Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-10-30
NOTES OF THE RAILWAYS
Pennsylvania to Reduce Danger of
Handling Explosives.

New aud stringent rules destined t;
minimize danger in the tranSporta
ton of explosives have been adopted
| by the Pennsylvania railroad, says the
| Cincinnati Enquirer. Under their en-
| forcemeut explosives may be handled
| in Il train for through road movement
| They must not be placed nearer t.
| each other than five car lengths, and
| if the length of the train permits q car
| with explosives must not be within If
| teen cars of the engine or within ten
! cars of the caboOse.
] Only cars in good condition and OF
| not less than G0.OO0 pounds capacity
| may be used to carry common black
powder, high explosives, smokelesa
| powder. Eliminates and great gun am
munition. Before Il car may he Loaded
with explosives an agent or inspector
| must examine it and sign certificate
of inspection OF car containing expo
sives" upon the prescribed form, and
this certificate must also be signed by
the shipper if he loads the shipment.
Every car containing explosives
must be marked in large letters on
both sides and both ends, Explosives.
Handle Carefully-Keep Fire Away"
aud must also have on both sides the
certificate OF inspection Cars CON
tanning explosives will not be hauled
i'll any train carrying passengers.
Whenever Il train stops trainmen must
examine ali cars containing explosives.
The cars at either end of the one CON
tanning explosives must not be loaded
with oil. lumber or other infammable
material with iron pipe or with other
articles likely TO break through the end
of the car from rough handling.
At no other place in this part of the
United States. probably neither in the
west. the north or the south, is there
a railroad bridge that resembles the
huge concrete structure that the Wa
bash Will build across the Sangamon
river at Riverton. H., Immediately
east of Springfield. Ill, says the ST.
Louis Republic. This bridge. Oh
which construction will soon be start
ed. will be massive aud handsome in
appearance and as strong and solid
as if 1t were 4 huge natural mOnolith
cut to meet unitarian purposes.
The bridge will be built of concrete,
REINFORCED with steel. and it will fit
over the ends OF the embellishments
which lead to the present steel span
which crosses the valley. 1t viii he
Cos feet long and a feet 6 inches high.
There will be four arches. each 100 feet
in width and III feet in height Each
of the three piers will he protected by
sharp pointed buttresses.
Although the river is not very wide
at its normal stage. it flows in a wide
and deep bed. which forms Il depres
sion between the elevations Oh the
cast and west sides of the valley. The
bridge will be long enough to maintain
the track on 4 level with both sides. |
so that it will be in reality a crossing
TO clear the whole width of the valley. |
Some interesting work will be enact |
I'd in laying the foundations for the |
piers. cassons will be lowered TO the |
hard earth below the bottom OF the riv- |
or. with their tops reaching above the /
surface of the water The piling will |
be driven and the concrete laid inside
these caissonS. No estimate is given
rs to wien this bridge will be com
pleted. but it is understood that the
will carry on the building
during the winter and finish the work
1s soon as may be eXpedient.
The Chicago and Northwestern Rail
road company announced recently that
{ will erect new passenger terminals
1n the west side of Chicago. costing
S20.O0O.000 and that it
will abandon The Wells street station |
on the north side. says the New York
World. The new station will occupy
hree full blocks. fronting on Madison
street and extending TO Lake street.
between Canal and Clinton streets. 1t
viii contain sixteen tracks. each capa-
DE of accommodating train of fifteen
:ars each. and there will be six main
racks leading from the train shed 1t
viii also have seven separate entrances /:
md will be the largest passenger sta /;
ion in the world
Operating and motive power officials |
ire watching with interest the tests
hat are being made by the Pennsylva-
Tia railway with an automatic stoker,
" which it is hoped that the labors of
locomotive fireme<l will be materially
says the Cleveland Plain
Dealer. The new device was built in
Columbus. o.. and it performs all the
unetions of taking the coal from the
ender. dividing it into small portions "