The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-03-30

AfcCaig, with "a look of triumph, takes the
hammer from the workman who had
started the spike. aud repares to give IL
the first blow. With u thud, the hainmer
dcscends, hut instead OF landing
ON the spike il strikes deep into b Tie a
tended to strike. Throwing down the
hammer with an expression of disgust the
colonel squared himself for n speech, and
n speech Il was too. Reviewing the his
tory Of the Northern Pacific company
from its inception years ago, he gave an
Northwest up IN the present day. show
ing the wonderful things il made possible
tn the country through which II passes.
Amidst applause that made the trees
tremble the colonel closed.
Gencra Irvine now stepped Ia the front
and managed to hit the spike once or
twice out Of about IA dozen trials u he
too quit. A speech was called for andthe
general good-naturrdly responded and
was In his happicst mood. Launching
out bravely he began To give the
history of railroad building from the days
wagon was a freight n passenger n
combined. and "A yoke of steers ar n
team OF mules an engine. up la the very
moment Of the occasion which had caused
the crowd To assemble.
Major Ca~ldcrhcad followed the gencr-
al = tttlth OH ttft tlikt. ait lflstti.tRfi w
do n little better but refused to make a
speech. The hammer WAS now passed la
Senator OfBricn and at once
il became evident that he
was as thoroughly familiar with
constructing as with operating railroads,
for with a blow or two he drove the spike
home. Ii was just i:l7 o'clock when the
echoes of the final blow died away n
the spike was pronounced driven. When
the last blow had been struck Captain
Lyons rcvcrcntly nj oil his hat
n began to recite the Burial of Sir
John Moor" but an unapnreciative
crowd cut him short and he retired To a
convenient boulder against which he
leaned and wcpt as only "A strong man
can weep. The captain was lot alone in
his disappointment. The newspaper
gang IA under the impression that the
last spike was To he golden and when they
saw that II was only a common everyday
spike, picked at random from a kegful,
their Il sgust knew no bounds. Each one
Of them had provided himself with a
crowbar with which To pull ont the spike
and keep IL as "A mcmento OF tho occasion.
OF course, they thought Of no such thing
as selling the spike. Colonel McCaig no
ticcd their gloom and told them that il
spike made of gold. hut "a the
road is emphatically a business prop
o~sition, devoid of all romance, II
was thought best 10 have everything in
connection with il of a purely utilitarian
feel "a little better m il vas probably the
contemplation of the practical in conncc-
ton with railroad building that caused
them 10 bc satisfied with q pull out of a
black bottle that Gen. Irvine produced,
instead OF demanding Pommery -
as they said they would.
The ceremony being over the car was
boarded and the journey honic was begun.
just before reaching Butte "A vote 81
m was passed To Conductor Waits,
Col. Mct,aig, and Mr.. Patterson for court
estes and fayors extended. Although the
last rail has been laid the Dad il still
not completed and il will bc well int the
month Of May before trains will run rrgu-
larry over il. Many miles of surfacing
n ballasting rcmain To be completed,
and until this il done il will be- impossible
to run trains or even heavy engines over
the track. loose rock, hanging from the
sides of slopes IN cuts will ave To b.
removed, cmbankmcnts riprapped and
much other work known only 10 railroad
men will have 10 be performed before il
can be said that the road is finally fln.
ished and in perfect condition. This oi
course will all take time, and work will
he going on long after trains are running
regularly between Butte and Gallatin.
The main line from Butte to Logan is q
miles long and the branches from Sap.
pington TO Red Bluff and Pony ~ miles,
making ia all 100 miles of road built
since work was begun last spring. Tire,
and onc-half miles Of bridges were built
between Butte and Whitehall, ~ miles
distant, this portion being known rs thu
Mountain division. Whitehall IL located
at the lowest point ON the road. III,
largest bridge is that across Git Thar
Gulch. Ii is lI5 feet high and In It's al
struction 50O,OU feet Of umbcr were used
The tunnel IL 100 feet long, one-third al