The Great Western Railroad.

The gigantic operations on the first sections of this line west of Hamilton are but little known. The difficulties which have to be surmounted in the course of the first eleven miles, in reaching the summit level at Copetown, about 450 feet above Lake Ontario, are great and discouraging. The impediment in crossing the outlet of the marsh at Burlington Heights has rendered inevitable the cutting of an immense central passage through the heights, the deepening of the Desjardin's Canal, and the construction of an Iron Bridge of great height and span across the gulf. Then the cuttings along the rocky side of the mountain north of Dundas; the protection against land slides, created by rain and frost; and especially the raising of the mountain stream into a canal of solid masonry, about ten feet above the natural level, in rear of Spencer's Mill; and the construction of an immense stone Bridge to span the mountain gorge and to connect the high embankments on each side, exhibit a series of difficulties sufficient almost to appal the boldest engineer, and a company possessing almost inexhaustible monetary resources. The cost of the first eleven miles, it is aid, will be nearly two millions of dollars, a sum exceeding what may be required for about seventy-five miles of the road west of London; and it is probable that the mountain pass will, after all, be dangerous until the rocks above the line are completely clear of the soil. A southerly route, we are told, would have rendered extensive tunnelling necessary before passing Copetown.

Railways: G.W.Ry.

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