The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-14
TO CLOSE THE GAP.
NARROW Gauge Soon to Extend
to the Common Point
TO eE MADE STANDARD GAUGE.
%s.rthssn Pae;6e Tssins sess 70 EuA
Direct 20 sesssie-Kshibits for
the Coal Palace.


fs.rab.a 4 Puget sssnd railroad will have
..,.en ~igsnei 10 standard gauge and ex-
rs;udef 10 q connection with the Northern
i'scrac near Palmer. and tina, Northern
siacsae trains will be running over IL
,:'s,i. would marx the accomplishment Of
Il projec. which has often been talked OF
sud which would bring the Northern Pa
s.i:ic into Seattle by the most direct route.
A party Of engineers has taken the field
ssiader IL. L. Hawkins, assistant engineer
q. the Oregon improvement Company, Tor
f't@e purpose of making q reconnaissance
liar the extension Of the Columbia & Puget
Sound road TO Q connection with the
Northern Pacific. There are several
sdutes by which the line might reach tho
Northern Pacific At point near the Green
riscr bridge, near Palmer. varying in
length from three to i've miles, the longer
saving che advantage in the matter Of
,:ades. The grades are not likely to ex-
deed forty feet TO tho mile, which is much
better than the maximum on the Northern
Pacific west Of Palmer.
The greater part OF the work necessary
Il. the widening Of the gauge has already
tssen done, for the bank on which the mar
ss.w gauge track IL laid is wide enough.
i,sarly the whole line has fifty-six-pound
sfiis. Further preparations are being
tf:adc, tho last three miles Of rails having
arrived on the ship Henry Buck and the
ties for the extension having been con-
sIacted for. II Is with this object in view
Ghas the bridges are being strengthened all
A:ong the iiue. Unless some unforeseen
obstacle should be encountered. the work
S. Ent,r 81, l.s.r xfoI< .fst Ike
har. 1t will involve the purchase OF en-
:Fcly new equipment for the road, though
sAe Newcastle branch may be left narrow
:,auge for some ,innc and tho old equip
h.ent worn ont on IL.
by this line the distance from Seattle to
.ac point Of connection with the Northern
sacific near Palmer would be about thirty
live miles. while from Palmer TO Seattle
oyer tho Northern Pacific By way Of
Aseekcr Junction IL is sixty-sour miles. SO
s9at the trains would save twenty-five to
tEairty miles. In addition 10 having the adj
vantage of better grades The gain to the
oregon Improvement Company would also
bs great. for IL could no. only haul heavier
sfains, but could ship coal direct from the
hancs 10 Spokane. where il has n rapidly
growing business, without transferring 10
Northern Pacific cars at this city. and re-
.iucc the mileage at the same time.
The making Of this connection and the
.Sandnrdizing Of tho Columbia & Puget
Sound track will probably be followed by
h radical change In the running of
Northern Pacific trains. At present Sc
attic is only on branch. and trans run
30 Portland through Tacoma. local trains
connecting with the through main line
s-ains mt Meeker. Business with Seattle
and other points north of Meekcr has
grown 50 rapidly in the last few years
that through sleeping ears are now trans
derred tatwcen the through and local Sc
attic trains. Tho population served by
thc Seattle trains and directly tributary to
tac Northern Pacific system has been stlll
further increased by the acquisition of the
Lake Shore road. The Northern Pacific
aa now about To invade the Canadian Pa
:esiic territory by the construction of
the Burrard Inlet & Fraser Valley road,
:rnd this line will still further in
crease the business lying north Of
.Iceker Junction. Already the passengers
tn tho main line trains for Seattle and
cther points north of tho junction are
iearly. II not quite. as numerous rs those
'a- Tacoma, Portland and points south.
When Vancouver, New Westminster and
tho whole Fraser delta are added To the
territory TO the north 10 IL likely To- fully
:cqna! in the aggregate OF business tina, to
:thc south. al least if the California bus.-
mess - LETT out os consideration. Thus il
;is likely soon 10 be ~ the interest Of the
Northern Pacific Ia give the down Sound
:foantry the benefit of through train SER
:Sice With the Columbia 4 Puget sound
!ehanred into standard gauge road and
:exiended TO connection III Palmer. this
:aan he done BY dividing the main line
rains at Palmer and running one-ha.
aorth 20 Seattle and over the Lake Shore
aud the kurrasd Inlet & Fraser Valley
foa1S ~ Vancouver while the other half
spgs south 10 Tacoma and Portland
/; this change may be forced upon the
Northern Pacific By the competition il
! Will have - meet in the down Sound coun.
; Try. The Great Northern will in another
! month DC running trains through ~ Seat
: sle and the road which carries its rasseu.
. se;s right tn their destination without
. transfer viii have the cali The part az
: the .rest Northern coast lines north of
. Everett viii probably he served by local
: connecting trains. in the same way ia the
; Northern Pacific now reaches the terri.
: tory inertia Of Meekcr. rhe Canadian Ia.
.ciH- Viii tcsore long be an active com
i ipet.tor Ter the business al Seattle ana
country north oi il. its acquisition of
,;be RcliimSAan Bay & British Colrohia
road. which - evidently the Syst x,.r ~
ithls direction. having been has;euea hv
the Northern raeit.c Invasion Of canada
! tAs there are 30 signs ~ the reSnmuti,n NJ
twork Oh the Portland & tacct ~uan.. Yn.l
:thls summer ana the Great Northern, MI
:haye 80 hands fsli w}th ihc Anisg.sr an
;cf ns nos main Tine. the Northern ,s-ett.,
: iinay Ae expected tn confirms IL noooo,iyy
To- the territory from Tacoma - por. and
, !iSr another year ~ two aud Il can .ura Il,
:unaly idei attcats0n to It's more northern
! territory. where Il has powerful. co,npsti.
to,~ u meet
Thus the construction nj those few
.miirs ~ track troa Franklin IL Palmer
ana the w;deasns 81 the gauge nf the 90
{leaah.a = taget Sound PROMISES 10 marx
ain epoch IN the railroad history Of Seattle
and Is give practical proof that. in the
lagct soead country. all roads lead Ia
Seattle.
ssa Diego rh@ais Road Rends,
SAX nlxuo. May s&~-iAe direction. ol
the san nieso \ rbpnix railroad hsl.,
lhcir weekly session ihis afternoon The
directors Nil authorizes tae issue ~ sa3si
ao ct ne1s-ssSesssh.s 90 preferred stecN a.
81 share, and is VIII lie pat oa ths mar
ket next Monday so raise funds g0g prose
cutting tho survey. The nsea are TO he
paid hail each IN cash ami ssook. 1t