The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-09-12
THE woRK AT KNApPA.

THE WORK At KNAPPA.
The following from the Astorian's
special correspondent az Knappa. gives
some idea of the magnificent work be-
lng done on the railroad
Railroad work at Knappa and above
and below Is progressing steadily. From
Blg Greek to BiiYd Slough. a distance
Of two miles. ave separate gangs OF
men are at work on the grade. In
ave days more the Knappa cut VIII be
completed. The cut IL % feet deep and
400 feet through The eastern end OF
the cut terminates on the bank Of War
rcn slough. which is az this point. 100
feet wide The grade, west from the
cut. 90 Big Creek. TO be connected with
the Corey grade by bridge, II 1890 feet,
u feet wide on top, made for two or
more tracks \ substantial bridge has
been thrown across the cut Mr.. Wat
Tia was up and supcrlntcnded It's cree
ton Mr. Doilarhidc, sub-contractor AZ
this point. had his teams and men out
of the cut for several days building the
I approaches 20 the bridge. connecting II
with the county road Teams are now
crossing the bridge From Warren
Creek east. Is tide land Hat 200 feet
In length Men are at work here piling
up the dirt with wheclharrow and
shovel, then comes spur OF KnRppa
hill, Four thousand yards are To be
moved here. Dollarhlde has teams and
gang OF men making the cut. From
this cut stretching away for miles
across the tide land fats. 10 Cathlamet
Head. the road deyiatcs not hair
from straight line. And here benef-
iccnt Providence seems to have made
special provision for the building OF
this road From Warren Slough TO
Blind Slough, distance OF two miles,
is piled up immense hills. composed en-
tirely OF white. gray and iron coloTed
sand, hardening TO soft sand stone as
II goes down. not a basaltic rock on It.
unless brought there by some former
native American for grinding his wah-
patoes. Here is the material for bal
lasting this road across the tide lapd
flats, and In the coming years, when
required. for widening II for more
tracks, making a magnificent avenue,
over which the traveller viii pass
scarcely disturbed by the rumble OF
a car wheel from oak to Tongue
Point as he passes through scenes of
eternal verdure, In this sand forlna-
ton coal Is found, Dr. Aug. c. Kinney
some years ago. ON an examination
said that in his opinion here We're true
coal measures, and possibly something
OF value may be developed. At any
rate, Mr.. Hammond informed me that
unless they found coal along the line
OF the road, they should burn wood,
and this means much to those living
along the road
One week ago one OF the clam shell
dre1ges was brought down and set at
work on the line. on the east bank OF
Blind Slough. This useful and ingen-
ious institution is better worth visit
than Barnum's hippodrome. 1t is a
land dredger, the frame constructed of
heavy tlmbers. so feet long, 20 feet
wide, placed on rollers, heavy planks
being laid for a track as II advances.
The engine is on the forward part Of
the frame, The crane. from which is
suspended the clam shell, is on the
rear. A large horizontal wheel is used
in swinging the crane. The clam shell
works like an immense egg cut in
halves, the small end down. 1t is in
four sections. and when suspended in
the air II looks like tremendous big
birds claw. 1t swings loose, wire ropes
being used. When II drops on the
ground, should one claw encounter
big root or log or stump, II matters not,
II Is lifted over II, AS the wire rope
closes the CLANS II goes down and
comes up with yard and half of
ullNt WINCH ~ cNuhN Nll W NiAt klduts
I timed its movements; 1t made two
trips In 1906 seconds. The dredge is
placed on one side of the base of the
grade. and the bank is piled up be-
hind It. 1t will work through on one
side and return on the opposite side,
Stumps are worked around and moved
out of the way with case, The grade
looks little ragged, but when COM
pleted viii be trimmed and leveled
with shovels 1t is more compact than
II laid with shovels and barrows.
Messrs. Honeyman, DeHart and
Wolfe were here last Monday, inspect
ing the work along the line. Their
steamers pass down and up the
river daily between Rainier and this
point, carrying men and supplies.
Mr.. Honeyman told me that the road
(Continued nu Fourth papel