Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-07
x5,lO0,5l3 $2,6o4.l7I

Lc cSshh anu uSCt StcdiHtI
divisions and the Railroad division show
gains. the Railroad division having a
very large increase. The River division
shows u large decrease, caused by the
transfer of business to the Railroad dl
vision parallel to the Columbia River.
The Columbia River line WAS com
pleted from Portland to the Cascades
October 3. 1882, the expenditures during
the year on this line havi2g been 81 ,ll2,-
9l2. The report says:
Daring the two years experieg ce in
operating the Columbia River line, l,
became apparent that without add
tionai protection of the road bed from
injury by the regular summer floods.
economic ii operation Was hardly prdc-
ticable. Upon the recommended II OF
the engineering department tn, man
agement authorized such measures as
would insure absolute protection.
Accordingly, during the past year
the track WAS strongly rIprapped for Il
distance of 2O7, $40 lIneal feet, between
Portland and Wallula. The Ii . was
also considerably improved by the re
du0tion of heavy curvatures. and the
substitution of steel in place of iron
rails for distance of 3Z miles. For
these various betterments 500, ,lji WAS
expended.
During the year the Baker City
Branch WAS full y completed to point
near the summit of the Blue Mountains,
and the work between that point and
tue southern slope of the mountain we'll
opened. Owing to the scarcity of rail
road labor, caused by the construction
of other lines, the contractors expert
enced considerable difficulty IN obtain
ing the requisite working force. This
difficulty has been overcome since the
opening of the present working season.
Every eff rt Is being made To com
plete this line to a connection with the
Oregon Short Line at the earliest prac-
ticable moment. There are now finish
d ~ miles of the line, including by far
the heaviest portion OF the work. and 65
miles are opsn to trailic.
" The total expense on the Baker City
Branch during the year was S2,0lS. 49,,
which includes rails for the entire dis
tance.
"On the Grange City Branch $780,
AiS were expended for betterments dur
ing the year. At Prescott the yard IA
cilities were largely Increased, that town
being now the terminus of the Middle
Division.
"The Walla Walla and Pendieton
branch is completed to Milton. aud
definitely located from Pendelton 80
Cen,erville. For this latter portion of
the line we have obtained the right of
way through the Umatill Indian reser-
vation. A party of engineers are now
engaged i'll making the final location
between Centervilie and Blue Noun
tains station, which will complete the
line from Walla Walla to Pendleton."
Contracts have been made for tive
side wheel iron steamers. 210 feet keel
...0 feet over all. and 40 feet beam. for
the Puget Sound line. Gley cost x1s5.
600 each, and are now nearly conplet
ed.
A large number of buildings were
erected. including the extensive repair
shops at PRESCOTT.
The railroad equipment WAS increased
10y lN locomotives, passenger oars. 10
freight cars, u pay car and ll5 service
ears.
The plan FOR terminal facilities al
South Portland has been abandoned
and the Northern Pacific Terminal Co
| organized, whose stock Is held 40 pei
cent. 10y this company. ~ per cent. b,
the Northern Pacific and N per cent. b,
the Oregon Il California. fhis compan,
will provide the terminal facilities a
Portland for the three lines.
The completion of the Northern Pa
oitic aud the connection seou To b,
made with the Union Pacific's Oregon
| Short Line are expected TO saase erea
changes in the compSny's business.
The agreement made with the Cniol
Pacific. 10y which this company is TO IL
all the Oregon business for tina: road
requires the building of 10 miles add
tional road on the Baker City Branch
This extension and the necessity of re-
ducing the grades on the Mountain Di
vision will ada 81 so. 600 to the cost o
sthe line.
Construc.ion requirements for tn
current year are about 81 2it uO, q
which $S.3l4.oOo are provided ior. N
plau for providing the remaining $500,
ou0 presented. As il will not be neede
for nsarly year Yet.