The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-24
NEWS OF RAILROADS.
Contracts for Bridging on the
Seattle & Montana.
THE SEATTLE 9 NoRrHeRn.
Ready Tor Active work on the Union Pa
cinc-Railroad Men at Anacortes
-YesIer wharf

President Ethan smith and Resident
Manager H. w. Mcneil, of the Oregon
Improvement Company. and Vice Presi-
dent w. 7. Clough went to Anacortes yes
terday, where they were met by Counsel
James Mcknight, OF the Northern Pacific,
who went over from Fairhaven Tuesday
afternoon. For several days President
Smith has had conferences with Colonel
Clough. with q view 10 transferring the
Seattle & Northern railroad to the Great
Northern, and It Is also understood that
Mr.. Mcknight has had . similar PROPOSE
ton under consideration on the part of the
Northern Pacific. The trip yesterday was
with view TO looking over the line. 1t
Is understood that no transfer has been
made, and it may be that the Northern
Pacific will be the purchaser. The railroad
party will return to Seattle today. The
Seattle q Northern will be completed as
tar as Hamilton about August is, and as
soon as the passenger locomotive shipped
from New YORK last Thursday arrives it
will De shipped to Anacortes, and regular
trains will be run over the line to Sedro
and make connection with the steamer
Eastern Oregon on her arrival at and de-
parture from Anacortes. About 500 men
are at work along the line OF the Seattle &
Northern up the Skagit river valley.
The CentraIia correspondent of the
Posr-IxrELLIeEScER telegraphs: A large
party Of gentlemen stook a trip Sunday
over the Northern Pacific extension to
Gray's harbor, as tar as the same is CONF
pleted. The party was piloted by Colonel
Eilsbury, and were much pleased to find
the track smooth and in excellent condi-
ton. Rails have already been laid to the
James ranch on Mound prairie, and track
laying will be continued as rapidly as cir
cumstances permit. Both Hunt and the
Northern Pacific continue to peg away,
and are rapidly pushing forward their re-
specfive roads to Gray's harbor. All talk Of
bluff is now at end, and every body comedies
that both mean business. The Northern
Pacific seems to have little the advantage
as it has about fifteen miles of rails laid.
But the Hunt people keep a stiff upper lip
and saw wood. Several carloads of spikes
are on the ground for the Hunt road, and
rails are expected to begin to arrive almost
any pay. Engineer Gates, of the Union
Pacific. Is being looked for in Centrala
every day for the purpose of selecting the
depot grounds for his road. Colonel Els
bury is still pushing his coal road. and
now the news comes that the Union Pacific
viii soon commence operations here.
The Yesler wharf property, from the
west lire of Railroad avenue to deep water,
and embracing the width Of the II. L. Yes
Ter donation claim. was sold July Is to
President A. s. Dunham for the Seattle,
Lake shore q Eastern. s'Sixty days prev
ious 10 July l5." said Mr.. Durham yester-
day, II secured an option on the property
had intended to use the wharf for the pur-
pose OF depot grounds, as part of a plan
commenced three months ago to lay out
terminals for the line. Now that the North
ern Pacific il reported to have secured the
Seattle, Lake Shore 4 Eastern, I suppose
the wharf will be used for other purposes,
perhaps for the Puget Sound and Alaska
Steamship Company. The price to be paid
Is $175, 900. but the transfer will not be
made until the abstracts and deed are pre-
pared, which will take some time yet"
The San Francisco Bridge Company yes
terday received the contract to construct
the Seattle d Montana line along Railroad
avenue. the harbor front and Salmon bay,
and II 10 understood that the same COM
pany will receive the contract to build the
bridges on the line over the 6nohomish,
Stillaguamish and Skagit rivers. The con-
tract for constructing the seventy-seven
miles Of the road from Seattle to q connec-
ton with the Fairhayen Il Southern re-
quires The whole line to be ready for laying
rails by November 1, and the track-laylng
to be completed by December l. The
graders are required to keep at least one
H. - g. IL - - ~ n
layers. Men will be set to work as fast as
they can be obtained in this city and other
towns, and Seattle will be made the supply
point, which means very large and steady
outlay of money.
The Mount Vernon Nems says: "a
Great Northern surveying party left Sedro
Friday. They will meet the party coming
from this way at Davis, crossing the river
there. The surveyors on this side have
reached point three miles below here, aud
are expected in town this evening or to-
morrow. The locating party is close be-
hind establishing the permanent line. The
survey from Florence follows the old
Northern Pacific survey. made many years
ago, passing outside OF the town of STAN
wood, following close under the high land
until opposite Fir, when it makes an air
line 70 Mount Vernon. through the center
of the valley. The survey viii probably be
entirely completed this week. A junction
with the Fairhaven g. Southern will be,
made at wo0Isy or Jsrman prairie" II
The cable for the West Seattle cable rail-
way arrived yesterday over the Northern
Pacific from Wilkesbarre, Pa. and was
taken across the barber. The cable is
1900 feet long. weighs fourteen tons and
Is one and one-eighth inches in diameter.
The rope viii be stretched the first of next
week.
General Passenger Agent e. w. Ruff, of
the Seattle, Lake Shore e. Eastern; Assist
ant Superintendent |. A. Nadeau and FIRST
Assistant General Freight Agent s. G. Full
ton, of the Northern Pacific, visited Sno-
qualmie Falls and the hop ranch yesterday.
Resident Engineer ii. G. Gates, of the
Union Pacific in Portland, is expected
here today to confer with Resident En-
gineer w. T. Chalk about pushing con-
struction on the line between Seattle and
Portland.
President A. S. Durham, Auditor John
Craig and Acting Superintendent F. w.
Dunn. of the Seattle, Lake Shore & East
ern. went to Arlington yesterday morning
and returned last night
President G. P. Huntington, Director
Charles F. Crocker and General Manager
A ~ Towne, of the Southern Pacific, are
expected here soon on tour through the
sound country.
Charles Baxter will today enter upon his