This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1897 Excerpt: ...total of the estimates sanctioned for the new works, 58-75 miles long, being Rs.2,00,85,470, or at the rate of Rs.3,38,088 per mile, complete. Under the rules of the Indian Public Works Department, the Author retired in July, 1894; and, since then, this railway has been completed by his successor, Mr. C. W. Hodson, M. Inst. C.E., with a saving on the original estimates. Unfortunately, the financial straits of the Government of India did not allow of sufficient funds being annually provided for so active a prosecution of the works as was expected when they were sanctioned, which added considerably to their cost, gave them a bad reputation in the eyes of people seeking work, and delayed their completion by eighteen months. The work was all done under the "petty contract" system. The petty contractors were natives of India and Afghanistan, many of the latter being unable to either read or write. The unskilled labourers were from Afghanistan, Hazara and the Punjab. Pathans make excellent "navvies," using their picks, shovels, drills and wheeIbarrows "as if to the manner born," and find this kind of work more profitable than picking up a precarious existence by raiding and robbery. All skilled labour, such as that of masons, carpenters and other artisans, was imported from the Punjab and Kurrachee at high rates of pay, as the Bolan has a bad name for sickness and expensive living. Besides the crowds of different animals carrying bricks, stones, cement, &c., to the masonry works, great numbers of donkeys, mules, camels and other pack-cattle were employed carrying earth to the high embankments, their passage from and to the borrow-pits having the effect of consolidating--punning in fact--the loose soil. There were also many miles ...