Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-11-27
The Cascade Division.

1t was announced last week that
the management of the Northern
Pacific Railroad Company had re-
solved TO place under contract tho
unfinished portion of the Cascade
division. The Tacoma Ledger has
these particulars:
The mileage to be put under con-
tract in accordance with the instruc-
tions of the board consists of q gap
OF seventy five and q half miles, be.
tween the fifty-mile post on the
western side of the mountains and
Ellensburg on the eastern side; that
portion of the road between North
Yakima and Ellensburg being al.
ready under contract with MIR.
Bennett, who calculates he will have
the last rail laid early next March.
President Harris states the estimates
for the construction of seventy Eve
and q half miles now to be put un-
der contract as follows:
Twenty miles to foot Of mountain
grade on the west side OF the
summit. ..................... $3.50 700
Forty miles to foot of mountain
grade on the east eide OF the
IS, summit. .,;..;..; ;:....... 900. 900
Fifteen and half over the noun
lain inpIndiuU tho 4.
miles l0ngl.. 2,441 200
:, Total; .......... ........ . 1871, 900
Snow sheds on mountain iii re-
quired), estimated at. at....... 100000
When, therefore, it is said that
ample means are provided for this
work, we are to understand that the
large sum of over $4,000, 900 is
readily available in cash, as it may
be required for the exigencies of
rapid construction.
A number Of months ago bids
were advertised for and received for
boring tho long tunnel under the
summit, and which will measure
$3.50 feet, the lowest reasonable bid
received being $70O.3OO. President
Harris estimated that to construct
the tunnel with economy will re-
quire from two to two and q half
years.
But We are not to wait the great
length Of time mentioned by Mr..
Harris for through trains from st.
Paul over the Cascade division, be-
cause there are matters of great pith
and moment under full considera.
ton by the company demanding, in
the interest of the road as we'll as Of
the country traversed, the means of
through traffic over the Cascade di.
vision ct as early day as practica-
be. And this il to be accomplished
by switch. back to climb up to the
summit and down on the other side
by a zigzag course on heavy grades.
This would add only eight miles of
track, which would be used until
the track is laid through the tunnel,
and thereafter probably abandoned.
There would be four miles OF the
switcb.back track on either side of
the summit requiring q five per cent.
grade, except on the curves, where
the grade is always lighter. Mr..
Engineer Bogue has stated that if
the company would give him the
chance he would have cars running
over tho Cascade division in q year
by means of tho switch back, and
this can he done at q cost of between
$3.50, 900 and $500. 900. This ex-
pense, regarded in connection with
tho immense advantages which
would accrue from operating the
Cascade division as a through line
during the long period of thirty
months pending the completion of
tho tunnel is but triAing sum. and
from the best information we can
get, is 80 regarded by the board of
directors.