The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-11-23
THE NOOKSACK FORKS
Building 4 Lake Shore Bridge
Over q Raging Torrent.
WOMEN HAVE a MARROW ESCAPE
work ON the Lake shore Nearing Conn
plstion-Bettsr workmen ON Rail-
roads-The Belt Line.

Frod Rice Rowell. right-of-way agent and
attorney for the Lake Shore road, returned
Yesterday from Sumas City after week's
absence. He says that the pile-driver has
driven piles for the bridge across the north
fork of the Nooksack, and has worked half
way across Black slough, which extends for
some distance between the two forks. The
other driver, which completed the Samish
bridge on thursday. " II 60 up along the
track, as soon as tits completed to the south
fork, ami drive piles for the bridge across
that stream and meet the hrst driver in the
slough. The track can now be pushed for
ward from the Samish to the Nooksack
without any delay, and beyond the north
fork OF that stream there are only few
small trestles to build. the largest being
across the west fork of the Eumas river.
These will not delay tracklaying.
Mr.. Rowsil reports two thrilling incidents
at the confluence of the forks of the Nook
sack last week. Tue south fork is mild.
sluggish stream. and is met at right angles
by the north fork, which is q roaring, rush.
ing mountain torrent. The latter dashes
with full force against high sandstone
bluff on the opposite side Of the south fork,
and has worn away deep cave in the rock,
creating dangerous unuertow. On Tues
day the wife of rancher was crossing the
river on the planks. which extended from
pile to pile, and the roaring of the water
only four feet below made her nervous, and
she fell into the water. Her husband
jumped after her. and both we're carried
under the overhanging blum. Four of the
workmen jumped after them, and by siren
nous exerti0ns saved them. The next day
three other women were crossing the pIanks
and lost their footing. One of them went
into the water, and was rescued with great
difficulty. Toe other caught one leg around
the plank and hung swinging between
water and sky until relieved from her per-
ilols position.
Mr.. Roweli says that the Nooksack val
ley is pretty thoroughly settled and con-
tains as rich land as he Duwamish valley.
A large number of Indians who. have
severed their tribal relations have taken up
homesteads along the rich bottoms be-
tween the two forks, and are making fine
farms. though he lack OF communication
has hitherto prevented them from getting
their produce to market.
]. Miner. manager Of the Seattle q
Montana railroad, who has returned from
Fairhaven, says that the track Of the Fair
haven q Southern railroad is within mile
OF Blaine, and will be finished to the
boundary next Wednesday. the bridge
which bars progress being nearly finished.
North of the boundary there is ten miles
OF track TO lay and q good deal of ballast
ing't0 do, but trains can run through to
New Westminster by January 1. Mr.. Mil
her says that al the towns along the line
are growing very rapidly and that their
people are showing lots OF energy.
The Seattle Electric Railway Conpany's
line Oh Twelfth and Prohibition streets
will be completed tomorrow. Anew lengths
of rails have to be laid at Twelfth and
Howell streets to connect with the
old line, and wires have to be
stretched at this juncture. The line
branches of from Howell street at Twelfth
and runs down that and Prohibition street
to Lake Union. Cars will run every twenty
minutes. Wires are being stretched along
South Third street, and cars will run to
Main street this week.
Railroad contractors say that workmen
are becoming mere plentiful Many men,
who are Old hands at railroad work, have
come out from st. Paul. Minneapolis and
points in Michigan, having paid their own
fare. and are superior class to the loafers
they have picked up along the Sound. The
abundance of labor makes il possible to get
more work out of the men.
Work on the Belt line now goes on
apace. ALI the grading has been done from
Black River junction 10 Mercer slough. ex-
cept on the CoIman property.s From DERBY
on the northern end for q distance of four
and one-haf miles grading is pretty vel.
along. The change of the location has held
back work behind Kirkland and Mercer
slough.
Through cars from Yesler avenue to
Green lake begin running this morning.
the two Green lake cars coming through to
the city and one OF the Fremont cars going
through 10 the lake. They will run to
Green lake every ha hour and to Fremont
every fifteen min ates.
superintendent and Chief Engineer Bush
and General Passenger Agent Briggs, OF
the Oregon Improvement Company. took a
trip up the Columbus & Puget Sound rail-
road yesterday.