CO129-361 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 179

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considerable opposition to the bridge on the part of

those whose vested interests are affected. Threats even

of blowing up the bridge when completed have been freely

indulged in by the indignant townsfolk.

The Railway consider that it would not be worth

their while to make a swing bridge, owing to the extra

cost, amounting to some £10,000, and to the consequent

delay of through traffic, amounting to one-third of the

working time, apart from the added risk of accident. They

have however so far offered to meet the objections of the

Sheklung people as to offer the alternative of a lump sum

as compensation to the junk owners for the extra expense

they would be put to in unshipping their masts, or else to

construct for them a depôt and godown for the storage of

goods immediately below the bridge, in connection with the

railway station. The Railway prefer the latter alternative

as likely to prove advantageous in the future to the inter-

ests of the Railway.

Taotai Wei Han is leaving shortly for Sheklung and

hopes to be able to effect a settlement of the question.

The Chief Engineer, Mr. Grove, has kindly supplied me

with the following memorandum of progress of works to

December 31st 1908, which he recently sent to the Board

of Communications in Peking.

Survey.

Completed.

Land. Purchase of more than one half completed.

Earthwork. 24 Miles in an advanced state of progress.

Culverts and Bridges. - 10 miles in an advanced state.

Large Bridges. Foundation steel work in course of

erection and delivery. Preliminary works well started.

30,000 delivered.

Sleepers.

Quarters.

Temporary and permanent quarters well

advanced.

Workshop and Depôt. - For constructional purposes

erected.

Plant for construction. Purchase and delivery about

two-thirds completed.

Work has been commenced on say a total length of 45

miles. Progress is on the whole good though there is a

scarcity of labour and the usual trouble to obtain reliable

petty contractors. Chinese are exclusively employed as

The

petty contractors.

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