The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-16
OLYMPIC RAILROADS.
Two Surveying Parties in the
@Unexplored" Region.
GREAT ENGINEERING FEATs
Preparing to Send Locomotives Through
the Mountain Standardization In
Wealth and Beauty.

The opening up OF the much-explored but yet
undeveioped Olympic mountain region has al
ready proceeded so far that two railroads are
being surveyed through 1t. The hrst OF these Is
being conducted by the Victoria, Crescent Bay
& Gray's Harbor Railroad Company. 1t runs
from Crescent bay around Crescent lake,
through pass at the west end of the lake. along
atributary of the Solduk, through the Quilla-
yuta aud Quiniault country almost due south TO
Grays harbor. party of surveyors started
from Crescent bay aud are now at point about
west OF Mount olympus.
Thisroad is beng surveyed under the auspices
OF the Northern Pacific railroad, and is about
ninety miles long. 1t Is proposed to run steam
ers ACROSS the straits to Victoria, where tney
will connect with the Nanaimo railroad. The
scheme also contemplates the construction OF
bridge across Queen Charlotte sound to the
mainland at the narrowest. These straits are
no wider than the Mensi straits in Wales which
were bridged many years ago. Every mile OF the
road on this side of the Straits OF Fuca runs
through country rich in either timber, agri-
cultural and grazing land, or valuable copper
and coal deposits
The other contemplated railroad is the Port
Angeles Central, of which Judge Wickersham,
of Tacoma, is the ostensble head, though he is
supposed to be backed by the Northern Pacinc,
as leading official of that road has made
large purchases of land along the proposed
working up the Elwha river and are rapidly
pushing southwark. The proposed route turns
to the southeast and the road will probably go
up the Eiwhs river, travessing the canyon sus-
pended on brackets such as those which are the
wonder OF the Denver d Rio Grande in tue Royal
gorge OF the Arkansas river. The road WILL
then run up the Elwha river from the head OF
the canyon and wind around among the moun-
tains TO the base of the Three Brothers. There
it will penetrate the main range by tunnel
under that triple peak mile and quarter
long. Coming out on the headwaters Of the
skokomish river, 1t will pass around Lake Cush-
man and down that river to point about ten
miles west of Union City, thence continuing
southwark to connection with the Northern
Pacific main line 1T Chehaiis
This road will pess through the rich grazing
country in the interior of the mountains and
viii tap the rich veins of copper, iron and silver
IN that region, as we'll as the coal measures OF
the lower Elwha, near Port Angeles 1t viii
also render accessible to the lover of natures
rugged beauties the wild canyon OF the Elwha,
the valcano of Mount Angeles, the black peaks
to the east of them and the many rugged peaks,
beautiful waterfalls, wild, rushing streams and
unbroken forests of that region
The information about this region, impaired
by the Messrs. Gilman, Norman r Smith aud
Norman r. Kelley through the Posi- INrELLI-
GENCER, has awakened the railroad builders to
its great possibilities, and the track-layers will
follow close on the footsteps of these explorers.