The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-04-21
AT PEN D,oREILLE LAKE.
What Has Been Done ON the N. r. II. 4.
This Winter.

The Oregoaian of April 7th contains let
ter from the Northern Pacific construction
force at Sand Point, Crossing of Pen
d'Oreille Lake,, from which we condense:
During long periods last winter the ther-
mometer ranged from 16o to 20' below zero
and the average depth of snow was five feet
Early in January the lower portion of the
lake closed with ice, but it was broken and
Kept open until early in February when 16'
below closed 1t for keeps and the steamer
Willard was frozen in. This cut off commu-
nication by water with the construe enforce
and timbers for trestle, pile drivers, food and
supplies for 5000 men and several hundred
head OF horses and cattle had to be hauled
overland. The snow was from seven to ten
feet deep in the fills, and exposed roadbed
work would freeze so over night that blast
ing had to be resorted to to resume work in
the morning. No men would work on the
trestles during such severe weather and the
Chinese went to their tents and stayed there.
The force desired to disband or 20 into per-
manent winter quarters until the LIST or 18th
OF April, but Superintendent Hallet was ill
exorable and kept pegging away. During
the winter he graded twenty-five miles of
roadbed, three miles of which were through
continuous rock cuts of equal magnitude TO
those on the Columbia between the Dalles
and Cascades beside driving over three miles
Of bridge piling. "Of this class of work, one
section alone, that crossing Pen d'Oreille
Lake, over which the track was laid some
two weeks since, is the longest pile bridge
in this country-beirg S,42S feet in length.
The structure is composed of 5000 piles,
ranging from fifty to ITO feet in length, 1900
stringers, thrty-feet In length, and 100000
fl. of other timber. The bents are of five and
six piles each, with Y and double-deck sway
bracing. 1t is provided with draw and
guards or piers as protection against float
ing ice. A close inspection of this immense
work reveals thorough workmanship and
strongly Impresses one with its massive
strength. Long lines of fiat ears heavily
loaded with iron ard other construction ma
terials passing over i at intervals every day
cause no perceptible vibration upon any por-
ton of the structure.
"The next largest work of this character
upon the line is the crossing of the mouth of
Rock river. This bridge is over 1000 feet in
length, and is now fast nearing completion.
When it and number of smaller trestles,
upon which largely increased force of car
penters have recently been added, are COM
pleted, the track will be laid to near the
mouth of Clarks fork" BY doing this win
ter work section of country that overfows
during freshets In May or June will have
been passed before that time. 1t is expected
that by June 1st the graded road will reach
the Montana line. BY saving and blasting
Ice channel for the Willard was reopened
March 2ist. There are now $500 men en-
gagged on the construction force east of the
lake. Headquarters were to be moved to
Clark's Fork by April 18th or goth. Seven
pile drivers are driving for as many bridges,
the one at the mouth of Clark's Fork driv-
ing 100 piles per day. Large additions to
the working force were en- route and the cor
respondent predicts the amount of mileage
construction this summer will equal the
best on record.