The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-19

When President James j. nlu. Of TIE
Great Northern. was ia the city = sew
weeks ago be sa.d ia an Interview with
P0sf-sntsliigeneer representative that me
company. OF which Re was the official head.
would construct rs own tunnel through
the Cascade mountains. He diploma tleally
rsfused 10 make any statement - 20 when
the work would begin. just what Mr. Hiit =
idea Of secrefiven@ss r. nobody has Jet
been able 20 fafhona. but even as astGte a
yaiEroad man a. Mr.. fiIii 81 cannot prose
cute as great an undertaking IS burFow-
11zg through a mountain wati ~ hasaH and
granite without his little secret leaking oaf.
He can pan and arrange and rsarrGnge.
but when work actually commences the
little conedaDces ina lac has kept wlth
himreif-azd possibiT o.e o. two ctncfs-
are broken and tbs world participates -
she Information tha. Nr. TIsil had Hitherto
confined 70 hiz inner ccascsousfess.
Knowing Ms. nliga playful ways. nobody
IN Seattle viii be- surnr.seS 70 learn that
tho approaches have been completed and
that work on the .arnsl proper VIII COM
yaencc tomorrow morning. There IL some
thing delightfully."- original in The way Sf.
I'LL goes about his work There II 10 biGn
e,f binEteY. and the prosecutor II enc of
the greatest ongiEseriag fests ia the coun-
fry VIII commence with as little ado Is
though I'm order had gene out Of Mr. Hits
pfiicr 10 regpike a stretch OF track. for ar.
Hill Interests hiInxels IA tho tflflnz thiags
connected With his big fniisossd.
TIE work will A. stated above. com
mence tomorrow morning. The spades
and picks viii not strike against the adj
sznanfsne nsdesfof the mountain on the
tunnel Itself. but twenty men on either
side wlA hammer and saw ard clear a
way for the buildings that viii be neces-
Fafy for the armies Of workmen Beard
INK houses. bunk houses. tool houses aud
aii sorts OF other sheds and shacks wlli
be built and then The digging and blast
ing Will commence Tho work viii be
under the supervision Of H. ". Edwards.
OF Spokane. assistant chief engineer and
VIII be pushed day and night without any
delay until the two gangs from the oppo-
site sides OF the mountain meet some
where In tho bowels OF the earth.
One Of the features OF the new Great
Northern tunnel all be SIS inclination
from 3.5so fee; attitude on the east side
10 ala on tho west side, a fall Of approx
imateiy ninety feet 10 the mile in the two
and onc-half miles Of tunnel. The open
Ing VIII be sixteen feet wide and twenty
three feet high In The clear. Nearly all
OF the great tunnels OF tho world arc high
er In their centers than NJ the ends 80 ar
ranged 10 drain the water from springs
and water courses both ways. The G. \.
tunnel VIII turn all the water that IL mst
IN this reSpees II Offers a problem that ID
unusual In tunnel building.
The engineering department OF the road
u hoping that the mountains are solid
stone As the work would require much
more time and greater expense II large
quantities Of decomposed rock were found
along the line AZ surveyed. In that event
brick vauhing or a steel shell would be
Necessary TO prevent constant cavinw in
Il tel thE =.s4H
two years IN building aud that II viii
cost N.on091. " will require ten DAYS
20 put up the buildings necessary ut either
end OF the tunnel
Yesterday II. n. Cobb Of the purchasing
department; Of the Great Northern arrived
In Seattle and during the day he bought
all OF the supplies necessary for tho camp
AZ the west end OF tho tunnel He leaves
for Wellington this afternoon.
The completion OF the tunnel viii mark
the passing Of an almost equally great
engineering feat aud one Of the most
Impressive and beautiful features OF rail-
road travel in this country. The famous
'swttch-back' VIII then have served it's
purpose. and as the road could hardly be
expected TO maintain nj a great exncnse
purely picturesque feature. the rails
VIII undoubtedly be torn IN and nopiiea
10 some utllitarian purpose II VIII be
remembered by travellers who have cross
ed the sentiment ana been hauled over TIE
summit of tho mountains % one 81 tho At
tractive things that tho road ia rs ea.lsess
days hoastcd OF. An hours saving e
tine. bowe3er viii undoubtedly com
pensate for the dripping sides of the tsIa-
mel and thu absence OF the murvalouS
switch-haek. and a. the grades Viii not
be moved. they may some time furnish n
frs, class wagon road II such should 81.
- ic needed and venturesome pedee-
'rians can enjoy mountain climbing WITH
out its attendant dangers and tisceYsl-
serts 1, might some day be made .nto a
bicycle path