The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-07
An Era of Freak Construction
Seems to Have Arrived.
Engineers Are Called on to Per-
form Marvellous Feats.
NEED MANY LABORERS.
Much Building Is TO Be Done in
the West.
and Matters of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

An era of freak railroad building is
upon u.s. Capitalists are calling upon
railroad engineers to perform mar
velous feats of engineering. Encour-
aged by the willingness of capital to
make lavish expenditures the civil en-
gineers are accomplishing wonders.
says the Railway World. The Grand
Trunk wants a tunnel under the De-
troit river, and it is built. President
Cassatt is no longer content to stop
the Pennsylvania railroad trains at
Jersey city; they must enter New
York Even more than that. they
must cross the metropolis and pro-
coed on a continuous journey to Bos-
ton. In obedience TO this wish the
engineers plan a tunnel under the
North river, a subway across New
York city, a tunnel under the East
river and bridges to the mainland
from Long island.
The cost cuts little figure and the
work is being performed as planned.
Mr.. Hartman was not satisfied that
his trains should make a detour
around Great Salt Lake and the
Lucine cutoff results, by which the
Union Pacific trains cross that body
of water on trestles. D. H. Moffat, of
Denver. who imbibes daring as he in
hales the rare atmosphere of a high
altitude. conceived a bold project of
pushing a new railroad by a direct
line from Denver to Salt Lake City.
Undaunted by high grades, deep
chasms or mountain barriers, he con-
structed tunnel after tunnel through
the heart of the mountains on q scale
never attempted in this country be-
fore. There is even in contemplation
the building of a tunnel under Behr-
ing strait to connect Alaska with ST.
IBERIA. project which seems to be re-
ceived with greater enthusiasm by the
Russians than by the Americans.
But perhaps one of the most Won
derful of all these marvellous feats of
railroad construction Is that which is
now being attempted by Henry M.
Flagler. This is the Florida East
Coast railroad to Key West. From
Homestead, the present terminus the
road will be heightened 1875 miles at
cost Of between $10.000,000 and $12,-
600, 900 From island to island the
railroad is being extended, only IS
miles being built on natural founda-
tons; rock entertainments and REIN
forced concrete arch yiaducts being
used to fill up the gaps. Drawbrfdges
of these arches will require 206,10
cubic yards Of sand. 286, 500 barrels
of cement 1880 cubic Yards OF
stone and 1910 tons Of steel Exten-
sive docks and terminals viii be con-
structed by Key West for the accom-
mediation of huge floats and barges. on
which cars Will be transported ninety
miles to Havana, thus making it pos
sible for travellers from any point IN
the United States to be conveyed to
Cuba without leaving their car. In
three years this undertaking will be
completed
eff the young men In the east only
knew of the vast amount of work that
is offered them in the west I believe
that many of them would not hesitate
+, to take their future in their owr
hands and hike into the country
where work is plentiful. workers few
and wages good" said J. Stanley Orr
of the Hartman lines In Cleveland the
other day.