The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-28
HARD AT WORK ON STEVENSON LINE Most of the Work is Being
 SubIet IXC0NTRACIORS ARE BUSY It Is Estimated That the Southern Line Will Be Ready for Use
 By January 1,
 1e07
SIX CONTRACTORS ARE BUSY

Chattanooga, November 27.-(Special)- The work of constructing the right of way of the Stevenson extension, that forty-two mile strip of railroad which will connect the main line Of the South ern railway from Memphis with the main line at Chattanooga, is progressing at fast rate.
 At present there are no less than six contractors with their large outfits camped along the staked out route be- tween Chattanooga and Stevenson, while H. H. Thrasher X Co have a large out fit on the construction of the Lookout mountain tunnel and B. F. Hardaway Is making rapid progress on the piers of the big draw bridge which will span the Ten nessee river sixteen miles below this city on the route of the new line.
 The original contract for the construc- tion of this forty-two mile line was ava rded to W. J. Oliver & Co. of Knox vile, but much of the work has been sublet to other contractors. Nearly twenty-four miles of the work has al- ready been sublet to other railroad build CTS and 1t is quite probable that much of the remainder will go the same way.
 H. H. Thrasher X Co. partners of w. J. Oliver & Co.. have the contract for the Lookout mountain tunnel and this piece of work they expect to complete within the next forty weeks. Thrasher x Co. will also construct the heavy cut on the line which will be at Racoon Gap, four miles below Chattanooga.
 Mir. Thrasher stated recently that a cto md ,,tre fit was en route to this work, and that 1t would be well under day by December l. One of MT. Thrasher's superintendents will have direct charge of this work. It is thought that 1t will be completed with in the next six CT seven months.
 Nearly all the other contractors on the Stevenson extension have team outfits. Many of the best known railroad men working through the south have secured work on this contract and have moved parts of outfits on the right of way. Many of the contractors have larger outfits working elsewhere. ana have taken this work to fill in until something better was secured.
 Heaviest Piece of Work.
 Although H. H. Thrasher X Go. secured 
 Racoon cub, there is a good deal left which will bring substantial returns to the men engaged in the work About twen- ty-four miles, west of the Tennessee river bridge, has been awarded to five contractors. giving them almost five miles each, Most of this work is decidedly heavy for scraper outfits and the contractors will be able to get good sum for their work
 Mccormack & Co.,, who have been as sociated with the Oliver people on several biz contracts. have secured some of the best on the entire job. Mccormack re- gently returned from Lorain. Ohio, where he finished up big contract for w. J.. Oliver He also has a contract on some Oliver work in upper east Tennessee.
 Mike Schultz has a large team outfit below the river bridge and is making rapid progress on the work Schultz. with characteristic energy was one of the first contractors to get an outfit on the Stevenson work, and his job is we'll under way.
 Brantly X Davis just got on the right of way with a large scraper outfit. They have nearly five miles of good work Just below the river bridge, much of which is In the mountains. A part of the work is very heavy and there several large cuts which should realize handsome re- suits.
 The old reliable firm of Tonev & Lawe r have an outfit on the work. This firm has several large outfits at different parts of the country. They recently finished large contract in Alabama. and still have one or more outfits in that section. They were prominent contractors on the Atlanta Birmingham line of the Seaboard Air Line. This firm has heavy piece of work and have brought large outfit on the ground
 All Making Good Headway.
 McCocl<le X Cotening also have an outfit on the Stevenson work This outfit moved on the right of way recently. and now have a good start on the contract which has been sublet. All the contractors are making good headway. and 1t Is confident lv expected that the entire line will he finished In one years time. The tunnel through Lookout mountain will be com pleted then. and the new bridge over the Tennessee river will probably be ready for use. It Is thought that the line will be ready for operation by January l. 1907 Mir Thrasher of the H. H. Thrashet company, will leave early this week for southern Illinois. where he has large steam shovel outfit on the Rig Four. near Sts Louis. Associated with MT Thrasher on this work is Bob Russell. who recent ly finished line of double track through Atlanta for the Southern railway. Russell also built the Union and Glenn Springs electric road in South Carolina. and before that completed the new Southern yard at North Birmingham. Ala. which was started by the Wright Bros.
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