The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-01
A SEA RAILWAY.

4 =
A SEA RAILWAY.
The Roadbed Nosing Its Way Among
| FIorida's Keys.
Exactly three years ago were begun
| the preliminary surveys of the Flagler
| railroad across the Florida keys from
| Miami to Key West. Early the follow
| ing spring construction gangs started
| work in the jungle swamps of mangrove
from Homestead, the beginning of the
| extension to Lands End, or the point al
which the proposed railroad should leave
| the mainland of the Florida peninsula.
| The track is now laid on the mainland
| for twenty-nine miles, thence it pene
| trates nineteen miles of mangrove tan
gle through which dredges ate their way
piling what material they dug, in max
| ing their own channel, on the embank-
| ment upon which the track now rests
On Key Largo, the largest of the islands
| the track continues for sixteen miles, its
| embankment built entirely of coraline
| limestone, as is the case of every one of
| the railroad entertainments crossing the
| keys. At the southwestern end of Key
| Largo Tavernier creek which separates
| it from Plantation key, is crossed by
steel bridge with concrete piers and
| abutments. Completely obstructing the
| line of grade on Key Largo was found
an inland lake not encountered in the
preliminary survey, half a mile wide
and with six feet depth of water, the
| bottom of which was wholly composed
| of peat. In order to displace this peat
4 and sink a more stable foundation for
| the embankment two dredges worked
| constantly for fifteen months. On Long
key the line of grade is completed and
| at its southern extremity the first of the
1 yiaduct work is progressing rapidly.
| This viaduct will when completed con-
| sist of 1874 concrete arches, reinforced
| with steel, fifty feet on centers, and
will span the arm of the ocean between
Tong and Grassy keys. It is undoubted-
| ly the most interesting construction
work OF the extension. AT present there
are a about twenty of these arches COM
pleted and some ten or twelve more are
we'll under way. In the construction of
these concrete arches the generally
adopted method of railroad bridge-build-
ing is employed. Pier piles and arch
bent piles are first sunk and Golfer dams
lowered and pumped out A seal of con-
crete is then placed at the bottom of the
Golfer dam and upon this the concrete
construction of the pier rests. Twisted
steel reinforcing rods are placed in posi-
ton. the upper ends protruding from the
top of the concrete pier. The arch-benu
piles are then ready to receive the arch
forms. Every fifth one of the arches -
of a broader span than fifty feet on CEN
ter, ana THIS Single piece Oh NldQuCl WOAh
will cross 10000 feet of comparatively
open seaway. This concrete construc-
ton completed at the time withstood a
severe test during the hurricane of a
year ago and it remained intact, al
though the arch forms used in the franz
ing of the completed arches were entire
" demolished OF the viaduct construc-
ton there will be altogether about six
miles, the longest single one being be-
tween Knights and State keys, crossing
having a total length of IL, 100 feet For
ty-seven hundred feet more of this arch
work crosses the open harbor of Bahia
Honda. Both this and the Knights key
channel viaduct are unprotected from
the force of the Atlantic ocean.
From Bahia Honda the route crosses
to West Summerland keys and then to
Big Pine key, in which the grading is all
completed. South of this point large
land forces are assembled. Two camps
full of men are now engaged in making
a 9.000-foot embankment fill between
Stock Island and the Boca Chica, the
first two keys in order north of Key
West. Adjacent to the latter town 10
to erect adequate docks, yards and re-
pair shops.
No contractors are employed on the
construction of the extension. and all
der the supervision of the vice presi-
dent. Supplies and. until recently,
water for the men in the camps are
brought all the way from Miami by
the company's stern-wheel steamers
the water being in huge tanks built on
barges for the purpose. Later a
water supply was discovered at Mana
tee creek, fifty miles south of Miami,
which facilitates matters materially.
Often, however. northwest wind
springs W and blows SO much water
out of the bay that the steamers are
unable to reach Manatee creek thus
i%,&f l. -
Gus trip to the original source of sup
ply. Even the excavators were from
three to four months in getting in on
the line of actual construction work,
own channels in order to find enough
water to float them. Boats supplying
these excavator crews with food and
water were often compelled to travel
from eight to nine miles to the ex-
cavators when the actual distance
would rarely exceed one mile. Just
when this railroad will be completed
and its actual cost is a matter of con-
lecture In an almost incredibly short
space of time It has nosed it's way
through swamp and lowland for over
half of the proposed distance. Nat
urally enough. the most tedious part
is the concrete viaduct construction,
and but three years more was given as
the original time limit to complete the
entire extension. In advent of future
hurricane such as this region is sub
J6ct TO during the Iail mOnInS-the
season for these destructive disturb
ances being in September and October.
the eyes of the engineering world will
be turned in the direction of the sea-
going railroad. Whether the pessim-
lists or the optinlists will dare say, ST
told you So" will depend entirely upon
the effect a repetition of the storm of
last year will have upon the work.
Doubtless the uncomCleted fills viii
suffer- but, judging from past expert
ence the concrete vfaducts and the