The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-09-22

northern END. when II Is sometimes
called the Simaquoteen river. bat 4 /,
still CIark's fork.
The shores Of the lake are bold the
mountains rising almost abruptly to a
hight Of from seven to fifteen hundred
feet, and being iolerably we'll woo led
10 their summits
The water of the lake is very deem
falling CT very quickly from the beach !;
there have been no soundiugs "a yet,that
can learn. but il is known to De over
three hundred feet.
The point where the road crosses is
just where the river leaves the lake.
running nearly west, the line being
north by west; the opposite shore,
known Is Sandy Point, is q tract of
low land part sand aud part meadow,
that has been formed by creek, ex-
tending out perhaps half mile from
the higher land behind it; beside this
low land the water continues shallow
to the point where the line strikes
the lake, its greatest depth being about
eight feet, excepting q narrow channel
near the south shore with depth of
twenty five feet.
At this time the water is within two
feet OF Its lowest stage, aud there is
little over mile To cross before reach
ing the nearest land; but as the water
raises twenty-one feet, it becomes
necessary to continue the work on TO
the high land above high watermark.
This crossing will consist of piling,
each bent to have five piles; as the
rails will be % feet above extreme low
water, il will have rather a spidery
appearance.
In the prosecution of this work there
are four drivers for water work and two
for land use; three of the water drivers
are already completed. and the laud
drivers are ready to raise; but owing
to the difficulty in getting piles there
Is only one driver at work at present.
Fir, tsmsrack and cedar piles will
be used, but there are no bodies Of pile
timber here as on the Sound, and each
stick has to be hunted up by itself, cut
and hauled to water, which will make
the work drag along we'll into the win
ter.
As ar earnest that all possible work
will be doue. orders were given this
week to put up winter quarters at Rocky
Point, aud force of men are now en-
gagged clearing and hewing logs for
houses; hospital will be erected, and
a warehouse for provisions. The rev
steamer that is daily expected to start
out will be employed in towing piles,
and distributing supplies along the va
rious points on the lake where men are
at work. There are various rumors of
work to be done this winter on Clark's
fork Division. such as rock cuts, tunnels.
etc., but nothing definite is known.
The general opinion is that it will be
the policy of the n p r K to keep as
many men at work as possible, tor they
have had so much trouble IN getting
laDorers the past season that they will
endeavor to keep all they can.
1t is expected to do twelve or fifteen
miles of grading on the other division
before the weather becomes too severe,
and it is also expected TO finish the
track to the lake, so as to bring in
supplies.
There is considerable speculation as
to how cold it will get here this win
ter and how much snow will fall. As
near as l can learn the greatest depth
of snow last winter was two and a half
feet.
Since my arrival here, the 2Sth of
July, the weather has been very fine
indeed; the finest weather being with
the wind from the northeast: at
such times one would be forcihly
reminded Of the northeast trade wind
region. At no time has the weather
been uncomfortably warm, So degrees
being the highest temperature and 80
the lowest. The daily range Of the
Thermometer was from ten to twenty
degrees, and the range for the month
thirty-tlve degrees. At present date
there is rather more than O suspicion
of chilliness in the air. and one thinks
of heavier clothes; and fire morning
and night is very comfortable. Owing
to the altitude, the changes of the ba-
rometer are very slight and give but
little warning of bad weather. NV ba-
rometer today stands at 27.75, CORES
pendiug to on elevation of 2060 feet
above sea level.
The Engineer in charge Of the work
(Mr X z Msynard) is keeping a series
of observations which will bs the first
record of weather in this section.
Great credit is to be given the n p
r II for mail facilities, and thew are
competing successfully with Uncle
Sam. Seattle mail gets here on the
lake 10 six or seven days, aud for some
time quite regularly; quite contrast
! to last spring, when letters were from
three to four weeks on the road.
had the pleasure of meeting Capt
Lawson. of the Coast Survey, a few
days since. lie is travelling through
this section making magnetic observa-
tions. Dave Livingstone, whom most
oil of your readers know, has turned
Granger, and is located on piece of
land on the lake. and expects to make
fortune next season.
Harry Agar, Of pleasant memory, is
running train between Aiusworth aud
Spokan Falls. and The number of Sound
people scattered along the line is won
derful. The ISTELLIGENcER never is
lost up here.