Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-02-16
ON THE RAIL

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The value of training railroad en-
ployes in the use of equipment for
fighting fires is brought out in the
annual report of the insurance de-
partment of the Pennsylvania railroad
which shows that the company's own
employees extinguished 321 fires dur.
ing 1909. These fires occurred on
property valued at more than $4,000
600, yet the loss from them amounted
to only about $4,000. The insurance
departments report derives added sig
nificance from the fact that during
the last year additional equipment
extinguishing fires has been placed
at available points. The company's
own organization for fighting fires
has been further developed by spe-
cial training of employees, and add
tional locomotives in yard service
have been equipped with special ap-
paratus for use in case of fire. A
circular is to be issued by the insur-
ance department giving the causes of
all fires on the Pennsylvania east and
west of Pittsburg in 1909, in order
that their attention may be called to
the number of fires occurring from
preventable causes. During the year
1909 there were 929 fires on the en-.
tire system, involving loss of only
$402,615, which is regarded as ex-
ceedingly small, comparatively, as the
value OF the property was more than
$26O.OO0,0O0. Forty fires, entailing a
property. Spontaneous combustion
was responsible for loss of $10,3l5.
from twenty-one fires. Two fires re-
sultlng from careless handling of
lighted cigars, cigarettes and matches
caused loss of $6O,395 Nine fires
were due to tramps, with a loss TO
the company of $1,27O and twenty
eight fires with loss of s2S,670, were
OF ncendiary origin.
The more spectacular features In
the construction of the Chicago. Mil
Waukee and Puget Sound road. the
ST. Paul's Pacific coast extension
which Within a few months is TO he
opened to through passenger service
are brought out in an interesting ar
tlcie A New Transcontinental Rail
way, appearing in the current num-
Der OF the Pacific Monthly. To the
store OF experience in transcontinent
al railway building which has accu-
INFLATED since the building of previous
roads to the coast is attributed the
speed with which engineering prob.
lems We're met, while the advance in
mechanical appliances served to con-
dense into thirty-six months tasl,
that few years before would have
required the greater part of dec
AIDE. tThe magnitude of tho tool
tnat was accomplished In these three
years, continues the article. sis
SHOWN by the final figures. More
eaItn was eXcayated in preparing for
the road bed than the United STATES
government moved in the Panama
Canal zone in the years 1904. 1eos
lsoo' 1907 and 1908-a total of 60. 600.
wv CUBIC yards. In those years the az
eiesate excavation from the canal was
ABOUT 55,OO0,000 cubic yards Without
sur or excitement this Amar;o.n
rahWay company moved in tbreo
years more than one-third as mpob
eartn as will be required in the grand
'o'al at Panama, including the locks
anu OASIS on each side OF the on.
trance twenty miles of hridoo.
nave Deen built. The bridge acrocs
me missouri river cost close tn noo
ooo while that across the Co,r,nh,s
t as sl,ooo'oOO- Tunnels exceeding
.nird OF million cubic wards Nc.
u.iVen. Two hundred thousands tons
VI elgnty-fve-pound steel rails
iaiu- Coming down the westorn
Siope OF the Cascades. tho D.
aouno iine made what is be1ianos
iein sne deepest fill ever made In or
iginal railway construction to- - ~.
! apner $ guich was as deem &c
oo"" e building. r. roa,,is
eoo'ooo cubic yards of earth - an -
= gu SIDE to side, distance - orr
lse.' Inc hydraulic plant go 09o
r.o1ae ~ the earth required tho ex
penui'ufe OF 100000 before init
was moved" 1t is stated as
- ooaoiiity that the road eyentnauT
vi wi make use of the abundant water
~ ro"ef OF the territory trayersed for
t tne operation of trains, especiauv
though the mountain regions.
secretary Knox was subjected to
1austic criticism in the house by Mr..