The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-17
THE CITY'S BACKBONE
Electric Cars Now Traverse it
From End to End.
GREAT FEAT IN TRAcKLAYlNG.
Rhe Union Trunk Lines Race WINE
rime-Colonel Clough Inspecting
the Great yorthern's Lines.

The Union Trunk line ID now IN operauon
from the northern city limits Is insy were oe-
fore the recent annexation 70 the souinefu ci1s
limits distance Of five and onensI nit
The franchise of the company required InA.
these lines should Be in operation Dy mlonlen'
last night, and it was only By the most sIienu-
Gus exertion that the track was compss1su "a !.
time. Last Friday morning there were one an
one-tourth rniles OF track 20 lay ana wires 70
stretch and 700 feet Of the right-oi-way on tns
southern end had get 70 be cleared OF the thick
brush and graded.
But James r Mckay, the superintendent Oh
the lines, was equal 70 the occasion. ne IA
rnedietely put gang OF men to Tofk on We
clearing and grading, az the same tine nafiylns
forward the trscklaying on the ncft ga
from the cemetery 70 the old city iimils- WIZ
went on from sunrise TO sunset every dsy, III
GLIDING Sunday, every man putting iortn al nls
enerzy 10 carry the task through by the Ilme
set The result was that 81 noon yesterday
track pierced the city from north 70 soath. ana
NJ 5 O'Clock the first car ran out over beacou
hill 70 the southern line. and then on Broadway
70 the brow OF the hill overlooking Lake Y nion-
The accom- lishment Of this feat is due TO the
energy OF Mr.. Mckay, ably seconded py FREQ
Freibere, the chief electrician.
Atso'elock last evening q party OF city OF
6cials and friends accompanied the officers OF
the road on q trip over the new lines on the
combination car Seattle. This car was built at
the cofnpany's shops, and is almost entirely OF
home material The woodwork Is of Washing
ton ash and has the merit of being light, airy
and tasteful. The car 10 operated by Sprague
motor, of which Ar. Freiberg took charge, while
c. r. Grant, one of the most trusted men In the
service, was the conductor.
The party consisted Of e F. wittler, presi-
dent: j. D. bowman, secretary: Fred E. Sander,
one of the trustees, ana Mrs. Sander: 4. W.
Jones' president Of the house of delegates, and
Nrs Jones: Delegate W. II. Davis, Mrs. Davis
and Mrs Edward Culbertson: Delegate ]. B.
Kittinger, Delegate F. d. Muldoon and Mrs.
Nuldoon, Delegate 6. v. Lansing, Jacob Furth,
JF Brewer. D. z. Dnrie, +. J. Grant, Mr.. and
Mrs. T. r Spencer
The car left the pover-houss about 8 o'clock
and ran out on the Lake Washington line az far
~ McclAire street, about mile distant. This
line runs along Barclay street and then straight
out Remington ayenue, o broad thoroughfere
eighty feet wide, which II is proposed TO extend
due east TO the lake. and which travefses q fine
stretch Of ground only recently disencumbered
of timber Then the car returned to the power
house and started along Broadway to the north
srn city limits. As 1t sped along the high ridge
on the crest OF which Broadway runs q splendid
landscape was spread out before the eyes OF the
passengers The sky was obscured In the east
BY dark, lowering clouds, lit up at inter
walls BY flashes of distant lightning,
but this only served to throw the rugged, snow
capped Olympics in the west into stronger re-
lief As the light OF the setting sun faded out
behind them. As IL came nearer the crest of the
hill the line brought more OF the mountains
into view and then the Sound became visible,
oarkened by the reflection of the indigo clouds
When the cemetery was reached North Seattle
became visible, with its thousand twiukling
lights. while on the opposite side q scrap OF
Lake Washington, encircled with forest, became
visible From the extreme end OF the line q
view could be obtained such a. no other spot in
the city offers. Below TO the west were the
lower part of the city, the Sound and the dark
wall of the olympics; 20 the north wss the east
ern arm of Lake Union; 20 the east were gentle
slopes with Lake Washington beyond.
The run 20 the north was made in 81 minutes,
the distance, including curves, being three
miles, though IL Is only two and three-quarter
miles in a straight line The return trip was
made in 9i< minutes. Notwithstanding this
high speed IL was possible 10 walk through the
car without "sea-Iegs," for the ear moved almost
without any oscillation in either direction
The party then rode over the Beacon Hill line
TO the southern city limits, which runs over 4
high, level stretch OF ground, commanding an
extended view Of the city. the lake and tbs
Cascades TO the east, the harbor, the Sound and
the Olympics 20 the west. The line runs out
Broadway, South Eleventh and South Four
teenth streets. turns eastward along Frederick
street, around the reservoir and then runs direct
20 the city limits on South Sixteenth street.
On returning from this trip the party came
down on the James street line aud repaired Il
the Chamber Of Commerce. where the officers oil
the company entertained them at dainty light
rspast. the tables being decked with profusion
OF beautiful flowers from Mr.. Writers eonserv
atory.
The line Just completed is without exception
the Finest scenic line in the city, and in order &c
give the public an opportunity of realizing this
fact the company proposes to carry excursion
lists from the northern TO the southern end of IL
for cents Cars will run every ten minutes.
As soon as the finishing touches have beer
PUT on the Broadway and Beacon Hill lines the
construction force will be put on the Lake
Washington line and complete ii 10 the lake. II
has not yet been decided whether 10 continue in
. bee line to the lake on Remington avenue or
curve onto Division street and then run through
private property eastward This question will
shortly be settled when all the lines are I'm.
fshed the Union trunk system will consist oil
three main stems of two and three quarter miles
each, running north. south and east to the city
limits, and the three quarters of q mile of cable
road down James street 20 Pioneer place, max