Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

26 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. in the possession of some 10,000 squatters, who had no titles themselves other than pos- session, but nevertheless de- Legal manded prohibitory terms for Difficulties, the right-of-way from the sea inland across the gravel flat which constituted the town site, and con- siderable difficulty was experienced in arrang- weeks the line was definitely “ located ” for construction, and was made up of portions of each of the five preliminary surveys. While making the surveys, and subsequently during the work of construction, the railway builders were brought into close relations with the bears who were the original inhabitants of the mountain-sides along which the line PLACING A BLASTING CHARGE. ing this matter before construction could commence. The line of the trail not being adapted for railway purposes, no less than five preliminary surveys were made in order to determine the best available line to the Summit. The mountain-sides being precipitous and thickly timbered with small scrub spruce to the timber line, and polished smooth above the timber line by the action of glaciers, the work of surveying was difficult. But within a few camps Tame and Intelligent Bears. ran. Prompted by curiosity and hunger, the bears used to investigate the railwaymen, and soon became so cunning and expert that nothing edible was safe from them unless it was watched night and day. The continu- ous heavy blasting at first frightened the bears, but they soon learnt how to shelter them- selves from the falling rocks and stones. They also learnt to recognize the warning shouts of