Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-28
CHINA RAILROAD
WORK PRESENTS
ITS DIFFICULTY
Engineers Find Conditions Are
Very Different From Their
Troubles at Home
BY coNsuL-cEkERAL THOMAS
SAIMMONs. Shanuhai

OS4udONSs Su1uQnaf
SHANGHAI, Jan. 4.--As American
capital and energy are becoming more
active in railway construction in China
statement by sIr. Herbert ChatIey re
garding railway surveys in this conn
try may prove of interest In the Unit
ed States. He says:
At the outset Il must be realized
that with the exception of the coast
line and the great nayigable rivers
there are no accurate MAPS conse.
quently, when il is proposed to build
a railway between two definite places
Il is frequently the case that the in
termediate country is as unknown as
II II were in tie remotest parts OF
central Africa. The two main con-
siderations in designing railway are
straightness and leyelness. The lat
ter is in many ways more important
than the former, since steep road re-
Quires more powerful locomotives and
is therefore more expensive to run.
The work of surveying usually pro-
ceeds in several stages. First OF all
there is reconnaissance. An expe-
rienced engineer walks or rides over
the country between the two places
and explores every possible route. BY
noticing the times required to ira
verse short lengths lsay miles or
sol and the magnetic bearing of such
short lengths he obtains rough idea
of the distance. and by means of ba-
rometer he observes the heights Of.
the mountain passes or ridges over
which the hne may pass.
The responsibilities of this part Of,
the work are very serious, because
the engineer must usually decide on
the abandonment Of certain routes,
and in many cases 1t is difficult with
the information at his disposal for him
10 feel sure that his choiceNof route
or routes is the wisest He must
possess great powers of judgment and
also experience in similar work tol
know II the economic and engineering
peculiarities of certain route war
rant its further consideration.
The work is also arduous. since he
must walk or ride 20 or more miles
per day. personally examine every
possible position, no matter how ac-
,lmost anywhare Good hotel accom-. |
are hard TO obtain.
As the route that he follows is de-
.oantrv Il e not aIr,ovs 49, - har
nonize matters - &c r. avn,ors av
,ct1v ,yhat g ,sc.ss,-,, go - ~
'sma t;ra arri,c :. a,yan aast, no,
ion hefora dars
.,sssy survey MUCH wore
~
ne neA. s1dse y Tue pfe,iIlnaIy 7
uIRey, anu = 2 Inuch more eiapor.te I
1850 /, ~. ne secoli'alssance hallhs
nvmn Whlcn routes ,ileeu 70 go ilVIe
als,''ily lnVes.lsa.eo' q resuiar sur
y = nlauo -, 9s on eiie Il.es 'aiu uoMn
9 lne slnall-seaie Iousm maps pre-
,,. 90 pys me explorer. Inis Is gener
ny uone W one VI more paI1ies con'
ls.lns ol ILL., u i''llty, one oI more
ss's'aa. snslnrels, seseral survey,
= sseilsi any 1ninese seuuepesi, anu
survey seooles,
Ine cliitL oi I'ar.y sOes "a IRON. anu |
lakes more ae.ai,ea STUDY along ~
~ lniies u ti.e ioaes liuicaeeu W
- .scollna issaace anu returns per
olal'y OF seHus Wort . me cnlsl
ssis ss - 70 ue1ans % De oDseL seus
8 i'''''sl u QUE u ny fss's, s1.ls =,
GOD yar1s apart between winch ines