New-York tribune., 1867-08-17
able for passenger trains to run nj Is miles an hour' anu
freight trains at half that speed.

able for passenger trains to run M % mics an hor' anu
! freight trains at half that speed
CROSSING TIE SIERRA YEYADAs
rha .h,ct die1cutes apprehended In the construction
q, , Great railroad to the Pacific, high mountain cross
inos and Winter snow DISTRACTIONS prove upon practical
test 70 be not at all formidable The
n he crossed at elevations Of over 1000 fee or more han
twice hehight of any railroad lines built on this contn
ept Experence shows that ID ia entirely practcaDe ana
,, an, cn snos are not likely to prove very serious
obstacle In November last the Company had carried Its
tracl nearly TO tho summit and had demonstrated the
Feasibility OF the whole mountain passage win less aver
ooe enqneerng resistance than Is met III crossing 'ho
Aeghanes thus dsposng OF one OF the twin Tears our
ing an unusually Winter has successfully oper
ated e road as built and could have done so over
the mountains with equal 1t has had large WORKING
o-,ie on summit Pass TO convince its officers that
Tho other fear OF impossible snowdrfs IL equally need
los Orv six DAYS have the trns failed to make the
ou,r trims from snow which Is far less interruption
than has attended many Of the Atlantic lincs'
From Cisco to heSummt most OF tho heaVy rooK cut
ting IA now done The crest Of the ridge Is pierced Dy
tunnel Of 1868 feet the longest on the road OF "nc
only about 23 feet remained uncut on the l4th june ana
at which men are working night and day. excaYatlhg at
the rate OF 30 feet per week This tunnel Is the
obstruction to long step IN advance only Iiteu nun
OF men can employed upon the snrface 10 DC
cavo,cd and shaft been sunk IN the mddle from
which the work proceeds both ways go as to present io
vorp faces I'm all gycerinc, manufactured on the
spot has recently been used with advantage In hashG
the solid granite. III the mean time, large force Is Deng
concentrated upon the limo on the eastern Slope ApouV
o5 miles OF this portion Is now graded ana READY LOT o
iron and when the tunnel is opened stretch Of 35 miles
will be laid at once East Of the summit the descent ID
much easier tho great interior basin being elevated be-
tween 600 and 5000 feet above the level In ii miles
there IS fall OF 11OO feet after which there Is gentle
slope nowhere exceeding i5 feet to the mile eastward
toward Salt Lake. There arc, including the Summit run
ne Is tunnels dn all 1862 feet on the portion now Sug'
tyo-thds OF which have been cut out Pr0YSlohlsm
In fhe larger tunnels and heavy cuttings for double
track which from present indications. will be necessary
at no distant day to accommodate the growing uuic.
Ten thousand men, mostly Chinese laborers, and 1909
teams are employed the work the heavy parts OF wc
are in forward state and it is confidently believed that
I'm January next the locomotive Will be travershs 'he
| plains Of Nevada.
COST OF CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT.
The estimated cost Of single continuous line from the
Missouri to tho Pacific coast 1900 miles, hundred
millions Half Of this (s9353lG0) was by Congress
appropriated from the national credfo the pnpose 10
be divided equally between the two princph companies
the Union Pnchc Mt this end and the Central Pacinc a'
the other Ten millions were devoted tothe snnaer
| branches In Kansas.
Referring to the financial burden OF 80 stupohdous
work the Company's last Report says;
Tbe rIcna estimated cost of building the road across
the sierra. was but sy above h5e tne' tbe S rs of way
had 10 be purchased az considerable cost Op 70 tne ~
OF January last the Central Pacilc Company had eNpth
.l n building the ninety four miles In operation together
with about third Of the preparation upon twenty i've
si"cl nearly Si5.oOOo0j tsli55s5D. Iiuythree mile,
additional, or about one hundred aud hfiy In all VIII u
A. confidently expected, be running by OCTOBER mex
which brings the road 10 the coinparltlNeB snoo,i
ground The total construction cost OF tls ~ lao@i @ M So
lion Will be about $j00l09, or at the rate 9 SU9Ny PCT
uiie The rest OF The distance 10 salt Lake Ciy i've
4 TIl. a Ia
iron sufficiently accounts ior tho Increase upon Ins
nal estimate About s'NIV mo- VIZ i I"eo e ,,,,rnts
inost ~ which is either 0n the other sue or ' Iot
Z 4o % a " -. i,rl oyrT,our: and by far the most
costly and rugged resistance cit behind klls An h,ay
being laid OF the summit ready ior the advance "nch
! The Company have encountered az the commencement
Of their rts the most difficult aud expensive part of
their work and the and rapidity with which u
has been accomplished. and the financial results already
exhibited in tho earnings of the completed portion ot the
roaa demonstrate the feasibility OF the route and the
profitable clzaccr OF the enterprise, beyond all qHes
! ton.
| SURVEYS AID ESTIMATES FOR THE EXTENSION TO
! SALT LAKE.
The general route OF the road after leaving the Big
Bend Of the Truckcc River Is north eastwardy TO the
Sink Of Tie Humboldt River which stream u follows Tor
upward OF $50 miles, through fertile valley, Astounding
IN wood and water 10 Humboldt Wells 501 miles distant
L
cay des uatcd by tie Secretary OF the Interior From
Humboldt Wells tho country has been thoroughly eX-
plorod to Salt Lake city all directions. Two practical
bic lines found running round The south end OF
salt Lake and the other skirtins the north end The
former however, passes through rough and desert
country destitute OF wood and water aRd Involves be-
aide LONGER distance the necessity OF crossing tho Ia
nous Mud Flats OF the Great Salt Lake Desert Which
would require plng for d niles Tho more northery
route proved TO be very favorable in Alignment and
grades and with plenty Of wood and water both for fuc
aud construction. More than hall the distance can be
built with grades varying from 2' feet por mile while
OF them exceed j feet per mTe Tor short distances
The following comparative table from the report oI the
Chief Engineer will show the grade; and distances OF the
two lines the terminal points IN both cases being Hum
bodt Wells ana Weber Canyon rocky dciie through
the wasatch Mountains the border OF Salt Lake and
the natural approach 10 that city from the eastward II
will be seen that the north line Is 81 miles shorter Win
difference Of qs feet rise and fall in its favor;
p.trco Total lus. Tct, Poll Total tie