-Aftef four
year, Of unremstting effort and IN
expenditure Of $50. 600. O00. the new
line OF the wabash railroad into Pitts
burg Is about to become an accom-
plished fact, The first train was
run from this city to St. Louis e
terday and carried a distinguish
ed party as guests Of George Could
The event marks a victory without
a parallel In the history OF American
railroads. When the Gould interests
decided to carry n end OF their
$4,000 mile railroad system into
Pittsburg they faced stupendous OBJ
stacles which could be overcome on
ly by iEimitable resources. In the
first place they had to meet the OPP
position of the Pennsylvania railroad.
which instituted drastic reprisals
and even went to the length Of des-
troying millions of dollars worth of
Western Union property along Its
lines.
Almost as formidable as the oppo-
sition OF the Pennsylvania were the
engineering 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 a continuous series OF deep
cuts and high embankments. great
bridges and viaducts. tunnels and cul
verts. So rough is the country that
is tapped by the new line that scarce
ly a mile in it's whole length carries
the surface level of the ground.
Exclusive of two great cantilever
bridges, there are nine Important via
ducts on the line. a~ggregating 4.964
feet in length. The Monongahela
bridge at Pittsburg is the largest can
~tilever bridge In America, and. ex-
the Firth of Forth bridge. ths
largest OF its kind in the world. II
has a middle span Of 812 feet and two
end spans of BAT feet each, making
a total length of 1906 feet. The
mean poo! level of the river Is clear
ed 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 1896 feet. and Is 80
feet above the water. These bridges
cost nearly 81. 0O0.O 900 each.
There are nineteen tunnels on the
line. aggregating 20,459 feet, or near
ly four miles in length. To reduce
the number OF bridges the course OF
Gross creek I'm Pennsylvania and
West Virginia 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 Pittsbnrg a one per cent
grade carries four miles to the sum
nit al the west portal to 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 EAST or
west. is 81 feet to the mile.
Notwithstanding the great cost OF
the line the Gould interests figure
that IL will bring in ample returns.
The road was built with a certain
knowledge tina vast traffic. running
into the millions of tons was to be
had at the outset. Along the line To-
cal business coal, agricultural prod
ucts and passenger travels count
ed upon to develop gradually. AL
ready through Washington county.
in anticipation OF the new outlet.
pits have been dug and collieries
built in what were but yesterday
grain fields and pastures. Oil wells
have also been n
From Pittsburg the Wabash will
be the short line to Toledo. while TO
Chicago il will be only FIVE miles,
and To st. Louis forty miles. longer
than the Pennsylvania routes