578 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



the streets, the cutting-off of the light to the lower stories 

 of the buildings along certain parts of the lines, the annoy- 

 ance of flying sparks and cinders, and other minor evils. 

 The chief objection, however, appears to be the noise of the 

 passing trains, which, it is anticipated, may be materially 

 diminished by the interposition of mechanical devices for the 

 purpose. 



A line of elevated railway for the facilitation of the freight 

 business of the Pennsylvania Railroad has been proposed by 

 the company on Market Street, Philadelphia, to connect their 

 depot in West Philadelphia with the freight depot at Six- 

 teenth Street ; but, in view of the objections that have been 

 so persistently urged against the elevated-railway experi- 

 ment in New York, it appears to be doubtful whether the 

 consent of the municipal authorities will be given. 



THE MADEIRA AND MAMORE RAILROAD, 



the undertaking of which by enterprising American con- 

 tractors was duly noted in last year's Record, appears to 

 have been vigorously pushed forward during the past year. 

 The work appears to be one of almost unexampled difficulty, 

 and thus far no reliable account of progress made has been 

 published, though a number of vessels have been sent out to 

 the locality with large supplies of men and material. At the 

 time of this writing there are rumors that the contractors 

 will be obliged to abandon the enterprise because of difficul- 

 ties of a financial nature, interposed by foreign bondholders, 

 who have instituted legal proceedings, thus locking up dur- 

 ing their continuance the funds that were anticipated to be 

 available for the prosecution of the enterprise. It is to be 

 hoped that these rumors are exaggerated. 



PROJECTED DRAINING OF THE ZUYDER-ZEE. 



During the past year, the publication of the more impor- 

 tant details of this immense work, that has been for some 

 time in contemplation, has attracted the extended comment 

 of the engineering journals. The project which in its general 

 features has been practically decided upon should the work 

 be undertaken in the future is that of the hydraulic engi- 

 neer Beijerinck. This officer, who was intrusted some years 

 ago by the Netherland Landed Credit Company to make a 



