All timber for use in the superstructure of the snowshed located at Mile 75 1/2 has been delivered at the snowshed site, 70 per cent of it has been framed and 50 per cent of it has been erected, according to F. A. Hansen, engineer of maintenance of way, in his report to William Gerig, engineer in charge of the Anchorage Division of the Government Railroad, for the week ended October 4, 1919. Sixty-one bents, or 296 lineal feet of the superstructure, is 80 percent complete, according to the report.

The general progress of the work of constructing this shed up to the close of work on October 5 is shown by the following figures:
Excavation for foundations 1,4400 cubic yards, 85 per cent complete; framing 450,000 feet, board measure, 70 per cent complete; framing logs, 11,400 feet, board measure, 80 per cent complete; erecting (cribs), 11,400 feet, board measure, 80 per cent complete; erecting sills and blocks, 63,000 feet, board measure, 90 per cent complete; erecting timber superstructure, 250,000 feet, board measure, 50 per cent complete; erecting roof, 77,000 feet board measure, 12 per cent complete.

Nine thousand, four hundred and seventy-two cubic yards of gravel were handled during the week by steam shovel No. 1, Engineer Jeffries, and the material was used for raising grade between Mile 56 and Mile 65. Steam shovel No. 2, Engineer Patten, handled during the same period of time 7528 cubic yards of gravel which was used for filling at the new dock and for bank widening at points on the main line of the railroad north of Anchorage.

Extra gang No. 1, working with ditcher No. 2, was engaged in cleaning ditches in Mile 136 on the main line north of Birchwood up to and including October 2, during which time 2770 cubic yards of mud were cast over. The outfit was moved on October 3 to Mile 232 and worked in removing a slide in this mile.

Extra gang No. 3 was engaged during the week, ac-cording to the report in raising track, between station 2918 and station 2043 and in raising grade at the north approach of the Twenty Mile River bridge

Thirty-two piles were driven for the temporary trestle which is being built out from the ënorthí end of the new dock and 113 piles were driven for crib protection at the north end of the pier. The driving of piling occupied the services of the pile driving gang during two days of the week, the remainder of the time being devoted to bracing and sheeting the pier.

Ninety-one thousand three hundred and ninety-five feet of lumber, board measure, were sawed at the sawmill located in Mile 75 during the week, according to the report, and 14 car loads of material were shipped. Of the cars shipped from the mill one car of lumber was consigned to the material yard at Anchorage, one car of saw dust to the cold storage plant at Anchorage, two cars of lumber to the Seward Division and ten cars of lumber to the snowsheds being constructed in the Turnagain Arm district.

The progress of the work in the maintenance of way department for the week ended October 11 follows.
Excavation for foundations for snow shed at Mile 75 1/2 4600 cubic yards, 80 per cent of total required framing (superstructure) 580,000 feet, board measurement, 90 percent of total required; framing (cribs), 11,400 feet, board measure, 80 percent of total required; erecting cribs, 11,400 feet, board measure, 80 percent of total required; erecting sills and blocks, 65,- feet, board measurement 95 percent of total required; erecting superstructure, 415,000 feet board measurement, 75 per cent of total required; framing and erecting roof, 122,000 feet, board measurement, 20 percent of total required.

Steam shovel No. 1, Engineer Jeffries, handled 8880 cubic yards of gravel during the week, ended October 11, according to the progress report for this week. The gravel was used in raising grade between Mile 56 and Mile 66. Steam shovel No. 2, Engineer Patten, during the same period of time handled 8820 cubic yards of gravel, which was partially used in filling 1 at the new dock. Fifteen cars loaded with gravel excavated by this shovel were sent to
Girdwood and dumped for use of a station platform at this point and 450 cubic yards were placed at various points along the main line of the railroad north of Anchorage to be us used in bank widening.

Three thousand six hundred and ten cubic yards of material were moved during the week by extra gang No. 1 working with ditcher No. 2 in Mile 212, Mile 214, Mile 217 and in Mile 232. Of the yardage moved 2290 cubic yards were cast over and 1320 cubic yards were loaded and dumped.
Gang No. 3 has given the last lift to the track between station 3350 and station 3474, which is at Twenty Mile River in Mile 65 on the railroad. An extension was made during the week to the steam shovel loading track in Mile 56. The track at this point is now one mile in length. Turnouts have been placed for the loop track to be put in at Mile 55 1/2 for use in turning the Rotary snow plow.

During the week ended October 11 there were 11 cars of lumber and mill materials shipped from the saw mill. Of the total number of cars shipped four were consigned to the material yard at Anchorage, two cars to the snowshed sites; four cars to the Seward Division, and 4 ore cars containing slabs to the section gang stationed at Girdwood in the Turnagain Arm district.

Oscar Lake & Co., coyote hole contractors working in Mile 56, completed their contract, having dug a total of 528 lineal feet of holes. They have commenced work on a diversion dike at bridge 99 1/2.

The work of changing the water supply system at Kern Creek was 75 per cent complete at the close of work on October 11. The work of changing consists in installing a new intake and arranging it in such manner as to permit of a continuous flow of water similar to the system which has been installed at Rainbow.

Twenty four piling for the trestle which is being extended out from the north end of the new dock and 56 sheet piling for the crib work were driven during the week by bridge and building gang No. 7, according to the report.

Bridge and building gang No. 5 was engaged during the entire week in sheeting and in sway bracing the main dock and in decking the temporary trestle.

ENGINEER IN CHARGE OF THE SEWARD DIVISION
REPORTS ON WORK ACCOMPLISHED

Snowshed No. 54-B is practically a finished structure, according to the report of R. J. Weir, engineer in charge of the Seward Division of the Government Railroad, in his report for the week ended October 4. This snowshed is 572 feet in length and consists of 144 bents. The only work remaining to be done according to the report is to place a small, quantity of the three-foot spreaders between the bents and about 5000 feet, board measure, of siding. The work of placing the spreaders and the siding was 40 per cent complete at the close of work on October 4. This is the first shed to be erected in the Seward Division by the Alaskan Engineering Commission, and was in charge of W. W. Lukens. One million, one hundred and three thousand, five hundred lineal feet of lumber, board measure, were used in the construction of this shed. The lumber is Alaska spruce and was sawed at the sawmills operated by the Alaskan Engineering Commission in Mile 21 and Mile 23. The laying of footblocks was commenced August 18, the erection of bents-on August 29, and on September 19, 22 days later, all posts and caps and about 40 per cent of the braces were in place. On September 28, 90 percent of the crew was transferred from this shed to snowshed No. 54-A, leaving only 10 percent of the force to complete the work.

In addition to the erection of shed 54-B the crew engaged in the work, framed 200,000 feet, board measure, of lumber which will be used in the erection of shed No. 54-A. Approximately 60 percent of the sills for snowshed No. 54-A is now in place and the excavation of foundation for
footings is 90 percent complete. All the lumber delivered to date has been framed ready for erection and it is proposed to begin the work of erection next week. Lumber is now being delivered to the shed site at the rate of 125,000 feet, board measure, a week. The length of this shed is 512 feet and consists of 128 bents spaced four feet from center to center.

Concrete foundations for bents Nos. 1 and 2 for bridge No. 70 have been poured and the sill set on bent No. 1. The framed trestle bent has been erected on bent No. 2. Foundation excavation for bent No. 3 was completed and concrete forms were erected and are ready to be poured. Foundation excavation was completed on bent No. 4. Bent No. 5, containing 35 cubic yards, was poured. Concrete piers for the north trestle approach, bents Nos. 7 to 12, inclusive, are complete and the sills have been laid, framed bents Nos. 7 to 12, inclusive, have been put together and are ready to be hoisted into place. Bent No. 13 is in place. Foundation excavation on four bents for falsework is in progress, as is the construction of a 30-foot temporary approach on the north end. A car derrick was brought from Seward to this bridge on September 4 and will be used in the work of erection. A 56 foot truss was completed during the week for bridge No. 73.

Concrete piers for bents Nos. 1 to 11, inclusive, for bridge No. 75 have been poured and the sills set. Foundation excavation for piers Nos. 12, 13 and 14 is in progress and the work is 60 percent complete. Six bents of the falsework have been erected under the old truss and the footings for the other false work bents are in place.

Bucyrus steam shovel No. 4 moved 2300 cubic yards of material on September 29 and September 30 and was moved on October 1 to a small cut in Mile 49. The excavation of the sidehill in Mile 50 has not been completed, but by reason of commencing construction work on bridge No. 75 it was necessary to move the shovel from this cut in order to continue train haul of material without interruption to either the shovel work, train operation, or the construction work on the bridge.

This shovel moved 1440 cubic yards from the small cut in Mile 49 on October 3 and October 4 and the material was used in filling bridges No. 74 and No. 75.

Rochen & Co., grading contractors, have completed the upper line of the switchback in Mile 44 and have 165 feet of fill remaining to complete on the lower line and 200 feet of fill on the tail of the switchback. Nine hundred feet of track have been laid over the completed portion.

Challstorp & Co. completed on September 29 the work of re-tieing and ballasting the track from bridge No. 8 to Bridge No. 81, which distance includes tunnel No. 2. Following this work they began the erection of a standard timbered portal at the north end of the tunnel which will be completed next week.

All heading work in tunnel No. 3, which is in progress of being enlarged to A.E.C. standard, has been completed and 392 feet of the bench has been taken out.

Work on tunnel No. 6 is about 90 percent complete, the remaining 10 percent of the work being at the portals. A slide from the roof came down in the south portal of this tunnel during the week, damaging several timbers in the old Alaska Northern timbered, portal which was to have been replaced. Standard Alaskan Engineering Commission timbered portals will be placed in this tunnel within a short time.

Heading work on tunnel No. 7 is 66 per cent complete and about 15 percent of the bench has been taken out.

The filling of bridge No. 74 was completed and bridge No. 75 was filled on the south approach to the toe of bent No. 1.

Saella & Co. are nearing the completion of their contract in Mile 49 and Mile 50.

Radish & Co. have practically completed their contract in Mile 52, and M. Grubich & Co. have completed. their contract in Mile 49.