Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-03-29
A WONDERFUL RAILROAD
Grand Feat OF Engineering Just
Achieved in Southern California.
Nothing Can Stand in the WAY of
Modern Skill.

The Aptos creek debouches into the bay
of Monterey, says The San Jose (CaD
Herald, and running up this creek seven
miles to the base OF the grim old Iona
Prieta is a railroad built and owned by the
Iona Pneta Lumber compauy. This
wonderful little road, hidden away in the
bowles OF .ha mountains and creeping up
TO the Aptos gulch, Is besides being the
prettiest bit of railroad scenery in Cali
foryia, the most remarkable feat of rail-
road engineering north of Peru. Five
miles of road WAS built four years ego.
The timber having been cut ont within
reach of the railroad, the company great
ly desired 10 extend the road two miles
farther up in order 10 reach the maguifi
cent basin of the Aptos, a wide, fiat open
ing in the heart of the mountains tlled
with some of the finest redwood timber on
the coast but there appeared 60 be in
superable difficulties in the way. Engin-
GERS were sent thither TO explore the
route and they reported it impracticable.
The grades were too steep, the gorges too
narrow, and the curves too short. The
company at last appealed TO Mr.. Mcleod,
who went and looked over the ground.
II can build it, he said IF you back
me with money
"You may have all the money You
want was the reply.
lie went to work last June, and has
Just finished the road. Tits a remarkable
achievement.
Some idea of the difficulties that had 90
be overcome may be gathered from
knowledge of these facts: The average
L..
To the mile the maximum grade being
264 feet. The maximum curvature IS -
degrees Chat is, an angle of "a degrees
in every 100 feet). When the basin is
reached (through which the road runs "A
mile) there are lighter grades aud ha.der
curves, there being one % degree curve,
making Il total angle of ~ degrees. The
glades of 2ll feet are on the - degree
curves, the grades OF 26i feet being on
the tangeuts, The road crosses and re-
CROSSES the creek many times, requiring
numerous trestles and bridges. On enc
Of these bridges there is a curvature Of
18 degr Is on fifty foot span. AZ ths
high bridge, q fine piece Of work. the
track ia sevent y-fiye feet above the bed Of
the creek, aud quarter of milo above
1t, at Devils gate narrow gorge uc-
cupied wholly by the creek, the roao is
cut through the rock and Is only seven
feet above the creek. This gorge was a
difficult passage two bridges being ro-
uuirt din a space OF $50 feet. a queer
looking locomotive, a powerful machine
that carries its water on its back, ia kept
on this road, making daily trips. In the
summer pas-ouge, locomotive aud
train will run TO Iona Prieta, and be-
youd that the queer locomotive viii run
| to the end of the road and bring the tim.
| Der TO be cut az Iona Prieta. So steep
/ is the grade that very slow progress Is
made, and in coming down the brakes
| have TO be rot very hard. IL is charm
! ing ride from beginning TO end. All the
lumber is Gus NJ Iona Prieta, where there
is a little town aud big mill She mill
has large circular saw, with an Oversaw,
aud they cut boards six feet wide ana
have a capacity of sixty thousand feet q
day.