The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-07

'rsnseontinental railroad in several respects.
III is the trst road 20 be built simply rs bust.
ness proposition. and Seattle is the first city 20
have such a road built TO il from across the con-
tnent All preceding transcontnental lines
nave been heavily subsidized in either land or
bonds or both, and IN some cases the subsidy
mas been sufficient to pay the whole cost of cou-
struetIon The Great Northern is also the short
est line across the continent From its eastern
terminus at ST. Paul TO its Pacific coast terminus
al Seattle the distance is Isl6 miles, the distances
from 81 Paul To the eud OF the main extension
being i.ssS miles. The distance by the Northern
faclnc between ST Pant and Seattle is lqsl
miles, an advantage of lis miles ia favor of the
treat Northern. The new line crosses the Rocky
mountains by lower pass than any other
line. aud by very easy grades, an ad-
vantage which Is in some degree Offset bv
the fact that the Stevens pass, by which it
crosses the Cascades, is several hundred feet
higher than the stampede. by which the North
ern Pacific crosses The Great Northern also
crosses the Rockies at a further western point
than other lines, and has less of the lateral
spurs OF tha. range TO contend with The heavy
grades, where the aid of helping Engines will
DC needed are all close together. so that IL viii
not be necessary TO have such engines at any
points except the foot OF each range OF mount
aims TO be crossed. Tho average grade is less
than on any other line, in accordance with
y
can Do hauled IN single trains, operating ex-
penses viii be less, and business can be done at
lower rates than on other lines. Another faes
which will enable the Great Northern TO 40
business cheaper than its competitors is the low
hxed charges which 1t has 10 pay, amounting 10
about sl.2JO per mile, in consequence of stn
comparatively small bonded debt
While the Great Northern is necessarily to
compete SHARPLY with the other transconti-
mental lines, it will develop considerable ousi-
ness which Will be lis own. for IL runs tnrough
considerable stretch Of country which no other
line reaches and which has remained eompara-
lively undeveloped IN consequence of its Lack OF
transportation facilities. From ST. Paul the
road runs through the agricultural and live
STOCK country ot Minnesota. then travcrses the
famous Red river wheat belt of Minnesota aud
North Dakota. As far as Grand Forks IL runs in
a northwesserly direction. bur at that point is
turns west aud continues IN that direction with
slight divergence northward until il
strikes the sound. It runs through the
vast wheat fields of North Dakota, then
tue stock ranges OF NOrtherna Montana,
until a. Pacific junction the Montana
Central. which is under the control of the Great
Northern. branches of To Helena aud the min
ing aud sme.ting districts OF Butte and Ana
c1nda- At shelby junction the Great Falls Is
Canada road, another branch oi the system,
crosses on its way between Lcthbridge, CSnada,
and Great Fails, while other branches run from
Great Falls southwark 70 the mines OF Barker
nnd NeIhart through one OF the widest gofges
OF the Rockies, between precipices 2,0t0 feet
high. Then the main line aseends the Narias
river and crosses tne main range of the Rockies
by the Marias pass. tapping section which Will
produce gold, silver, lead, copper coal and iron.
II next deseeuds into the rich Flatbead valley,
where some OF the best agricultural land in
Montana is 10 be found. while the precious
metals abound in the mountains TO the north.
hxrs ball toto
valley. where more minerals are at hand, crosses
the Cabinet range into the Pend d'oreille valley
and follows that river TO Albany Falls on the
border of Washington.
After entering this state the road runs south
westerly by way OF Chattaroy to spokane end
passes through that city for as miles over the
tracks OF the Spokane Falls & Northern and
Union Pacific roads Then it starts west
parallel with the seattle, Lake shore d Eastern
across the rolling wheat lands. and runs
through the Big Bend of the Columbia river
along the valley of Crab creek, where the grow.
ing OF wheat is rapidly increasing, around the
loot OF Badger mountain and the lower end of
Moses coules to the Columbia river at Rock
island. There II great steel eantilever bridge 10
to span the river. aud is now being erected,
trains temporarily crossing by a ferry after
running a lew miles along the bluffs. From
Wenatchee i. ascends the river of ths same
name ana turns up Mason creek to the summis
OF the Cascades, which ii crosses by switch
back lo.2 miles long at stevens pass This is to
be replaced by tunnel S.3 miles long
50 that the mileage will be reduced by seven
miles After crossing the mountains the road
runs down the Skykomish valley, where it taps
a rich and untouched timber aud mineral belt.
and down the snohomish river TO Everett,
where it joins the Coast lines AT present the
tracks of the Everett & Monte Cristo road are
being used on the three miles between Lowell
and Everett, but the construction of this part
OF the line Is now IN progress. Tho telegraph
limo has kept up with tracklaying from the east.
and will soon be completed.
The track is ballasted almost the whole distance
across the state, and little work remains to bs
done to complete ii ready for traffic. Tho
company VIII now build the stations from
standard plans, and with the opening of spring
Great Northern trains viii be running from St
Paul to Seattle without change.