The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-17

But as they put their names on paper
they felt that on that plain bit of pine
lay ten years work and ten years
money. to be returned with mighty in
terest or swept off by Ross and those
behind him.
I'm glad you have the grit 20 take
this OF" said the dealer. I'D have
given considerable when I was so TO
have such a level chance offered II
you put it through you make three
times as much in half the time as the
man who has the latest Job between
the Summit and the Cascades
He laughed jovially-
And if we don't, Mr.. Ross" said the
younger Holdredge, well establish a
claim on you for long station in the
Columbia valley, where two men can
start afresh With short shoyels."
But when they were outside they
shook hands
1T can't be done said Kelley Hold
redge, the elder.
I reckon" assented Bill.
Yet, without telling each other. they
wrote that night telling their wives in
their native state to so easy with the
money and to save what they could.
We've got hold of the biggest thing
here" they said, but it's the risldiest-
It's make a spool or spoil a horn. But
wen make the spoon. never fear.
They dreamed as they slept in their
tent by the foaming waters of the
Kicking-Horse river that they were
rich. that they were poor, that the
world was theirs, and that il was lost.
And overhead was the great Gravel
mountain through which they had I'M
dertaken to put tunnel.
The big men of the east were in
bury meet the big men of the west,
By the end of May the valley was
hive of men. and every hour came the
sound of great rocks cast down. On
temporary rails nat cars ran. Explo-
sions shattered the air and beat the
white river whittier yet With the wreck
Of mountains In the forests strong
men from Michigan and Wisconsin
hewed piles of timber, and many work
ing on contract for the HoldredgeS
squared huge balls with broad axes
The crash of falling pines re-echoed;
mountain sheep and goats and shamb-
ling bears wondered and went north
and south A world of men divided
their ancient domain. Amid the sounds
of cataract and snowShde was the elfin
shrek OF the far locomotive now domin-
ant on the conquered summit: and in
the great gravel hill the Holdredges'
ants were working, preparing q, natural
slope among the disintegrated wash Of
a thousand years. For in solid rock
~
gle he Will; IN hardened earth or schist
or clay is another fitting slope. but for
all loose material only the natural slope
win hold The angle at which gravel
runs is the angle at which it viii stay
That IS its natural slope.
In June the tunnel began, and with
the tunnel the difficulties were unburied
for in the gravel was a bed of blue clay
that cut beautifully with the spade or
shovel. 1t vas as strangely pure in coll
or as it was homogeneous. Not a grain
of sand gritted on 4 knife would pass
through il; a man could stand on a
fresh cut slab and hardly leave a. mark.
When they came to it the men called
to the foreman and he sent for Kelley
The sight and feel of it gladdened his
heart.
IF it runs through this VIII save half
the labor he said. For to timber up the
gravel seemed more and more terrible
to him.
His foreman looked doubtful. but
kept his doubts to himself. He said
nothing when the contractor made
for q track, but he shook his head
when Holdredge went away.
In the morning when Kelley came
out Of his tent and set his foot upon q
blue slab he sank in it deeply He
looked for water and saw none; but
the mems long boots were daubed with
blue.
Have you struck a spring?" he
asked
They told him NO
IT'S hard when It comes out" said
the foreman gloomily, "but every hour !
cut softens it Lookl'
He lifted a lump and squeezed it. 1t {
came through his strong fingers like /
putty. Wafer dripped from i.