Existing comment:
Stop 3: Cuts and Fills:
Rock cuts and fills had to be constructed along the route to bring it within the required grade of 2 percent or less. When possible, material from the cuts was used to create fill. To make the cuts a two man team called "double jackers" drilled holes in solid rock using a long narrow drill bit, which was repeatedly struck with a heavy sledge hammer or double jack. After the hole was drilled a worker called a "powder monkey" would fill it with black powder, carefully tamp and fuse the powder, and set off the charge. A successful blast would reduce the rock to a size that could be shoveled into mule-drawn dump carts and taken to an area that needed to be filled. |