The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-23
A CROSSING FIGHT.
Great Northern Does Battle With Blue
Canyon Road.

There was n lively fight for a crossing at
New Whatcom yesterday morning be-
tween the forces of the Great Northern
and the BelIingham Bay e. Eastern rail-
roads. The section gangs on the former
road were gathered on the scene and had
a bloodIess battle with the construction
forces of the latter. Peace was finally ar
ranged and the forces were drawn off.
The Beilingham Bay & Eastern road is
designed to cross the Great Northern over
head short distance north of the north
ern limits of Fairhaven and TO run over
high trestle to the bunkers which are now
being built for the Blue Canyon coal mine.
The Great Northern at this point runs
under bluff about forty feet high, and
the Bellingham Bay & Eastern will run
feom the top of this bluff on a trestle with
4-degree curve out to the bunkers at
deep water. The Great Northern de-
manded that the trestle should cross both
its main and side track with one bent in
order that no timbering should come to
the ground between the two tracks. This
would require a thrty-foot bent at right.
angles and a still wider one on the curve
provided for. The Bcllingham Bay q
Eastern people wanted to cross with only
a sixteen-foot bent, which would involve
the erection of timberlng between the
Great Northern main and side tracks.
The dispute was still under consideration
by the general officers of the Great North
ern when on Saturday the Belinghem
Bay & Eastern construction forces were
ready TO build the trestle. Then the trouble
began. A. G. Scurtield, assistant engineer
of the Great Northern, told the story of
what happened on his return home last
evening, saying:
l had intended to come home on Saturday,
but n1ficei taat the Bellingham Bay d East
erp people had laid the stills Tor their trestle to
cross our track and that they seemed anxious TO
know whether was coming away, so st aged
to see what they were going IT. do. AS soon
the train had gone, about O'Clock, went to
the crossing with six men, all had there, and
found them building the tresile. We ilnme-
diately pulled the timbers down. The other
party, which was under }. J. Donovan, the
chief engineer, looked surprised and offered no
resistance, SO that ended the matter for that
day
Tho wire was down, 30 that could not get
word to the junction, where We had thirty five
men at work, and had to depend on the aid of
six men. Mr. Nef was at home sick lay
down in the caboose for the night, but did not
sleep more than ten minutes at time, and fire.
Quentiy getting up to see whether they were do
Ing anything.
About 10 o'clock this morning Mr.. Donovan
came with about fly men and posse OF police
men and deputy sheriffs and started to build
the trestle. Our party did all we could to stop
them. When they started to move piece of
timber we would sit on it or hold it
down with any tools we could get hold of. Tho
police and deputies were there ostensibly to
keep tho peace, but they really helped the other
purity by getting in way and arrestng two
OF our meu-Charles Geske, the assistant bridge
foreman, and J. Jarvis. That reduced our force
TO five men, including myself so we were
greatly outnumbcred. There was no fighting,
but there was good deal of showing and
bustling. We tried to get chain around one
OF the timbers to move II eff track, but
Donovan's party prevented us by pulling at it
and holding down the timber. / kept tcie-
graphing to the junction for our other force to
came down, but meanwhile we had to keep up
the struggle alone.
At last about 10 O'Clock the gang came from
the junction and we held our ground well from
that time on, though we were still outnum-
bered. About II O'Clock Donovans party, find
ing they could not do anything, gave up the at
tempt to continue work. Then Mr.. Donovan
and came together. and he agreed to cross on a
bent thirty feet wide at right angles As that
was the great point We were coutending for, the
matter was settled.
1t was impossible to reach New What
com or Farhaven by telegraph last night
to learn what Mr.. Donovan had to say
about the affair.