HOW THEY BUILD RAILWAYS IN AMERICA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1795, 21 March 1888, Page 2

HOW THEY BUILD RAILWAYS IN AMERICA

Railroads (aaya the "Daily News ") oan be built at an astonishing rate on the American continent, In making the great highway from Canada to British Columbia the greatest distance gained during a Bloglo day was no less than six and a-half miles. But even this reoord has now been put into the shade. A new section of St Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba railroad haa recently been laid from Minot to Great Falls, a diatanoe of close 550 milea. When the contractor* be&an work on the 2ad April only five miles of line had been finished, but tt waa boldly announced that the whole would be ready by the end of October. By employing 6600 men and 3000 teams tha feat was actually accomplished a fortnight before the time. On 16th June the doioga on the Canadian P.aoifio were beaten by the laying of 72 mileß of track, and this waa m turn eclipsed by the 82 miles which were laid on 11th August m Bpito of an acoldent which caused some considerable delay. Altogether rather more than 115 milea were added to the line during the month of, August. The 11 North-Western Railroader " bays thafc with the exception of a Bhort piece of temporary track, the road la "a permanent r»nd oplendid pleoa of railroad building. " It would be interesting to hear how many bridges and outtinga, and hour many miles of raised embankment were Incidental to the undertaking, but . estimate ing these at the lowest possible fignre,, even for America, where they are not common, It Is no mean triumph to have> made 545 mileu of railroad m a short space of six months.