The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-09-12
THE RAILROAD.

IT'S eExERAL Eos7rE Aso RESOURCES
ALoSG THE LINE
The Port Townsend Southern Rail
road Company vas incorporated in
July. iss7. by several local and Cali
foruIa capitalists, with a capital stock
Of 50 .Ggo.Oc Its object Is 20 build
railway lire from Port Townsend
through Jefferson. Mason, Thnrston,
ChehaIis. Lewis, Cosliiz and Clarke
counties in Washington Territory,
to some point on the Columbia
river opposite Portland. Oregon
soon after the organization, corps
Of surveyors was pat into The field
to determine whether a railway tax
ing the general course ehoye meG-
toned could be hails with areason-
abie expenditure Of money. IL was
claimed by men who had naYigatei
Hoods canal, and By Others who
were familiar with the topography OF
the country In and about the head OF
the canal, that the mountains pre-
scented engineering difficulties which,
% overcome. would require an outlay
Of money far in excess OF results
reasonably to be expected from traffic
along the line. Indeed. this was the
general impression, and the project
ers Of the enterprise were themselves
inclined to the same belief. 30 they
determined to learn by thorough sur
veys the exact facts Ia the case.
The Official reports Of the engineers
showed that the typographical diHcnl-
ties had been wildly exaggerated. and
that the resources Of the country trib-
utary 90 the pr0Po ct line had been
undcrestimased. While the officers
81 the Port Townsend Southern Com
pany do not choose b give to the pub
Nc the knowledge gained at the cost Of
preliminary survey, they are free 10
say that the line as laid ont can be
built az reasonable cost.
The well--ettied opinion concerning
the iHpracticahility Of baildiug rail-
road along the west shore of Hood $
canal Is merely an instance OF pre-
vailing lack Of knowledge on the sub
jest OF railway engineering; and the
writer IS reminded how weil-iniormed
men are often mistaken in what they
consider web -grosnded views In
April. ISS0, when Eastern Washing
ton and Oregon we're beginning 60
feel the impulses OF railway building:
when Henry Willard. as head 81 the
Oregon Railway & Navigation Com
pany. was pushing his road from Port
land 20 Wailnla, and Frederick Bill
bngs. as head Of the Northern Pacific.
WAS hurrying work lbroush the alkali
ceaiees between AinsRorth aud Ritz
vile, and making preparations for the
gigantic work along Clark FORK of
the Columbia, happened 10 be a pas
senger on the same h0at from Celtic to
Walluld with the late Dr. y $. Baker,
Of Walla Waila. Tie was the pioneer
railroader Of the Columbia river basin.
and knew from practical experience
what it cost TO build railways John
l.. Haliett. Nillani's superintendent 81
construction, had force uf 800 to
40o men scattered between Umatiila
and WaHula, ana was driving his work
Iva rock, sand aud earth nr. lsaker had
spent the winter in California, aud a
he rode upthe Columbia that bright
morning he could scarcely believe bis
eyes. Having made a great success of
the little road from WAlla Walla 10
Wallala, he too. hal conceived the
idea IT extending the hne down the
river hut hc had made UP his mi0d
that the engineering difficulties were
too great % BE overcome with reason
ahle expenditure OF money. lie was
not ab3e 60 take hi, eyes FROM she
work along The southern bank 81 the
river lie was in the pilot haue and
more than once as he sAw the line of
the grade he took Capt. StGmp'> Eeld
glasses and CARED intcnsiy on the work.
rWjce heard him say They can't
bptld H. Bal they did build Il, and
IL IS the best piece af read the o. L. 4
y. CO bas, ard except Tor occasional
sand storms the most economical to
Pr Bsker was simply mis-
taken The reYVrs 81 the Port Town
9eu4 ~olihcrn's engineers shaNs that
thc people have been usistaken when
tIcy considered the head es TIood's
canal prc-gnsci an inPassa,i1e barrier
to F48yoads-
The officers 20 tie Port Townsend
Southern Railroad Company are
J 4 kuhac vice president.
T. T. Hastiu<~. secretary, K. e. NIi
treasurer, HsBry Itndes; trustees.
Charles Ii aentcis, Dr. y y. Hit.
Thomas jackman. and The four o..
acsrs mcnlsoaci. They axe in PCS.
session ot the rcFoyt e The surveyors
'er tbe hrss a. Haiics namely. trcm
Fort Tos asend to the plateau tctseeu
Zee bead & Hsosis canal 2ad She che
ssl}s river yallcy. The remainder 81
,Ae ilnc -oathwaf,s IS through a dis
,orerci country
This rvPcfi xaS received necember
! lsS- a1d shoes thatshe fsst -cetsoa,
.rem Port Tcwnscs3 ta ths bead 81
,ssilerue hay. a aI-tAnce q - nd lee.
.ae c0ap1Fy Is very heavily unhevef
Z Ae enE;ncers estimate thst w{thin
.wo ami oz.o-Aag uiises en- sither ssde
= tac hne. there is ona dss1 essg
ext x tlnhSr Eaar-Gl1As 81 "a usselas
IL. and cac-Glth CESAR. Fer I've masS
eeTe i agricultural isr8 q fue qazl-
g. r1Siuciug hsy hors. Fatstoss ana
.raia n abundance Sezr Gal eeae
.sy = wa - snsG Essgnes.s ;ron las