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Tue 21 Feb 1865 - Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950)
Page 3 - The Railway Works at Penrith.
The Kailway Works at Peiirilh.
The bridge at renrith, and the viaduct over Knap
sack Gully, the two heaviest works on tho Western
linuof Kail way, aro proceeding rapidly — the latter
being nearly completed. This viaduct, although b.v
no means so costly as some undertakings of very
infurior magnitude, which havo been executed in
this colony, is certainly thu most imposing, pictnres
que, finely proportioned, and substantial structure o^
which New South Wales can boast. It is entirely of
stone, and carries tho railway actoss a deep gully, by
means of semi-circular arches, resting on piers up
wards of one hundred feet in height. Tho work,
although it appears of a very massive character when
closely examined, hits an exceedingly light and airy
appearance when seen fmm a distance. The tail
piers of white stone, when looked at from tho plains
below, having a dark background of mountain and
forest, siucm but slender shafts, aud tho wholu struc
ture but a picture in stone. The railway ovor the
viaduct is part of the steepest gradient ever
adopted in this colony — about 1 in '!) — and almost
immediately abovo it commences the zigzag by
which tho first part of tlio Uluo Mountain ran°e is
ascended. No railway in England has, wo are in
formed, been carried over so high a r.tngo or so diffi
cult a country as this part of tho Western line.
Whether this zig_zag nrrnngemout, with its exceed,
in ;ly steep gradients, can be safely and economic
ally worked remains to be seen ;' on that subject no
opinion is hero offered ; but thuro enn be no doubt
about tho excellency of tho workmanship aud the
substantial character »f tlio structnro which Mr
Watkins and his oovljntor, Mr Morgan, aro now
executing. The viaduct is certainly tho finest piece
of masonry in New So'.ith Wales, and the pijrs of
tho bridge over the Nepean, so far as thu work has
proceeded, do oqual credit to tho same contractors.
This bridge, when complete, will consist of four
stone piers, 180 feet apart, of which tho misonry of
No. 1 was commenced on the 2nd January, 18(55, at
a depth of 10 feet 9 invhes below tho oivHu'nry
water level; since then thero have bc«n CO'O cubiu
yards of masonry set on thu said pier, weighing
about 1OS0 tons. Vier No. 2 is completed to thu
underside of tho dentail course, which is within
seven feet of rail line. The foundation of this pier
was 1(! feet below tho ordinary water levul, batter
ing on tho ends one in 15, on thu side ono in 20,
the length at bottom boinjj u8 x 17 feet i inches
thick, finishing at tho present under the impost at
50 feet G inches lung, and 12 fout thick, total
hoig-ht from tho foundation lo the present
level being 5o feet, the. quantity of masonry
being about ISO!) cubic yards, of which WM)
cubic yards was erected by the iormer contractor.
Thu weieht of stone in pier'No. 2 will Ijc about 24(54.
tons, concrete P.Sfi tons. These piers arc not built
solid there being spaces left which aro filled in vrth
concrete. Tho coffer dam is nearly completed for No.
U, and in all probability will bu ready to receive tin
masonry in a week or fen days. For No. 4 pier tho
piles are being driven for the cotl'er dam. Tho inanno.
in which tho contracts undertaken by Mr. Watkins
have been carried out proves conclusively what
colonial contractors can do if allowed fair play. Tho
Knapsack Gully viaduct in mc.uy respects a moic dit
iieult aud extensive work thiin the Munanglo Jiridgo,
will bu executed for less than a third of°tho costTof
that ruinously expeusivo and absurd structure. Somo
idea of what sort of undertaking tho viaduct is, may
bo gathered from tho fact that tho massivo and lof y
scaffolding ulono cost nearly £5000 in its erection.
Thu place is well worth a visit from the character of
tho scenery as wull as from the naturo of tho struc
tures themseives. We ventiuu to say tlmt the manner
in which these works have been carried out, and the
moderalu amount of their cost will for evor silunco
thu outcry that certain interested parties havo
attempted to raise against entrusting tho construc
tion of our public works tu colonial contractors.-^
' Umpire.'
. Morgan ia again before the public. Ho visited
Mackay's station, on tho Billuhong, -a fuw days U£o,
and robbed Mr John Alackny of a few articles'. The
?' Ovens and Murray Advertiser' says :— ' Morgan
when ho firsit met Mackay, lnentionodwho he was
altogether rather nffablu and jocular. Ho asked Mr!
Maekay to ^ivu up n valu.-iblo borac. Air. Mackay
instantly obeyed tho mandate of the scoundrel, who,
we need scarcely remark-, was armed to tho teeth!
On thu horsu lining brought to him, hu demanded Mi!
Mackay's watch mid chain, which wuro also given to
him. He was putting a saddle and other things ou
the grey horsu's back, when thu animal, which' was
rather spirited, broke away from him, tho bushranger
fired one shot at tho horse, btit did not kill it : he then
followed the horsu up und fired a vecond shot, which
was fatal. IIu thua told Mr. Maekay that he would
return him bis «alch and chain if ho' would givu him
the sunc of £o. Mr. Maekay said hu had no money
with him, and tho watch and chain were returned by
Morgan, who said ho would much rather havo £S
than the watch, aa ho was pressed lor nionoy.
Tho fruubootor thun asked for tho ovurficm- (»
married. man) on thu station, who boiiiu lime ago
talked disparagingly of Morgan, to somo old hand
hut-keeper. What had been Bpokun, it is ooi.jnc
turud, must havo reached the ears of Mnig.in. Tli
scoundrcl told Maekay to tell thu married man tint
hu had just six days to livu. Morgan left shoitly
afterwards.' Tho same journal has thu folio -vine ?_
?' Morgan's bush telegraphs sueni trying hard' to
supply him with remount hvrsus. On Saturday
night nnu of theso jackals, who had been prowling
about James Mitchell's action, mier Albury nil day
made an attempt to secure a vwlsablu ruciiu; «o]V
in training for tho Albmy wvens. The fUlo+v had'
got in at .tho window of the Under at the station'
and hulp.d h-.mwlf to a mxid food. The cra\Ws or
thb lunar n.iin being satisfied, hu proceeded to tlm '
stublu, and ascendo.l to tlio loft, whoru two boys in.
fhii'ijo of tin) horses were slfii-iiin^. IIU ransai-korl
their pocket, hut secured only a t'.i'.v fi-rK ,,'f tolncco
Ho next put the saddle on tlio colt, bo intended ?./,
steal, mvl \va- trying to pll't on ,ile i,,.^^ hat t|l(j ?
colt became iv.«tii\: mid fciidCkt.-d down a sievo The ?
boys were a.ivok-; by the nois,-., and r.atno down in
rime to nit,tnrb the intruder, wlio m-inn^ed to »nt
?away in (iarknrsj vrithoni th* coll.' ' °