The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-01-11
THE MULLAN PASS,
A Jubilee Held Over the Starting of the
Machinery.
A Neat Speech by Col. J. T. Dodge in Res
ponse to a Toast.


On Thursday of last week the Ingersoll
drills were started at the Mullan Pass, and
the wor k of piercing the main Rocky range
began in earnest. The important event was
made the occasion of 'tunnel jubilee" by
the citizens of Helena, many of whom were
on hand to witness the starting of the ma
chinery. After thorough examination of
the ''hole' and drills, the large party ad-
journed to the Morrison House, at the loot of
the hill, where banquet spread awaited
them. Then followed toasts and responses,
genuine ''feast of reason and flow of soul. 4"
Col. j. T. Dodge responded in substance as
follows to the toast, ''The Northern Pacific
Railroad its managers, Willard and Oakes.
1t is very fitting that we should assemble
here to-day to celebrate the beginning of our
great step in one Of the great enterprises of
the age. In seeking route across the Main
Range of the Rocky Mountains, we came
here to the lowest Of all the available passes.
We find Deer Lodge naSs s. 1863 f. ct Little
sPlpestone, 1856; MulIan pass, 1862.
Ascending from Ten Mile creek by grade
Ohio-a great representative steep grade
road-we still fall $50 feet short of attaining
the summit. Although the line is developed
along these bills to the utmost practical limit,
crossing two immense ravines at the hight of
nearly W feet, and making way through
the projecting spurs by heavy rock cutting,
still we find ourselves in this narrow valley,
shut in by rocky cliffs too high to be sur
mounted or to be overcome by an open cut.
The grade on this line as now run passes
1863 feet below the surface and emerges in
beautiful, broad and fertile basin on the
other side. Our only escape from this en-
vironment is by tunnel $3.50 feet in length,
or nearly three fourths of q mile. 1t is to be
made Is feet wide end 90 feet high to the
crown Of the arch
The material bids fair to be solid granite
from end to end and of uniform quality, un-
less we should happen to find mine of the
precious metals.
The material, as you have seen, is to be
moved in cars on an iron track, and is to
form the large embankment at the eastern
end.
1t is not unlikely that we may meet numer-
Gus veins of water, sufficient to form quite
rivuet, as we proceed, although it appears so
dry and impervious now. But with our mod
ern appliances for blasting, water offers lit
tie hindrance to the work.
The able and experienced contractor to
whom the company entrusts the work ex-
poets to advance five feet per day from this
end, and continue work day and night from
this time on until it's completion.
Two steam boilers and two powerful ali
compressors will furnish power for cperst-
ing the great drills with which holes will Le
sunk ten sect deep.
The air which transmits the power will, by
its liberation, furnish pure air to the work
men. Giant powder, which is the fitting ac-
compartment of these power drills, will rend
these rocks with force never known till the
latter half of this century. Engineers with
their lamps and instruments will make their
weekly visits to the dark cavern, to give the
proper points to guide the work as 1t pro-
gresges.
| have thus stated some of the dry and
naked facts connected with this enterprise,
but it is to me something more than an ina
mense job of so0rk.
We are here to day in obedience to the
spirit !f THIS age.
We are here to initiate one of the grand
steps in the march of human progress.
Inspired by the spirit of the age, body OF
men has been organized into the corporation
known az the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company. Its grand purpose is to make q
highway across the continent To effect this
it has, among other things, drawn together
by the organizing power Of money, small
army Of engineers, each working in an ap-
propriate sphere and with due Standardization,
all tending to one grand result We who be-
long to that class, while working according
to the wishes of our employers, are conscious
of being only the instruments OF spirit
which pervades all modern civilized life, and
which aspires to meet the ever increasing
wants of man. We seek here q highway for
nations. We have come over plains, we
have to cross great rivers, we are to span
deep chasms, we now confront this mountain.
and giving voice to the spirit now moving
the world, we say unto It: