District Railway Works.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 34, 4 March 1875, Page 6

District Railway Works.

« THE CLUTHA BRIDGE. The bridging of the Molyneux River for railway purposes has now been fairly begun. A slight hitch, which occurred between the contractor and the Government, has been arranged, and from what we can- ascertain, the work is in a fair way of being prosecuted vigorosly. As our readers are no doubt aware it will occupy a site situated down towards the lower end of the river-reach, extending from the main road crossing, to the river forks at the head of Inch Clutha. The current along this reach runs very regular, and for the Molyneux it is far from being rapid. The bridge will join the 'west bank at the point situated near the lower end of the race-course and town reserve, from whence the line will follow a direct course to the site fixed for the permanent station. As will be readily supposed, the erection of this bridge is one of the more extensive undertakings connected with railway construction in this part of the province. Independent altogether of pisrs, it will be built in seven spans of 120 feet each, making the entire span from bank to bank equal to 840 feet. ; Starling from the outer edge of the . railway embankment on the east side with a stone pier built with wing wails and a stone arch-way over the district road, it will be carried on to a pier at the opposite side erected upon strong piles. The foundation of the firstnamed abutment will be laid in solid rock, and that on the west side in from • three to four feet of concrete masonry. [ Six pieces of cast iron cylinders are likewise to be employed, two being; used for the erection of each of the piers. These cylinders which are seven feet in diameter, are to be sunk until they reach the solid rock, and then filled in ; with layers of oonorete. The bridge rails will be elevated twenty-five feet ;' above the highest flood, and 39 feet i above ordinary water level. The girder j composed of three logs of- wood bound; together with iron, will be fixed at a height of twenty' feet above the cylinders. Arrangements have been made for sinking the cylinders on : the neumatic principle similar to the mode adopted at the Taieri and Waihola; As yet the operations of the contractors have been.confined to -the east side, the foundation for the pier at that end-hav-ing beea excavated, and/ the stone ma- «

terial carted to and placed upon tha | ground. The iron and concrete ma- I terial has also been landed and is now, in course of preparation for the work, The cylinders have also arrived in the l province and are being transmitted to their destination. The requisite plant and appliance have all been brought to the ground, and the contractors--— Messrs Watson Brothers*— are sanguine of being able to prosecute their labors without serious impediment. Mr R. H. Johnston, engineer, has been placed in charge of the .work by the Government, and as a preliminary movement on his part, the requisite sites have been laid off. THE BUILDING MATERIAL. For constructing the bridge, a fine clean quartz sandstone has been provided. It is got from- a gully situated opposite Mr Clark's house in the neighborhood of Stoney Creek. It is found under ; . rather singular circumstances, not in a , seam,, but as so many detached slabs or blocks measuring from three to ten feet square, and from two to' four thick. It is hard and durable, and as stated above has a fine clean grain. From the position in which it is found,, it simply requires to be " plugged" and "feathered" before making it available for working. It is got about a foot below the surface lying beneath a deposit of clay. The Engineer-in-Chief visited the ground while in Clutha a few weeks ago, and expressed great satisfaction with the quality of the stone. He is also reported to have stated that the formation was a singular, one, nothing of the kind having previously come under his observation excepting upon one occa; sion many years ago during his residence in India. The property upon which the stone is found belongs to one of the contractors. Although quite sufficient for supplying* all the require- . inents of the bridge, the deposit is not ; understood to be a very extensive one. catlin's river. We are pleased to learn that this matter has been further urged upon the attention of the Government. The ; members of the Executive Council, at i all events, his Honor the Superinten- { tendent fully recognises the importance i of the undertaking, not only, as a feeder ! line, but as a work calculated to fosterj and promote the industrial pursuits of ,' the colony and the settlement of the ■ province. Instructions have, we un- ! derstand, been given' to proceed with the preliminary survey at once, sq as to get it completed for the meeting of J Council which takes place -the end of next month or the beginning of May. There is not, so far as we can learn, the slightest probability of the formation of the line being undertaken by Government. Still, the fact that they are anxious to get the survey completed in time for the meeting of Council is significant, and go.es far to shew that they are not by any means indisposed to the belief, that such concessions may be made as will enable the work to be undertaken by others. OPENING OF THE MAIN I4NE. We have received information that it is the intention of the general manager, Mr Wm. Conyers, to visit Clutha and the intermediate stations within the next week or so for the purpose of completing arrangements for opening , the through line from Chain Biiih to the Molyneux River. The intention is, to run the train from Dunedin right up to the mouth of the tunnel, and from the upper end of the tunnel through to the Molyneux River, providing for „ the break over the Chain Hills — which will not exceed two miles—by coach, j We are in a position to say that Mr ! Conyers is sanguine of being able to j make his arrangements so complete as to admit of passengers to and from Bal-' clutha reaching their destinations in at most three hours. It is also contemplated to make such provision as will enable passengers for Invercargill ahd : the southern districts to be taken on to the Mataura by a swift line of coaches, and thence by train, reaching Invercargill and Bluff the same day. ' KAITANGATA RAILWAY. The railway and coalmine companies, have now completed arrangements for; amalgamating and forming themselves . into a Joint-stock Limited Liability! Company for the purpose of (Ist) constructing the projected line, and (2nd) working the Company's mine at Kaitangata. The proposed capital of the concern as re-formed is to be L25,000 in 2500 shares of LlO each. One half of : the capital has been already subscribed by local residents. The articles of i association have been framed and ; adopted, and the prospectus will be issued in a few days. The projectors and others interested in the' work have displayed a 'creditable amount of energy in the matter. Instead of waiting to see the result of their project quoad the re-construction of the company and the allocation of its' .shares, they -have gone straight to work, and contracts for fencing, ditching, and forming the line have already been . let. Advices from home have been received,' announcing that the 'rails and other portions' of the iron works have been .shipped,, and may be expected to rtiach Otago within three months. From what has qome to our knowledge we have no, doubt' whatever but -that tius important project, the construction of the branch 'lin^ to Kaitangata,: will now .bje ; ptshed 1 forWard energetically;' and that the ; line "Will become an accomplished : feofc ; wiiti the next few months. '_..•-."'■:•'-