, 1889-05-23
QUICK WORK.
y How the Spokane ind Northern
~ Has Sprung Into Being.
One Of the Most Remarkable
Pieces of Railroad Work.
An Interesting Krcapituiation-How Mr.
Corhin Took Hold or the Enterprise
and What lie Has Done Withit.

have had the pleasure this week OF
going over potion OF the line OF the
Spokane Il Northern railroad aud OF see
my in progress one or the most remark
able pipCps of railroad building that has
yet been beard OF in this woUdrrfnl North'
west. or even in any portion or the coun-
try, dare say there IL hot on record an
insta nee where road Of such extent and
cost mas been resolved upon ana Its con
struction begun and carried forward with
such promptitude rap any ana prtcieion
as in tbe case Of the Spokane " Northern.
One sees in going over the li"e at pres
ent IA fne example of modern rairoad
building Final surveys have been COM
pletpd tor fit, five les out from Spo.
kane and along the whole of this distance
except about fifteen miles OF finished grad.
ing th re il Il scene of the greatest activity.
Following the surveyors, who locate the
line. is "a small army of woodchoppPr1.
who cut out the space for the road
through the forest.s Then come the
graders who are stationed Mt various
points and who gradually ill 40 the
vacant spaces between them. Most Of the
work IL on easy prad.f hut In some places
there are some bad bills ana Tavines. and
some very refractory rock. Then there are
the tie-cutters, who are at work all alous
the line getting out aud piling up the ties
ready to be put down when track.la
begins. Saw mills are also busy at
various points cutting timbprs for the
bridges. lake ii altogether II IL a very
animated spectacle. and with the white
tents grouped along at yarioas good camp.
lng places, reminds me OF an army IN tue
field. Indeed II IL an army OF no incon.
siderable proportions for there dre about
1000 men employed on the grading alone,
not to speak OF the tie cutters and the
hands employed in connection with the
saw mills.
IL gives one an animated idea of the
growth of this country to see "A railroad
push,np itself on with such rapid,ty into
what heretofore has been considered an
almost trackle,s wildern, g.. Where there
has but until RECENTLY been heard nothing
bat the scream of the eagle. the howl of
there will soon be heard the shrill but
friendly and ciyiIizino whistle of the loco.
motive, Rallroads make "A country bios.
som like the rose. They lay out farms
and build cities. They open mines and
level forests. They establish currents of
trade and commerce. through wild wastes
and maze poor people ricn by INCREASING
the value of their products and their lands
The Suokanr & Northern is n strikinv
example of what "A railroad can do. IL is
essentially an independent and pioneer
line It "a NOT "A branch or a n.rt of a
svsten bnt "a an in,euer whole snd com.
plete in itself. buiit 10 omen up a new
coun.ry that mas no other lines OF innress
or oursss.
D.. .oa l.. ,,.;.
-. 30 w So;"' S"nu ~ "'anp M. .. s ~
~ ,upiy ,;.h
,"ne ,.h !, p'tsu was puS 90 ,oo. anu TIL Sn
~ r,,,oh or.I,, A. ha.a ,i,o, onaht 20 ho
c,sarln ,nd.rs,ond and anm,so,a,sd h, 80
neoris os 49, Snorams J Eai,s ppOhi pOn ,h. ~, VS. IS
All Az; 1909 tha So,kans g. Nor,hsrn CON-.
nanv was ;ncoraaratsJ % nv Messrs
Nawhar, Ro'U,sood Noora 90 I ~
G,n go ~, i,,,; aIu ~
uu sm,nsu had hsan ae, r,a,s . MssSrs
Nawbs,u % Rrrna T. Than,,sn Morehonaa
T. K,oa G,over u RocL wood woora
u ~ " un,,aO aih.., AIlen and W
n T.v,or r nn;.sd ,r IN % nsy;,n The % arnenss
- r. un,, aam'a p"'h ,hs moyanaot
y, 70 .a .,;'',;nar, lurv.n ,yas the ,,'
% .u@ ot ,ha rn.a After The iocnr.
nnrst;on ot ,he comna,v no,hin1 was done
hi Eshrnu,v ot this vssr in the nntnmn
Of ia., v.ar Mr ID q Corb,n comnletej
the sale of his line into the Cnur d'Alene
h;s r,.,,,n to Nsw Yort IN O,tober Mr.
Mswberv had some corresnoodence with
hi nv toncb,m, the Sooksne e. Nortbern'
NJ Corh,n did not Give the
subiec, s.ri,us " confederation Til
the he ginning or the present wear. He ar.
rived here on the lat of last February,
and on the Iith of that month he made a
trim IN tb. Colvilie country. examinipg
the line OF the road as indicated by the
preliminary survey. After an absence of
few days he returned here and proposed
to Messrs. NewbeIy and his associ-
ates that if the citizens Of Spokane
Falls would subscribe 100000, condi.
toned On ,be comnlet,on Of tbe road he
tS IIiI ~ i7.L IS CaL.,,au,