The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-13
EDWARDS SUCCEEDS
FITZGERALD HERE
New Engineer of Maintenance
of Way on Southern
COMES FROM CHAT TANO0GA
Mr.. Fitzgerald Goes With Large Con.
structOn Company In Atlanta
as the chief Engineer.
Other News.
COMES FROM CHAT TANO0Gl

F. M. Edwards. engineer in charge of
the Southern Railways Stevenson extern
sion and the Lookout tunnel has been
appointed engineer of maintenance of way
on the western district. He succeeds p.
S. Fitzgerald, who has accepted the po-
sltion of chief engineer for the n. p.
Pratt Laboratory company of Atlanta.
The change is effective July Is. and Mr..
Edwards will move to Birmingham on that
date He will be succeeded in Chatta-
nooga by D. G. Seymour, engineer in
charge of one part of the construction of
the Stevenson extension.
The Pratt company is doing A large
amount of construction work In Georgia.
Texas and other southern states. In re-
cent years 1t has branehed out, and is now
extensively engaged in construction.
Among other things, the company is
building series of interurban lines in
Texas, and one in Georgia Mr. Fltz-
gerald has been in Birmingham about
two years. He was connected with the
system in other capacities before that,
having been with the Southern for about
elght Years. Previous to that. he was
with the Illinois Central Railroad
MI Edwards has been with the Southern
for about seven years, and was at ono
time located in Birmingham as n civil
engineer. He was on some work the
southern had at Leeds. After that he
was located at Atlanta, and then at
Washington, going to CHATTANOOGA four
teen months ago to take charge of the
work there as resident engineer. He was
also at one time connected with the en-
gineer1ng department of the Illinois Cen
tral. He was In Birmingham yesterday.
and returned to Chattanooga last night.
In speaking of the tunnel under Look
out mountain, Mr.. Edwards said:
We expect to be about ten months
longer ON the work. which is about one
half completed. The hardest work has
been accomplished now, and we will fin-
ish 1t moro rapidly.
The tunnel will be about 1900 feet long
but 1T will have much better air than
the large majority of other tunnels. We
nave just struck the cave under Lookout
ana we find strong draft comes from
it, The draft at the mouth of the cave
where the tunnel struck 1t is very cold
so cold, In fact that "a man becomes
chilled who works there, and this will
6iNO Us cANclleul NenlldIlOn IN the fun
mel, and will prevent the feeling of suf-
location, which so often is felt in long
tunnels.
The line will be double-t tracked through
the tunnel, which will also improve the
ventilation. 1t will be used by the South
ern and tho Queen and Crescent.
There is one thing about the South
ern's entrance to Chattanooga that have
not seen In the papers. We are going into
the city, at least as far as the belt line
on elevated tracks, which Will do away
, entirely with the grade crossings We
have secured a right OF way and changed
our plans to that extent. OF course. the
present grade crossings of the belt road
will not be changed"
The question OF the Atlanta, Birming-
ham and Atlantic going into Nashville
has not been decided, according to In
formation in Birmingham. The road con-
templated building into Nashville, and the
matter is under consideration, but no
decision will be reached for some time