Evening journal., 1918-02-27

IiNfr Atlantic ocean. The
HOpNl average haul for
il.-.- -. - Tl.es in the United States
to ports Of embarkation Is about 1900
miles. Then comes 5000 miles OF sub
marine-infested ocean between our
shores and France.
But our problem Of transportation Is
not solved even when our vessels have
reached the haven Of French ports. The
headquarters Of the American Expedi
tlonary Force lie almost 600 miles from
these ports, and every man, every gun,
every pound Of food and munitions
must be loaded and carried virtually
across the whole Of France before 1t
reaches its destination.
The building Of the Panama canal.
coi0e--i for fh0.'-h 90
such romantic engineering feat as has
been accomplished by Uncle sam in
layms uONNu an france, Witnln t."
short months, an entire railway sys-
tem-6OO miles Of double tracS road.
eduipped with American locomoth es
and cars manned by American
engineers, flremen, brakemen. tels-
eraphers. switchmen and station agents
for which the rails. ties, spikes, tele-
craph wire, engines, cars and men were
Transported from the United States
In addigon 10 this railroad, too. as
an esseAtial part OF our transportation
lob. we have erected at French ports
great piers, one Of them a mile long
and two others only slightly smaller,
where our vessels may unload. Docks,
tipples. cranes, wharfhouses, ware
houses-the materials for which, for
fhe most part, had to be carried over
seas from the piles for the piers to the
hammers with which the nails were
driven-are today in use.
Within a few days after the declar-
alton OF war. a commission OF railroad
experts was dispatched to- France TO
study the transportation problem. This
commission consisted OF William ]
Wilgus, former vice president and chief
engineer OF the New York Central; VIII
liam Barclay Parsons, who desisned the
original New York subway; William A.
Garrett, former vlce-president of the
Chicago Great Western. and Francois
de St. Phalle, former manager Of muni-
tions for the Baldwin Locomotive
works.
These men. working In cooperation
with A. Clavellle. French minister Of
public works and transportation, To-
Gated the ports TO be used for American
men and supplies, and mapped out a
route from those ports to that section
Of France where the American head
olInrters were 20 be established.
There was no question Of picking and
choosing ports already developed. All
such were already being used TO their
maximum capacity for the French and
English Neither could the French rail-
roads. despite the fact that they had
been we'll maintained through three
years Of war, handle the extra burden
of Americas war materials.
The first order that came back from
our railway experts In France called
for 100000 tons OF rails, 10000 ties, 600
miles Of telephone wire, 1900 freight
cars Of a type that could be handled
through French bs,dges and tunnels,
and for all the railroad construction
men and operators that could be sent
over.
THE FIRST ENGINEER TROOP, 100
STRONG. ARRIVED IN FRANCE July
%. Engineering materials and supplies
necessary for beginning construction
already had preceded them, and the
flow Of men and materials into France
has been a constantly increasing one
since that time.
Within six months Of the arrival OF
the first 100 engineers abroad. our
ENGINEERING FORCES ALONE IL
FRANCE numbered more than 10000
men.
More than 10000 OF these are men
trained in railroad construction and
operation. Divisional engineer regi-
ments and their trains make up another
10000. Of hained foresters, at work
getting out timber from French for
ests. more than 5000 are in France and
additional thousands are ready TO so.
Railway shop troops now in France
number more than the total population,
men, women and children, Of the aver
age American county seat city.
But in building and equipping this
American railroad In France, it has not
been a proposition OF simply buying
the supplies and sending them abroad.
New types OF equipment have had to
be designed 10 meet conditions existing
in France French bridges are low and
French tunnels small. Grades are steep.
Curves are sharp.
A new type engine was designed TO
meet these conditions. Orders were
placed for 9s5 OF these locomotives, and
already a considerable part OF this
number are pulling their loads Of sup
plies from our ports in France 10 the
headquarters Of the "A. 2. F." as the
American Expeditionary Force is
known.
The ordinary French railway car is
a small contrivance. It will carry only
from 10 to IS tons, as against the 50
10 75-ton capacity Of modern American
freight cars.
American engineers. however, have
designed a new car for use in France
which meets all the requirements Of
the light bridges and sharp curves, and
still viii carry from 20 TO so tons.
Nineteen thousand OF these cars Will
be needed TO maintain proper flow Of
supplies for an army Of 100000 men.
The FIRST thousands OF them are there.
and In operation.
Trains OF these light-painted cars.
each marked in large letters ~. S. A "
are today weaving their way across
France with their burdens Of men and
uunitions-visible evidence to the
French people that Uncle sam means 1
70 do his full share in the war. what |
ever labors II may entail or whatever /
Sif1culties stand in his way.
These car, OF course, are shipped |
knocked down, as are also the locomo- |
lives. The transporting OF a railroad /
and equipment comparable TO that Of /
the Lehigh Valley, from America 10 |
France. has placed a heavy burden on /