Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-11-26

OCCuTTeu W llIll tIldG HIS SlIOW lOCOIilO-
tive, which has been in successful
operation for two years in the pineries
of Michigan, might solve the problem
of communication with the Klondike.
He collected all the information
possible bearing on the topography
and conditions OF the country along
the Dalton trail and Fort Wrangel
routes. He talked with prospectors
who had been over them and was
finally convinced that his snow train
was the only feasible means of reach
ing Dawson City in the winter. He
then declared that he could traverse
the country in twelve days on the trip,
distance of about 800 miles, and in
less than five days after permanent
roadway had been cut out.
Acting upon the advice and sug-
gestion of Secretary Alger, Mr.. Glover
Immediately set to work. He Or
ganized company to carry the pro-
ject to a successful end. Moneyed
men in Chicago and elsewhere were
interested in the enterprise, and re-
Gently the Klondike Snow and Ice
Transit Company was formed, with a
capital stock of $2,00O,000.
"Mr. Sperry, of the Sperry En-
gineering Company, Cleveland, Ohio,
came to Chicago last week and held a
conference with Mr.. Glover, looking
toward the substitution of the Sperry
oil motor engine for steam power. 1t
was shown that the oil engine could
be utilized to far greater advantage
and with better results than steam
power in this work, and after a
thorough and careful study of the
matter, Mr.. Glover decided to adopt
the oil power for propelling this snow
traction wheel locomotives. A con-
tract was thereupon made for six oil
engines to be built upon the snow
traction locomotives. These locomo-
tives will be constructed Immediately
under the supervision of Mr.. Glover,
and be ready for transportation to Sc
attle by December 81. They will then
be transported to Fort Wrangel, a dis
tance of five days journey, and there
be put together and made ready to
pull the pioneer train to the Klondike,
which leaves Fort Wrangel January
15. Meantime the company will send
a competent man to Seattle to con-
tract for and superintend the con-
struction of twenty-four freight and
passenger cars, which will make up
the pioneer train.
at is a we'll known fact that Mr.
Glover's machines have been in sue
cessful use for several years past in
the lumber regions of Northern
Michigan and Wisconsin, doing their
work regularly in the heavy SHOWS and
low temperatures of those sections.
In all these engines steam has been
exclusively used as the motive power,
coal, wood and water being easily OBJ.
tained and successfully utilized with
the temperature frequently as low as
45 degrees below zero, and in snow
from three to five feet deep. In view
of the fact that the country in which
these machines are now to be used is
practically without existing sources or
supply, where fuel may be scarce and
water difficult to be obtained when
wanted, and where the pioneer train
at least must carry its supplies Of fuel
and stores as we'll as a sufficient
quantity to be distributed at stations
to be established alcng the route for
the use of returning trains, engines
using solid fuel for the generation of
steam from water cease to be prac-
ticable, hence the adoption of the
Sperry system, which uses petroleum
or one of its many distillates alone.
"The main engines are geared to
the hot driving wheel or traction
drum, which is we'll known as the
distinguishing feature of the Glover
machine, the handling and steering
power being furnished by an in
dependent pair of small auxiliary en-
gines, and which in addition thereto,
are especially designed for driving a
dynamo for operating a powerful
electric headlight and for Illuminating
the interior of the train at night and
lighting its surroundings when night
work becomes essential.
"The transmission gearing from the
main engines to the hot driving wheel
or traction drum operates the latter
both forward or backward at any de-
sired speed below the maximum de-
signed.
"Steel is the material principally
used in construction, all parts being
especially designed to meet the re-
quirements of the severe character of
service demanded, and, so far as the
same is possible, all danger of accidents
to the machinery has been practically
eliminated.
"The steering mechanism is di-
rectly connected to both the leading
and trailing pair of runners, and the
same are simultaneously controlled in
any direction and with any degree of
rapidity up to the maximum power at
command.
"The route selected begins at Fort
Wranua1 which 10 ohot,f 100 miles or