ALGOMA CENTRAL & HUDSON BAY.

grading in cuts where slides had occurred, bringing up settled embankments, all the bridging (excepting Montreal river), track laying and ballasting.

In the meantime a spur of 91⁄2 miles long was located from a point 17 miles from Michipicoten harbor on the line extending from the lake to the mines, northerly to a new iron mine known as the Magpie mine. In May, 1910, active work was started on this section. The company also started to repair and re-tie the upper 10 miles of the 20 miles extending from the harbor to Josephine Junction known as the Josephine branch, which had been wholly unused for over eight years. This line was in wretched shape. The ties were rotten, and as very little ballast had originally been used it was necessary to re-ballast the whole section. This work was done with company forces, with some help from the O'Boyle company.

From May, 1910, to August, 1911, the work on the main line, north from mile 68 and south from Josephine Junction, the grading of the Hawk Lake-Hobon section, the building of the Magpie branch and the re-building of the 10 miles of the Josephine branch, proceeded with the usual ups and downs pecu

begun by an English syndicate to complete the road, which had, in the meantime, secured control of the Lake Superior Corporation, including the Algoma Steel Company and the railway and other transportation and industrial interests at Sault Ste. Marie. Before undertaking the completion and proposed extension of the railway, a report was made for the management on the whole project by F. H. McGuigan of Toronto. Mr. McGuigan reported favorably on the completion and extension of the line to connect with the National Transcontinental Railway, Canada's new coast to coast railway.

The necessary financial arrangements being successfully completed, the first work undertaken was the locating of a line to connect the old grade near Hawk Lake with the Canadian Pacific. This was accomplished by the location and construction of 30 miles of line from Hawk Lake Junction to Hobon. S. Keemle, locating engineer, Toronto, was in charge of the locating party on this work. A 0.6 per cent. compensated, 6 deg. maximum curve, line was secured at a cost of about $38,000 per mile complete, including track and structures. In May, 1910, a contract was let to the O'Boyle Bros. Construction Company, of Sault Ste. Marie, for this section, and on July 1 another contract to the same company for the completion of the main line from mile 68 to Josephine Junction, mile 1701⁄2, including re

liar to railway construction work in such a country. Labor was poor and generally scarce, and bush fires, whiskey and all the troubles incident thereto had to be fought continually. By August 1, 1911, the Magpie branch was completed, at a cost of practically $275,000. The line was built on a 1.5 per cent. compensated grade against the traffic and 2.5 per cent. flat, with the traffic.

The first four and one-half miles from the junction to the crossing of the Magpie river was light work, except for some heavy side cutting descending the slope to cross the river, at which point the adverse grade of 1.5 per cent. compensated, was located. From the river crossing, to the mine the line is heavy, and at mile 71⁄2 there is a timber trestle 900 ft. long, 80 ft. high, located on a 12 deg. curve and a 1.75 per cent. grade. Up to this point the grade is 2 per cent. maximum, from here to the mine site it is 22 per cent., 12 deg. being the maximum curve. Very large expenditures are being made by the company in opening the mine, and in addition to a plant for treating the siderite ore a model mining town is being built. This branch is laid with 80 lb. A. S. C. E. rail, with tie plates on all curves, and is most substantially built in all respects. except that timber and piles were used in bridging.

On July 15 the sub-contractors on the Hawk Lake-Hobon

section finished the grading. These sub-contractors were Murdock Brothers on the lower 19 miles, and Cavicchi & Pegano on the upper 11 miles. The work was quite heavy, the grading quantities being 732,933 cu. yds. classified, 261,269 cu. yds. solid rock, 94,378 cu. yds. loose rock, and 377,286 cu. yds. common excavation. In addition there was 20,178 cu. yds. over break in rock cuttings, and overhaul amounting to 1,500,000 cu. yds. About 3,000,000 ft. B. M. of bridge timber, 40,000 lineal feet of piling, 170,000 ft. B. M. of culvert timber, 220,000 lbs. of bridge iron, 291 cu. yds. of dry stone masonry, 423 cu. yds. of cement masonry and other small items were required for this work.

and 1 40 ft. tower girders situated on an island in the middle of the river. The intermediate girders consist of 1 85 ft., 5 75 ft., 10 60 ft., and 2 30 ft. spans. The structure is designed under the Dominion government specifications, class 1 loading. Some poor work in concreting the piers requiring their rebuilding, delayed the erection, but track was laid over the viaduct in October, 1911.

In the meantime track laying had progressed on the north end, the gap being closed about the middle of June, 1912. The

HUDSON BAY.

Grant

Moose River

Laying Track on the Snow; A. C. & H. B.

The rock work was exceptionally well done, as the specifications only allowed common excavation for over break, and all the time the work was in progress this was enforced. On final estimate, however, a fair amount of over break was given as solid rock. Track laying and some ballasting was done this year, and the bridge work was completed. On January 10, 1912, track was connected up giving a railway connection from the Canadian Pacific into the mines of the Michipicoten district. Some ballasting was also done this year.

GANADIAN

Work on the main line completion progressed slowly from June, 1910, to May, 1911, at which time track had reached the

CAN. PAC.

E.

Erection of Bridge at First Crossing of Spanish River; Algoma Eastern.

Montreal river, mile 911⁄2 north of the "Soo." Here a steel viaduct 1,550 ft. long and 130 ft. high located at the head of the falls 150 ft. high had to be built. This viaduct was designed in 1902 by Boller & Hodge, New York, and was erected under contract by the Canadian Bridge Company. There are 1,745 tons of steel in this viaduct, and as the alinement is on a curve at each end, it was a very interesting piece of erection. The viaduct consists of tower girders supported on steel legs with concrete pedestal piers and end abutments. There are 13 30 ft.

this 100 miles will be, approximately, 360,000 cu. yds. solid rock, 250,000 cu. yds. loose rock, 1,500,000 common excavation, and 3,500,000 cu. yds. overhaul. About 80,000 lineal feet of piling and 1,500,000 ft. B. M. bridge timber, are required. Corrugated ingot iron pipe is used principally for culverts, there being a few of native timber, but none of concrete. In August, 1911, a contract was let to the Superior Construction Company, Sudbury, Ont., for the construction of this section complete, including grading, bridging, track laying and ballasting. The grading is more than 60 per cent. completed, and track laying was started about June 15 at Hobon. It is expected to reach the Canadian Northern crossing in October, thus placing the Algoma Central in a position to deliver construction material and supplies to the contractors for this line at Oba.

Explorations for extensions of the Algoma Central & Hudson Bay north of the National Transcontinental have been made. A copper metallic circuit telephone line has been constructed from Sault Ste. Marie, through to Michipicoten Harbor and extension to the mines and north to Hobon and Hearst will be made this summer. At Sault Ste. Marie, new terminals, consisting of a modern

picturesque and travelers have a treat in rugged scenery awaiting them on the opening for traffic of the Algoma Central north of the "Soo."

While the above work was progressing south of Hobon, a location was made north to the Transcontinental Railway at the new town of Hearst (or Grant) the first division point west of Cochrane, 101 miles north of the Canadian Pacific. This location is on the same grades and curvature as that of the Hawk Lake-Hobon section, viz., 0.6 per cent, compensated grade and 6 deg. maximum curves. Louis Whitman, locating engineer, had charge of the locating with Sanford Hazelwood and W. H. Wilkie in charge of the parties. The route traversed by this line is through rough country for 30 miles north of the Canadian Pacific, but north of this the line enters the great clay belt of northern Ontario, and the grading work is light. The south 30 miles, however, bring up the average cost of this line to about $30,000 per mile, including track and structures.

The crossings of the Canadian Pacific and the Canadian Northern Ontario extension (under construction) are made at grade. There are very few bridges on this 100 miles, and none at all of any size excepting a bay crossing of Oba Lake, where four pile trestles were driven, one of them being 1,302 ft. long, with deck 10 ft. above the water. The balance of the bridging consists of pile structures, the largest being the crossing of the Mattawishquia river, 700 ft. long, near Hearst at the junction with the National Transcontinental. The grading quantities on

Erecting Steel Viaduct; A. C. & H. B.

made. The company will also build a large coal and ore dock at Michipicoten Harbor in the near future.

THE ALGOMA EASTERN.

The original charter for the 85 miles of this railway now being completed from Sudbury to Little Current on the Manitoulin Island, was obtained by F. H. Clergue at about the same time the Algoma Central project was launched. As in the case of the latter road a land grant and subsidy accompanied the granting of the charter. Actual construction of the line was delayed from year to year, after the first section of 13 miles, extending from Sudbury to Gertrude Mine, was constructed in 1900-1901. An extension of 10 miles from Gertrude Mine to Crean Hill was built in 1909-10, bringing the end of steel 23 miles west of Sudbury where connection was made with a spur track connecting with the Canadian Pacific at Victoria Mine station. This spur, three miles long, is owned by the Canadian Copper Company and connects the Crean Hill Mine with the Canadian Pacific. This 23 miles of line passes through the famous Sudbury nickel district, the richest deposit in the world. Practically the entire revenue derived from the road's operation is for handling the ore from the Creighton and Crean Hill Mines to the roasting yards of the Canadian Copper Company at Copper Cliff.

In 1909-1910 surveys were undertaken to locate an extension of this railway to Little Current on the Manitoulin Island. A party, in charge of Louis Whitman, locating engineer, was started at Little Current on a route over which the writer had run a line for the old Sault Company in 1900. This line traversed the islands and skirted the shore of the north channel to the mainland at the mouth of the Whitefish river where it cut through a range of high rock hills facing the lake, thence to a connection with the Canadian Pacific at a point on the Spanish river called Espanola. A section of 11⁄2 miles of this original surveyed line was constructed in 1901 connecting the Spanish River Pulp & Paper Company's plant on the Spanish river with the Canadian Pacific Sault branch. This little section of spur was constructed by the Sault Company and turned over to the Canadian Pacific to operate, under an agreement contemplating the ultimate completion of the whole project.

When the writer took charge of the work, a location was pushed through to connect with the Sudbury end at Crean Hill, a distance of 62 miles from Little Current line with a maximum 1.25 per cent. compensated grade and maximum 11 deg. curves (with a 12 deg. curve near Whitefish) was secured at a cost of about $32,000 per mile complete including track, ballast and building. In July, 1910, a contract was let to the O'Boyle Bros. Construction Company for building the 20 mile section from Little Current to the main shore at Whitefish and in March, 1911, another contract was let to the Superior Construction Company for the balance of the work from Whitefish to Cream Hill, 42 miles. The grading work on this 62 miles is practically complete and track laying has just been started at Espanola. The 62 miles of track will be laid and ballasted about October 30, next.

The country traversed by this railway is almost wholly unsettled and south of Espanola is very rugged. From the Whitefish river to Little Current the scenery is most picturesque as the line here follows close to the water and winds around the headlands and bays of that section of the North Channel known as the Bay of Islands. The grading on this section, while practically all solid rock, was not excessive in cost, averaging about $20.000 per mile including bridging. From Espanola easterly to the junction with the old line at Crean Hill the line passes over a better country, but, from an agricultural point of view, of little value.

An under crossing of the Canadian Pacific Sault branch is obtained near the village of Nairn Center, the Canadian Pacific tracks being carried over the Algoma Eastern on a 27 ft. 7 in. skewed deck plate girder span on concrete wing abutments. The bridging on the entire line from Sudbury to Little Current is

light for such a country. The steel structures consist of one 105 ft. and one 60 ft. deck plate girder span on stone abutments and center pier at the Vermillion river crossing, 17 miles west of Sudbury, one 180 ft. through riveted truss span at the Spanish river crossing, mile 42, one 176 ft. through riveted truss span at the second crossing of the Spanish river at Espanola (built in 1901) and two 100 ft. girder spans at two other points together with a 36 ft. deck girder span on concrete at an overhead crossing of the government trunk road near Espanola. These major structures are supplemented by a number of timber trestles and pile bridges. At Little Current, in order to cross the channel, in front of the town, through which there is considerable vessel traffic, a bridge, some 600 ft. long with a draw span is required. This structure will be erected this year.

The traffic expected for this railway consists of ore, pulp and paper, coal and the products of the Manitoulin Island, which previous to the construction of this line, was entirely dependent on water communication with the main land. This island is 90 miles long averaging 8 to 12 miles wide and is capable of great development. The population at present is about 20,000 and at least one half of the island is fine agricultural land, particularly adapted to hay and stock raising. The construction of the Algoma Eastern formerly known as the Manitoulin & North Shore Railway has been most eagerly looked forward to for years by the Manitoulin Islanders.

The above work has all been in charge of the writer, as chief engineer of both roads. On the Algoma Central & Hudson Bay G. F. Horsey and C. Le B. Miles are in charge of the work at the north end and L. C. Maxwell and J. A. Hedgecock at the south end as division engineers. B. E. Barnhill is division engineer of the Algoma Eastern with headquarters at Sudbury. W. C. Franz is general manager and G. A. Montgomery superintendent of both roads.

RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PANAMA RAILROAD.

The reconstruction of the Panama Railroad, described in the Railway Age Gazette of February 11, 1910, and February 16, 1912, is practically completed. Freight traffic was to be opened over the new line June 1, although the passenger business will continue to be handled over the old line until after the completion of the canal. The following facts as to the cost of the work of reconstruction and the present and prospective traffic are taken from a report of a hearing held on the Canal Zone in December, 1911, by the House of Representatives Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. Col. George W. Goethals, president; Lieut. Frederick Mears, chief engineer, and John A. Smith, general superintendent, of the Panama Railroad, were the principal witnesses.

The original railway across the Isthmus of Panama was completed in 1855, the construction work being carried out by a company of Americans. The line was built to light standards, 56 lb. rail being laid. The cost of the 4734 miles between terminals was about $8,000,000, or $167,000 per mile. The French Canal Company later acquired a controlling interest in the stock of the corporation and operated the road until 1904, when it was taken over by the United States government. Since that time the commercial business handled over the line has very greatly increased, until at present the tonnage exclusive of that handled for the Canal Commission in connection with the work of building the canal would make the railway profitable to operate. The freight tonnage handled during 1910 and 1911 was as follows:

Colon to Panama, 1910, 991,856 tons; 1911, 1,178,560 tons; Panama to Colon, 1910, 280,361 tons; 1911, 378,470 tons. These figures seem to show a total freight traffic density of 1,557,030 ton miles per mile of road, but the railway's annual report gives the freight density as 1,186,344 ton miles, and the passenger