The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-09-14
1t is Told Where the Money Is.
EXPENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS
OF All Kinds Being Made on the
Northern Pacific Line Through
out-Train Length Will
be Doubled.

A newspaper correspondent in st. Pau
has succeeded in getting from the North
ern Pacific the first statement of the
nature and extent Of the great costly
improvements being made on that prop
erty.
improvements recently completed, un-
der process of completion or about to be
begun involve an outlay OF enough mill
lions to build pretty good little road,
and these are all undertaken in the inter-
eSts of ultimate economy--not immediate
necessity. The Northern Pacific and
equipment Is first class, unexcelled by any
in the West, and has never been allowed
to retrograde to any noticeable extent.
Present improvements are by no means
rendered compulsory because of contin-
ued deterioration, as many people unac-
quainted with the property suppose. Were
this the case Mr.. Fill would not want
to shoulder the burden.
Public attention Is directed towards the
Northern Pacific these days more than
towards any other road in the country,
and people desire to know just what
improvements are being made and why.
In the first place grades are being re-
duced to such an extent as to double
the present train length. This grading
is now in progress on two divisions in
Montana and the authority of the receiv-
ers has been asked for additional work
of a similar character extending over
several other divisions. In fact, the COM
pany expects to continue this work
throughout all divisions of the road, the
entire cost thereof being over $1,000,000.
Then the work of making permanent all
bridges wherever possible, which has
been in progress during the past few
years, has been continued, and forty
two lineal miles of lumber and trestle
bridges have been permanently disposed
of by filling and securing a permanent
embankment, with the result of very
greatly decreasing operating expenses.
Chief Engineer McHenry states that
the two principal tresties crossing the
deep ravines in the lines crossing the
Rocky mountain summit will be re-
placed during the present year by steel
viaducts Of modern design and construc-
ton, for which contracts have already
been let. The only remaining lumber
trest,es there, three in number, will be
filled in during the ensuing year, thus
reducing greatly danger to life and prop
erty by fire or wrecks. 1t is intended
to eliminate all of the numerous timber
trestles in the Cascade mountains on
both sides of the summit tunnel by per-
manent embankments work on which
has been in progress the past two years.
This work Is novel in character, and is
described by the chief engineer as fol-
lows:
"The material is removed and deposited
in place by the hydraulic jets and sluic-
ing material through fumes. Five large
trestles have already been filed by this
means. This process, as adopted by us,
is entirely new to railroading men. When
we are through we expect to have as
fine roadbed as any west of Chicago
and one of the finest in the United
States"
In addition, number of the more i'm
portant bridges have been replaced by
permanent structures of steel and mason
ry. Permanent lining has been provided
for all the great tunnels. Instead OF
timber, Portland concrete fills the sides,
while the arch is formed of hard burned
bricks, six rings thick. This work is very
costly. but has been pushed so vigorously
that the present year will see the COM
pletion of both of the Summit tunnels,
piercing the axes of the Rocky noun
tain and Cascade ranges Work is now
in progress on minor tunnels and will be
prosecuted steadily until completed. All
the tunnels are being lighted by electric
ity, as are European tunnels.
The company has constructed some
modern coaling stations, the principal one
being now at Fargo, which is the ingeni-
ous invention of Chief Engineer Nc
Henry. This device has attracted a
great deal Of attention and favorable
comment from the world of railroadlng,
and has previously been described by this
paper. A coal bunker is being erected
at Tacoma to supply the growing demand
for coal at that point.
"Al these improvements" says General
Manager Kendrick, twill save. we think,
hundreds of thousands of dollars an
nually In maintenance alone, to say moth
ing OF increased safety and immunity
from losses by delays. The money Is
profltably spent. The Northern Pacific
lays this year 200 miles Of steel"