Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-11
HOW THE ENDEAyORERs WERE
TRANSPORTED TO THE COAST.
BUT ONE ROAD WEST OF OGDEN.
GREATEST TROUBLE WAS To GET
WATER FOR LOCOMOTIVES.
Another Important Problem Was TO
Feed the Army of ExcursiOnists
locomotives Had to be
Leased From other
Railroads.

San Francisco. July 1O-with the arrival
of the last Christian Endeavor trains at
Oakland this afternoon. there was COM
pleted one of the most remarkable move
ments: perhaps, ever accomplished on
single track line as difficult 10 operate as
that of the Central Pacific. Nearly 2.00J
people were transferred from Ogden TO San
Francisco, distance of over 500 miles. with
but comparatively slight delay. and without
a solitary accident TO mar the progress OF
the Christian host.
General Manager Kruttschmitt, OF the
Southern Pacific company. has furnished
the following details of how the Christian
Endeavor traffic was handled:
The movement of eXcursionists was first
felt on July l, when the regular overland
trains delivered by the Union Pacific and
Rio Grande Western at Ogden were run in
several sections. These carried the ad-
vance guard of the movement. the main
army of which reached the Central Pacific
lines on the evening of July 4. pouring
through in an almost uninterrupted stream
until the evening of July $. Including reg
ular trains, there were moved out of Og-
den, from the 1st to the sth. seventy-four
trains, Of which fifty-nine were specials or
sections of the regular trains. The total
number of cars moved was s;S. or an aver
age of nearly twelve car per train. The
total number of passengers was $780, or 80
per train. The distance from Ogden to San
Francisco Is S53 miles. over the first part
of the railroad the trains had TO be lifted
total height of 9.3Ss feet. or nearly two
miles. vertically. and within distance Of
Ill miles had to be dropped down mount
ain grade with a vertical fall of 1000 feet,
or nearly a mile and a half.
The question of obtaining sufficient water
for the locomotives gave the officials more
concern than any other question connected
with the movement, but when it is consid-
cred that for almost the entire distance
across Utah and Nevada the country is
practically a desert. the difficulty Will be
better understood. Many of the water sta
tions are supplied by gravity lines from
springs in the mountains. Extra watchmen
were detailed to go to the heads Of these
lines to prevent leaves. chips or obstruc-
tions Of any character from getting into the
pipes At all stations where the water was
procured from streams. springs or wells.
extra bumpers were put on, with instruc-
tions to keep the pumps going night and
day. At some stations. where the supply
obtained from springs and wells was short.
water cars, moved from other parts of the
line. we're stationed to increase the supply,
the water being hauled from such stations
up and down the line where the supply was
The most serious problem. after that Of
watering the loeom9tlves; M %as fh9s fid, 81 reed
ranged with citizens at Terrace. Elko, Car
lin, Humboldt. Battle Mountain. Wads-
Auburn to furnish lunches outside Of the
regular eating houses; The company car
penter forces were detailed to erect long
counters or tables in the open air. at which
the meals could e dispensed.
Up to a time within ten days OF the
Fourth OF July 1t was thought G that p,,tae tae
would be able to handle all OF the trains
offered but as the Fourth approached and
magnitude of the movement, it was de
termined to prepare for movement larger
than the company was warranted IN e.
pecting from any OF the reports received
Ten locomotives were leased and sum-
cient number were taken from other d.
visions of the system to concentrate fifty
morning of July L. Six locomotives and
crews were concentrated at each terminal
as the procession OF trains reached the
first terminal. the locomotives were cut on
and locomotives and crews kept in relay
were attached. while the crews Of the re-
Iieved locomotives took the necessary rest
and nourishment. As soon as they mad
done this the regyed S % loeSn9g,gs fbs,r pIsees
again among those awaiting incoming
trains ar Ogden.
The first train came through without pa
tronizing the eating stations 10 any eX-
tent but the last ones avsiled themselves
of the facilities offered. and their slower
movement can be attributed almost wholly
TO the delay in feeding the large crowds.
II was at first intended to keep the
trains thirty minutes in time apart. but
in reviewing the plans offered by the %
fcerz 10 move these trains the time Sm
was overruled and a space limit substitu
ed An order was issued blocking the Ger
trail Pacific road absolutely at 12:0l a. n
OF July T. and forbidding any operator
clearing his semaphore signal to allow
train to pass his office until he had re-.
ceived word from the next telegraph sta
tion west OF him that the last train in ad-
vance had passed him and left the track
clear.
The entire traffie was handled without
the slightest accident, although some OF
the last trains were delayed about five
hours at Truckee. through a fire thar was
discovered in a snowshed.