The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-04
WALK ON THE GRADE.
Trip on Great Northern Grade
From Wenatchee.
SOME OF THE MUSHROOM TOWNS
Heavy work Yet to Be Done On the
summit Progsess OF the
0wftchback.

Great Northern railroad !roi n the Columbia
river 70 the Sound. The entir trip was made
on foot, until the end of ira * was reached,
thirty-one miles east OF Snohom ian.
The reporter left Wenatcaee Monday after
noon, September rs, At / o'clocs. his baggage
consisting simply OF q six-pound blanket
strapped TO his back For two miles north OF
wenatches the grade follows the Columbia river.
and then turns TO the northwest and Tor forty
miles runs along the Wenatchee river. follow
ing it, winding. and crossing and recrossfng IL
three or four times. The greater part OF this
distance the cars will run through deep rock
cuts, or along steep side hills. with the swiftly
Aowing river on one side aud high pine COW
cred hills on the other. Tho frsr station west
Of wenatches IL Mission, located at the mouth
of Mission creek, and here the reporter paused
and enjoyed the hospitality OF the genial
postmaster, Mr. Ralph White. dr White Is
very enthusiastic over the future OF Mission.
The Great Northern has purchased some coal
claims few miles up the creek, and, 1t Is said,
will run spur from Mission 70 the mines, which
it viii operate.
E:gh, miles further on 10 the so called town OF
peshastin. 1t is built in the virgin forest, and
has dozen log houses, several OF which are oe-
cupied by saloons. Twenty -four miles from
wcnatchee, az the mouth OF the Tumwater
canyon, aud ut the very base of a great noun
tain, surrounded by crags and peaks, Il town
bearing the refreshing name OF lcicie IL has
population OF perhaps seyenty-hve, and like the
rest OF the new settlements along the road Is
built In the woods, no effort having been made
to clear away the timber, except for a lew rods
along the main street Icicle has n hard name.
Saloons aud gambling houses run full blast day
and night, and here the railroad laborer can
como, alter hard weeks work, and spend all
his wages. And many of them do it, lcicle
people claim that their town is to Be the end OF
division. This railroad already has four side
IT, lad sxf IN In {nt n fnHt
seem to bear out the claim.
Tumwatcr can ron is five miles In length, and
will be one OF the principal scenic attractions
along the line Tho scenery is grand and awe
inspiring. Bcow, the Weuatchce river boils
aud ioains over the rocks. and on both sides
rise great walls OF stone To the height OF several
thousand feet Most OF the distance the road
bed is cut through solid rock.
From Welatchee to Cascade City, twenty
miles east OF the summit, the grading Is
practically finished. At Cascade City the re-
porter was obliged to leave the grade which he
had heretofore followed and take to the trails
and the wagon rosld. following them for thirty
five miles. The wagon road follows the grade
closely, crossing it at numerous places. 1t WAS
constructed by tho contractors to haul their
supplies over, and is a rough road at best. The
heavy rains aud nows this fall have rendered
II almost impossible for the heavy wagons
which are obliged to climb the mountains. Four
the mountains and four or five days are required
to make the trip from wenatchee to the sum-
nit
After toiling over this road, through the mud,
for six miles, the reporter was glad to reach tho
camp Of the resident engineer, Mr. c. Z. Smith,
and the assistant engineer, Mr.. Watkins, and
accept their Inequalities for tho night. The
camp is located twelve miles from the summit,
in the midst of the widest scenery and sur-
rounded by snow-capped peaks. From this
point to the summit there 10 considerable heavy
work yet to be done. At some of the heaviest
rock cuts temporary grades are being con-
structed around, and Engineer watkins in
formed the reporter that the grade to the sum-
nit will probably be ready for the track by the
LIST OF November.
Tunnel City Is situated at the east portal Of
the great tunnel 1t IL only a small settlement
containing few log houses and tents and
drawing its trade from the railroad laborers in
the vicinity. II is here the switchback begins
its climb over Stevens pass on a grade Of over
900 feet to the mile. East of the summit there
are but three switches and the work is we'll
along. On the west side, however, the mountain
II 50 steep that tho trains will have to switch
back seven times in getting down to the main
track. A wonderful piece of work the switch
back Is, running as il docs along an almost per-
pendicular hill thousand feet from the valley
below. The timber is very heavy sand much
work remains TO be done on the western side of
the switchbaek, but 40) or 600 men are pushing
Il to completion.
Stevens City 10 located at the western foot of
the switchback-named in honor of the cngf-
neer who has charge of the work west of the
summit. Ii is another mushroom town, occu-
pied by railroad men. Ii boasts drug stor o
and hotel. Here the grade strikes the I've
river, which lower down forms the Skykomisl
The railroad follows this until it empties into
tho snohomish river.
A few miles west Of the main switchback are
two tunnels, the longer one 1850 feet In length
switchbaek is being constructed around this,
while the smaller tunnel will be finished in
time for the track. Engineer Sullivan, who ia
III charge OF the work, assured the reporter that
the grade would be ready for the rails inside of
two months
The unfinished portion of tho grade f. prac,i.
eaily comprised within n distance of thirty
miles, and several thousand men are pushing IL
through. No work has yet been done on the bic
tunnel nor viii any be done this season The
tuanei viii be 1900 feet long and two or three
years will he required 20 dig it.
The town OF Martin Greek, eight miles west of
tho summit. has acquired cons derabie notoriety
on account of the highway robberies that have
been committed there. As gambling den aud
resort for thugs IL has first place among the
towns on the line, situated as IL il in the
heaviest OF timber, the rays of the sun scarcely
ever penetrate to the leg houses OF the town
and IL the gloom and solitude of the surround
lug forest many man has been relieved of his
poeket5ook, aud even murder has been com.
mitted.
Thirty one niles east of Snoho;uish the re-
porter. ioot sore aud weary. met the cons,ruc-
ton train and was given - ride dow 10 sno-
homtsh. The trip from henatchee had occu.
pied Eve DAYS While the trip is a rou,h one Z.
Is exceedingly Interesting. aud the reportar
found the engineers and railroad men very
courteous and hospitable. The scenery along
the entire limo is wei worth the Journey Thsre
IS great activity all sioug the unfinished nor
ticns al the read, aud the boom of the blasts
echo aud re-echo through the canyons like peals
OF thunder IL is safe 20 say that within very
few months Seattle will have smother great
trsnscontinenial RAILROAD az her doors
Track laying FROM the cas-. IL being pushed
and Is now some twenty miles east of tho
Columbia. From the vest two or three yailes az
track are being laid per day
Business IN Neaatehe last now Is I,,la
quiet Merchants iottjag their sto.,ks run
down In anticipation u cheaper freight rate.
when the cars got 81. A. present there ia n,
outlet ior the fruit Of the Weaatchee valley snt
8 gsea. deal is Eotting on the trees 4 $40 aa1
hsges is being built IN weEatcae.s. sna .evsra,
otaor brick buildings are gelng IN. ENw
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President Van Horne Returns
MONTREAL, Oct. = - President Va,
Horne, of the Canadian Facinc railwsv
has refurn.st from ENGLAND liz a..