RAILWAY WORKS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4174, 5 July 1875, Page 2

RAILWAY WORKS.

'■:% The following are some items concerning railway works in this Province :— '• \Ve are pleased to hear good accounts , of the j>rpgress that. attends the drifting :\: of the Deborah Bay'railway iunheL Fair working country has ;;: favoured the contractors for some time past, and as a coasequence1 a?distance of twenty-four chaftß has, been accomplished from the. south end *: and ten chain's.from.thel^ri&end,'.flru«r.;. , leaving twenty-nine'chains of;;the-en'tiro-:t: length of the tunnel to driftf; The is more than half through, and will, wo -have noidoubt,''be"completed;icbn3ldeiably ="i within the specified time .. ~>. , r '!'' Mr GnßQrge" McLean;" 'MQH.'K', ham.. ; kindly furnished the Shag Valley, Herald with items'of 'information^' wnich' mil doubtless; .be .read > with ; interest,.relative; f f ;: to the progress of theJDunedin andMoe- '.£■- raki "Railway i^The survey of' the .line , v. from Moerakito Flag Swamp,; which,was 7; commenced aJbout the, middle of Decomber , last, wa3 finished!:about a, f(tftnlghjiviigjty' V 7 an4 it h, expected, that tenders.*wili be called for this section in the beginning of ; Siily. The survey"of "iSeJm^i" sectioi^" from Flag Swamp toKtim6g^|ip|>lao being vigorously proceeded kwith,?; and will be finished about the ini'ddle 6f':July, when, tenders will:be;called f or^ and;thecdntracte ready by the lst'of-Augist next. Th» section-of the-Hne f^om.iPuraknui to, Kit -■~ , inog is being'pusHeol, on.'with all '.apeee^," <; - and; the big; tunnel (Deborah Bay section^ >: <. which.was let,on the ,I.6th March, .^B?^, s ,-sj.aud stipulated,,'to^^ be.l.copple^tf.by,jftie' i;"|, 16th December, ; lß7Q,thecdn^actorshwß :" progressed with the work so vigorbuaSy' that on the. lst.inst. it was anticipated } the ( * &■■ contract will ibe, r finiah^cl ','. six,-. mpiith»li L soonerithan the time fixed by the General'■ Government. This is certaiply highly r gratifying; .and speaks well for the realist-, r|l tionof the completion of .tha Main.irunfc .t. Line of Railway through th«-district at»' much earlier date,tthatn t at,one time was. ,< «.; thought. ','.. iV ■;.' '['.V/^ i •'-■ ■; 'h,,,- rii- i.i, /We learn from theßrup Herald' that!^^ the Reliance Bridge, Taieri, .has^beem'^^tested with about 90 tona weight. The engine and seven trucks cor.itaniing eattk t ; . crossed it several fimes^nd'ili^ deflection' ' was only five-eighths' of aix inch. The aeotion between:the;ReUanc«)andi'WaiKo&<- J tp Bridges is progressing,favourably, and'is..;' r now being baUasted;. The will be completed! in' three weeks' timei^^ and ( the Chain Hills Tunnel in six week&r^^pi There is nothing to hinder the:'Kn» "^ between Dunedin arid 'the.; Cliitha ; being" opened for traffic on; the Ist oi September. . .. . _ :i:: -.■;. •■ | ~ .;•; '-' We are sorry, to. learn from the Brace ■■; - Herald that a large slip has "ocbarredjio.. ■ one of the cuttings on the railway line, a s , - few miles on this side of Stirling. There ; has also been a further suiisidenceof.iho.;.:. line where it crosses two of the swamps ;.', between Stirling'and Tokbmairirb.;' j these slips occur at the presentsefwoajoEirV the year, we shall look- forward for something...more serious when1 (Winter: =' ) r\7 fairly sets in. .It is sincerely; to be* : hoped that the line will be1 thoroughly.;, f consolidated by the time the Chain! 'Hilltt. ' J tunnel is finished and ready for traffic^ and that having waited :so patieritly'for.< r r '; through communication,1 owing fco the obstacles met with' in^ the tunnel,..we shall,.;, not be subjected to any further' tediotta •'?• delays... , : .■.■... ■ ..■;.■.-:,(■.' ~■;..■,