Cutting A Railroad Along A Cliff

The passengere on the Hudson River steamers have lately been entertained by the sight of gaags of workmen swanning along the face of a bold cliff jutting into the river near Cornwall, iiiciny of them suspended by ropes. A San reporter says: The cliff was crowded with men, who, clinging like lizards to the face of the rock, were working seventy-five feet above the surf ace of the water; and here and there were laborers hanging (for the foothold they had obtained was hardly worthy f the name) by ropes fastened many feet above their heads, and circling their waists. All the passengers gazed in amazement at the singular spectacle ; and when one of the men, turning toward the steamboat, waved bis hand. cheered, and, falling off, swung for a moment, and then, getting his feet to their former place on the rock, renewed his work at cutting into its face, the spectators froni the river sent back an ans wering cheer, as the boat swept around the point that hid the workmen from their aight, and left them discussing what theyhadjust seen. Greatly interested by the sight the reporter left the boat at Newburg and returned to Cornwall to inquire about the mid-air workers. He found that they were employed by the Ontario and Western liailroad Company, constructing the new Xorth Uiver Railroad. It is under contract to be completed by June 1, 1882, and is to run from Jeisey City to Cornwall, and thence west to Middletown. The country through which it passes is so rocky and mountainous that iuucli of the work has tobe doue by blasting, and this is especially the case Wetween West Point and Cornwall. At West Point a tunnel 150 feet deep and 500 feet long has been cut through Target Hill. and many other bores, nearly as extensivo have been made. But the point already mentioned, near Cornwall, presented, perhaps, the greatest diflieulties to the engineers and contractors. About eighty men are employed there, and they are selected on account of their activity andfreedora from nervousness. " ïhey are not active enough, however," one of the surveyors said to the reporter, "to retain their foothold in every place, and at certain spots it is necessary for them to work bound, as it were, to the rock, for a drop of seventyfive feet into the river below, or possibly ii pon some of the straggling slones that rise above the surface of the water at the base of the cliff, would undoubtedly serve to reduce our stalï of workïnen. Had they been sailors they might, perhaps, have raanaged better so far as cliuging to the rock is concerned, but they could not have done the work." The workmen are, for the most part, Italiana, allhough a few of other nationalities are employed. Italians, however, are best adapted to the peculiar work, not only because they are lithe, light, and active, but on account of their ability to tand the üerce heat that beats down on the exposed face of the rock.