The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-02-20
HOW THE ROAD
IS ADVANCING
Astoria a. Columbia River Line Nearer
Completion Than Is Supposed.
Two.THIRDs OF THE GRADING
Is Now Finished and Ready Tor the
ftalls-EleyhtOr 20 Be Built
al Once

Mora nlpidly than the average AZ
torian knows. the millennium Is coming
II ~ ~ fac, that the railroad Ii 10 be
completed. not only In 1897. but In time
to handle the grain shipments this fall.
Mr Glenn. one Of the contractors.
associated with IiOneyman. De Hart &
Co. while In the city yesterday. made
few positive statements. and gave
sonlc ngures which are highly interest
lng 10 AStorians. and the oregon pub
Ic al large. There are very few peo-
pie In this city. the railroad headquar-
ters. who are aware Of the extent Of
the work already done betwecn this city
and Coble on the railroad grade. Mr..
Glenn says that sections /. 2, 3, 6. 7. Q,
10. 10. i6. II. IS. 49, p. %. %.
a. 20. 81. %. IS. and 81 are all An
ished and ready for the piles and rails.
This means that two-thirds Of the mil
agc under contract by this Arm has
been completely graded. and that thir-
ty-tNp ont OF the forty-eight mhles
above Tongue Point are ready for the
laying OF the steel roadway for the
iron horse Thus. Il win be seen that
the greater portion Of the grading be-
tween Goble and the east end OF the
section built by Corey Bros. Is now
ready for the traok-layers. There re-
mains to b. finished the sections con-
tanning the tunnels and heavy cuts.
This is the hardest and most expensive
work 10 be done on the line. but Mr..
Glenn says that even with his pres
cnt force Of men he can complete this
work by July or August. Orders have
bean Issued. however, 10 so increase the
force ON March ist as 10 insure the
finishing Of the work by June LIST 1t
h also noticeable that all the contracts
let. while some OF them originally read
tina, the work should be completed by
June 90 now call for the finishing Of
the work by June list Two or three
more contracts remain 10 be let for
trt,stling and the remainder Of the ties.
for which bids have already been
opened. and when these papers are
signed the entire line viii be under
contract, except the rail-laying
II Is also stated that one or more
elevators for the handling OF grain
will be constructed al once, and are
to be finished simultaneously with the
railroad. 80 that every facility will
be offered. Immediately upon the open
ing of the line. for the loading Of grain
vessels In Astoria. The elevators and
collateral enterprises. shops, etc, neces-
sary to the operation OF the line, must
bo finished at the same time. Just
where the elevators will be located. OF
when their construction will commence
ia not known. but assurance Is given
that some fine morning. very soon. As
torians viii awake and find a ganG
Of men hard at work on the erection
of these buildings,
! Observers OF events know that the
railroad between Astoria and Seaside
has practically been rebuilt, and, to
gether with the new line 10 Flave
and Astoria, with the new steel draw
bridge across Young's bay, is in daily
operation. that the road through tbs
city, as far as the o. r. \ ~ dock
has been completed; that the scow ha!
depot depot is ready for service anC
the sidetraclSs and yards are now un
der construction, that the poles for tn
telegraph line, and the 75-pound stee
rails for the road to Goble are pne'
up in the shop yards at Flavel; tina
Il. 900 cross tiles have already been con
tracted for, and another 10000 oontrac
Is being let.