Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1890-06-29
GREAT NORTHERN
New Facts ELECTED From The
Officials Regarding Contrm-
plated improvements
Interesting Interviews With
Chief Engineer Donovan and
Attorney Thompson
Fairhaven to Be the Scene of
Wonderful Activity and
Important Operations
Work to be Pushed With All
Possible Vigor in Every
Direction

the recent official announcement Of the
transfer OF the Fairhaven Il southern
and all its interests. divisions aud con-
nections TO the Great Northern. II l.
only by study and look into the future
that fair idea of the immense results
aecruing from the deal may be CLEANED
That Fairhaven Is TO be the terminus OF
great transcontinental system Of rail
roads is settled beyond the peradventure
of doubt, but the fact that this system
is the best and most practicable for all
purposes now spanning the continent
does not seem To enter the minds of even
Focal Citv The HERALD. wishing to
give the public some idea of the work
now going ON and In contemplation, sent
its representatives To Interview some Of
the leading railroad men aud a full report
of their efforts will be found below.
4 reporter Of the HERALD called at the
Office Of Chief Engineer D. !. Donovan to-
obtain statement Of the work being done
aud In contemplation. Mr.. Donovan is a
very busy man; IN fact when the reporter
called he found him poring over maps.
giving directions to subordinate, and four
OF tive persons waiting for an opportunity
u interview him. yet Mr. Donovan kindly
escorted the reporter into his private Of
lice aud Ia reply To enquiries said:
The officers Of the Great Northern. a. is
known. were here some time ago. aud
Chief Engineer Bcckler, who has charge
Of the surveys and construction. l. merely
perfecting the plans, made some time
since. for the advancement Of their lines
In every direction. The work of greatest
Importance Just at present Is To make
connection with the Canadian Paritc
northward 50 that all SUPPLE srsl 6.
steel. fastenings aud the thousand and one
articles used In railroad construction for
the lines southwark aud eastward may
be- handled to advantage. All ma
tetial will be brought over that
line and will Of course pass through Fair
haven. This alone will create large
traffic business. Every man possible Is
being put ON the line between Fairhaven
and Westminster " here large wharf has
Just been completed, terminal ground
purchased. and two ships loaded with
steel are expected there daily. The road
bed is ready for rails to within four miles
Of the boundary, which j. under contract
to Mr.. Leamy aud Is covered With men
and teams Mccoy * O'Brien as every
body knows has the contract for the con
struction Of the road between Blaine aud
Fairhayen and are employing about 1000
men. Brown Bros, at Custer. have many
thousand ties piled up ready to be used.
The piers for the 235 foot iron draw bridge
at Ferndale have been driven and the draw
is being constructed at Detroit, Michigan.
Pile drivers are working on every tide at
Whatcom where Hoffman & Bates have
completed one fine draw bridge, while
the San Francisco Bridge company are
under contract for the construction OF
another draw bridge costing sis,OJO TO be-
completed July 20 under heavy penalty.
In the cuts at Schome, back Of the Bel
lingham mill and the one near farhaven'
men are working night and day
Sundays included, In order to
complete them "a soon "a possible
1t is expected that the tracks will con
meet near Blaine, uniting FairhaVen with
the Canadian Pacific early IN September
On the coast division, ON the Fairhavet
and Southern, from Fairhayen TO Sedr'
IL Is the intention to erect Immediately al
the necessary buildings for the prope
operation of the road. This viii meat
the immediate erection of about twelN
buildings at kairhaven, consisting o
depot. engine house, hops. water tank
. sand, oil and store rooms, tool and seetio
houses. and the buildings along the lin
customary in the operation OF any line d
railroad. The line from SedrO To seattl
is practically ready for the contractors
: ia fact portions Of 1t has been Constructed
see by dispatches that col tioug
promises that this line shall be- complete
by the fir3i of January, which Will giN
us connection with the Northern Pacit
- and Union Pacific systems. The line II
the Skagit river has bc' IA located to u
mouth of the Cascade river. forty mil
above Sedro, and preliminary lines ha'
been carried to the foot Of the mountain
A large party of engineers under Il
direction of Mr. Root. are located
Rouse running the lines necessary for q
location Of the tunnel There are a gre
many parties Of engineers working u
~ tween the coast and Spokane,and while
III selecting Of route over the whole It
tance il tremendous task. Z
number of men employed insure IT. bel
done ouickly and thoroughly. The Gre
<nr,bern system has by far the be
q GRADES and curves Of any line across u
:" continent. They viii reach the Casead
from ~. Paul with maximum cnrvatnl
= of six degrees and maNimum grade
dfty-three feet 10 the mile. whereas. eNri
TX other road has been compelled 10 use
crossing the Rocky mountains and j
spurs, curves of ten degrees aud grades
Il6 feet to the mile. Besides the immen'
y saving In curvature and grade the Gree
} Northern saves many miles In distan'
and thus has has great advantages oY'
all competitors. OF the Eastern divisio
up the Skagit, five miles
% ready for the track and the thr'
and half mile branch to u
coal mines has been ordered construct
nd and will be- completed In seventy-h h'
n days. The tunnel al the coal mines Is
be driven night and day so that coal ma