The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-08
REBUILDING THE RoADBED.
Santa Fe Is Busy Repairing Damage in
Arizona.
An Albuquerque paper says:

An Albuquerque paper says:
An army never threw up entrench-
ments more rapidly than the force OF
500 men, toiling in the sweltering heat
rebuilt the shattered roadbed of the
Santa Fe in the flood districts of Ari-
IONA. Such remarkable progress has
been made that work on the perma-
nent roadway was commenced Tues
day in CroZier and kingman canonS,
where the ravaging waters tore great
holes in the entertainments, swept away
bridges and undermined miles OF
track.
Several new waterways were estab
lished, and these will be bridged al
though such series of cloudbursts as
have taken place there during the last
month may not occur again for a CEN
fury. The company is fortunate in
having the best roadbed material and
ballast right on the ground, the sides
of the canon yielding Il coarse gravel,
which is mixed with deeom posed gran
strong as a stone wall. The new road
beds are to be heavily oiled. Orders
have been placed for the big steel
bridges and they will replace the crib
bling as soon as the material can be
brought from the east
The Grand Canon branch, running
north from Williams, was badly
washed but the damages will not cut
off the trip to Bright Angel. Arizona
is springing into life from the heavy
rainfall, and already spots look like
big alfalfa patches.
Both General Manager Wells and
General superintendent Shepard have
returned from the storm center, where
they did active work on the Stupen-
dous task of reconstruction. They,
with Arizona Division Roadmaster
Mcneil and superintendent Hubbard of
the Los Angeles division were the gen
erals in the field, directing the move
ments of the small army
Manager Wells, who received word
on Wednesday at 8 O'Clock, left at
o'clock that evening with men and
n aterial from this city, and added to
his force all along the line between
here and Barstow. Thursday was
spent repairing two breaks in the line
this side of Needles, meeting Denair
with his men at Franconia.
I'VE were glad to see John De-
nair," said Wells yesterday, in speak
ing of his trip. HE is a veteran and
king of the desert, the man who makes
the desert possible. A whole host in
himself he inspires his men to Tro-
jan labors, and overcomes all OBJ
stacles. w reached Haviland on Fri
day, where we encountered three
breaks, which took until 7 o'clock Sat
urday morning to master. BY 8
o'clock we were at Kingman Canon,
where We found General superinten-
dent Shepard with a big force of men
waiting for supplies.
This canon was our worst. There
were five big breaks and three little
ones, and the task ahead of us was
one of the biggest jobs a railroad con-
struction gang ever encountered but
it took just thirty-six hours and TWEEN
ty minutes to put the road in shape
for trains, and when we got through,
most of it was twenty-five miles-an-
hour track.
"In Crozier canon the men worked
night and day, great bonfires being
burned as the work progressed. At
times the moon would break through
the clouds and afford some assistance.
It rained a little, but not enough to
impede the labors. In Kingman canon
the men, having had several days of
it and wearing down under the strain, |
were only worked from darkness to
daylight. They were fed regularly. |
and had plenty of good food. No dis
comf1ture was experienced during the |
rest, as there were good cars to |
in,