The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-11
THE ENDEAvoRERs.
Southern Pacific Tells How It Han
died the Big Business.

San Francisco. July 10.-With tbs
arrival of the last of the Christian
EndeaHor trains at Oakland this af-
ternoon there was completed one of
the most remarkable movements per-
haps ever accomplished on single
track line as difficult to operate as
that of the Central Pacific.
Nearly $4,000 people were transferred
from ogden to San Francisco, a dis
lance of over SEQ miles, with but COM
paratively slight delay and without a
solitary accident to mar the progress
of the Christian host.
General Manager Krutschnitt of the
Southern Pacific company has fur
nished the following details OF how
the Christian EndeavOr traffic was
handled:
The movement of eXcursionists was
first felt on July /, when the regular
overland trains delivered by the Union
Pacific and Rio Grande Western at
Ogden were run in several sections.
These carried the advance 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 s.
Including regular trains, there were
moved out of ogden from the 1st to
the Sth, "A trains, of which So were
specials or sections of the regular
trains. The xtal number of cars
moved was S3S, or an average of nearly
II cars per train; the total number of
passengers was %, 500, or 80 per train.
Francisco is S33 miles. Over the first
part OF the railroad the trains had to
be lifted "a total height of 1899 feet,
or nearly two miles vertically, and
within a distance of III miles had TO
be dropped down a mountain grade
with a vertical fall of 1000 feet, or
nearly mile and a half.
The question of obtaining sufficient
water for the locomotives gave the Of
ficers more concern than any other
question connected with the move
ment; but, when ii is considered that
for almost the entire distance across
Utah and Nevada the country is prac-
tically a desert, the difficulty will be
better understood. Many Of the water
stations are supplied by gravity lines
from springs in the mountains. EX-
ira watchmen We're detailed to go to
the heads of these lines TO prevent
leaves, chips or distractions 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
instructions 20 keep the pumps going
night and day. At some stations
where the supply obtained from the
springs and wells was short, water
cars, moved from other parts of the
line. were stationed TO increase the
supply, the water being hauled from
stch stations up and down the line
= here the supply was ample.
The most serious problem, after that
of watering the locomotives, was that
Or ha hr,r ha
road officials arranged with citizens at
Terrace, ElkO. Carlin, Hum boldt, Bat
tie Mountain, Wadsworth, Truckee, !
Summit, Blue Canyon and Auburn TO
furnish lunches outside of the regular
eating houses. The companys car
penter forces We're detailed to erect
long counters or tables in the open air. |
at which the meals could be dis
pensed.
Up TO a time within ten days of the /
Fourth Of July it was thought that /
the regular locomotives on the Cen /
trail Pacific would be able to handle all |
Of the trains offered, but, as the Fourth /
approached, and reports were received /
from the east of the magnitude of the 4
it was determined to pre- /
pare for movement larger than the I
company was warranted in expecting
from any OF the reports received. Ten
locomotives were leased and a suffi- /
cient number were taken from other
divisions of the system to concentrate
IS locomotives and crews in Ogden on
the morning Of July 4. Six locomo-
tives and crews were concentrated at
each terminal west of ogden at the
same time, so that, as the procession
Of trains reached the first terminal,
the locomotives were cut off and loco
motives and crews kept in relay were
attached. whilst the crews of the re-
ieved locomotives and crews took the
necessary rest and nourishment. AS
soon as they had done this the re-
ieved locomotives We're started east
ward light TO take their places again
among those awaiting incoming trains
II Ogden.
The arrangements were so perfectly
made that there would have been no
lifficulty in handling so per cent more
rains than the company received. The
irst trains came through without pat
the eating stations to any ex-
ent but the last ones availed them
selves Of the facilities offered, and
heir slower movement can be at
ributed almost wholly to the delay in
eeding the large crowds.
It was first intended to keen the
rains 80 minutes in time apart 5ut,
n reviewing the plans offered bv the
fficers TO move these trains. the Emit
vas overruled and q space limit sub
tituted. An order was issued blocking
he Central Pacific road absolutely al
2.G1 a m. OF July 4, and forbidding
v operator clearing his ser1iDaOre :