BIG ENGINEERING JOB.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 April 1929, Page 6

BIG ENGINEERING JOB.

Q SECURED BY DANISH FIRM. The contracting firm of Saadbye and Lerehe, Copenhagen, who have" built several railways in Sweden, have jointly with another Danish linn secured tlie contract for the engineering portion of an important railway in Turkey. The aggregate length or railway to be built was originally close upon 70!) miles, tlie contract including the building of a harbour at Eregli on the Black Sea. But the provisional calculations were very far out, and in order not to exceed the cost of 55,000,000 dollars the programme! had to be curtailed. It has eventually been agreed upon that a northern line from the Irmakto Filias on the Black Sea. is to be built at present, while the branch tine from Zafranbali to Seurgud Eusu, as well as the coastal line from Filias to Eregli, and the harbour at tlie latter place, are to be left in abeyance for the time being. A portion of tlie southern lino from Kellar to Diarbekir, probably some 200 miles, will be built. The time for completing tlie work has been prolonged until December 1, 1934. The northern line will proceed from the Irmak railway station at a height of 680 metres, rising at its highest level to 1330 metres. It passes through very difficult country, which necessitates the building of enormous viaducts, frequent bridging of rivers, and extensive tunnelling of a number of mountains. On the first fifteen miles of the line 12 bridges have to be built with up to 60 metres width of span, while, further on there are bridges of 100 metres width of span. At Arghana Maden are some important copper ore deposits, containing 25 per cent, of copper, and the line with its projected harbour should facilitate tlie working and dispatching of extensive deposits of coal. The work is being pushed ahead with much energy and a highly cosmopolitan staff of engineers are engaged, comprising 49 Danes, 22 Swedes, 19 Norwegians, 20 Swiss, 73 Germans and 33 of other nations, altogether 17 na-j tions being represented.