The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-16
SkAGUAY RAILROAD WORK
Eight Hundred Men Now Employed
and the Force IL to he Increased
to 2.ooo-Thc Headquarters and
Base of Supplies VIII he In Seattle

Eight hundred men are row working
cssVea hears a day grading the right %
way for the SkaSway railroad through 10
the summit 81 the White pass Within
ten days or possibly two weeks. this num-
Der VIII be increased 10 over 2sa. This
small army viii be directed in the work Of
grading the bed % the roadway by E. T.
Hawkins. general manager OF the Pacific
& Arctice Railway and Navigation Com
rany, who has established his headquar-
tsrs Ia this city.
Mr.. Hawkins arrived Tuesday from.
Skagwsy On the steamer City Of Seattle.
kie went directly - the office OF Edwin r.
Hgssey. the civil engineer In the Dexter
Horton building, ard was husiIy engaged
in consultation with Mr. Hnsxey ana
others who called during the afternoon.
ar. Hawslirs has secured four rooms in
the Dexter Horton Bank building as the
general offices OF The company After in
ssaliiag his force Of employees and transact
Ing great deal OF other business incident
70 the operations OF the company. Mr..
Hawkins will return to Skagxay to re-
sums ;he personal direction of the work.
Accompanying Mr.. Hawkins is II. ].
Hsney. the contractor. who is 20 furnish
the laborers required by the company,
I and under whose supervision the
work is done. Mr.. Heney has be-
fore him the task OF raising
an army OF nearly 2.coo laborers and ne
is in communication with san Francisco
parties and with ST. Paul ard other East
ern points in the hope Of seq airing the de-
sired number Of men. The carnpany's de-
mand for work'ngmen on the Skagway
railroad VIII probably clean cut the Seat
tie labor market OF disengaged workmen
The company employs and pays the men
Contractor Heney being merely required
to furnish the laborers. The current rate
is thirty cents per hour and the usual
working time per day is eleven hours
Board costs 81 per day at the camps OF
the company.
BY the first of September" said Mr.
Hawkins yesterday. I'VE hope TO have the
first twenty miles Of the road. which will
take us 70 the summit, completed and
ready for operation. In order to accom-
plish this. we shall need very large
number Of men. We have been unusually
successful thus far in getting laborers who
are anxious 10 work and who are steady
The men take great interest In the
road and this feeling has been 10 the
advantage OF construction We have
about SO now working, but 1t is my In
tent.on 20 Increase This number 20 sooo or
more If We can secure them.
Three mites Of the road bed from Skag-
way is now ready for the ties and rails.
and within a few days this work will
be begun. The completed road bed extends
from Skagway 10 the crossing Of East
Skagway river. Twice In this diStargce we
cross the river, the frs; ,me at the north
end OF Saagway and again whore the f.ghs
OF way crosses the East Skagway river
We have nearly completed the first bridge
which will be 500 feet In length. Work on
the second bridge is now IN progress. Boin
Will BE- pile ana ;reSfie bridges and will
be used for false work when permanent
structures are erected.
Just before the steamer Seattle sailed
l t3ck a trip Into tha interior. going as
far as Toochi lake. | am thoroughly sat
isfied that We have secured the most sd-
vaDtageous roatc for railroad into the
-
from Skagway 10 the summit Of the Waite
pass Is oVly four per cent. ana except for
the arst seven miles from the summ.;
Tiers VIII be no difficulty In the operation
Of the road. We shall have 20 build snow
sheds for seven miles from the summit ~
protect the tracks from a snow Blockade
In the WRITER. With these sheds and ro-
tary plows. l believe We can keep the road
open practically ali the time during the
Writer.
You can say that Seattle VIII be tie
base OF operations f3r the company. isis
will be my headquarters. although OF
couIse, | shall be engaged at Skagway
during the greater part Of the time. Oar
general offices. including draughi!ng rooms
and the accounting office. Wi! be heated
here. We shall have another office in
Skagway for the operating and constrsic-
ton depart r1enf."
Mr.. Hawkins sad in conclusion thai the
company now has about Tos tons of rails
on he ground with about 5000 toas ia ad-
di.sSsr7 contracted soe. Heavy purchases OF
timbers for the bridges have recently f5ssn
made here.
To a Pos.-In:el.sgeiscer reporter yegter~
day Mr. Heney. who has the contract -
provide the labor for the railroad com
pany. sad:
.'Olr greatest trouble ~ far has been
TO get as many men as We could use. We
war, 200 more r1eU and are going 70 get
Them Al once IL was 20 arrange kNF tAls
ard 10 hurry ap some supply orders that
| came down Oh tbs trip We have an
enormous amount OF work 10 10 and a
very short se4sSon 20 30 IL IN. By the first
or August We must have our track bait
u the summit OF White pass Frgm ina.
point 10 the lakes We can work during
the late fall and Writer. The rush work.
however. VIII be 10 get the track 70 the
summit before fall.
we guarantee . employ every ,168s-
trtous .abortHE nan who vii come 20
SkaEwAy r. we doa'; give him 4 Job gss
vii rag h.s fare 10 and from Ssatgte.
We 10 not pay EheT isGat fare North be-
cause cT 3he fact that 81 many mea
waald jump as after getting their traus-
ysortats3n and 90 az into the interior. We
az. mex Istevessg! in uooaiIg the kior-
dixie We have arranged for 4 sr-ecia3
fare az 81 on the steamer from Seattle
70 Skagway ard GIL who dsEira 20 80
Sarta ard work for us cal take a1yaG-
tage O. the rate
4 am now trying 10 arrange with the
Northern Pscftc railroad E0r a sow fare
frcaa Minnesota % Seattle that We may
hssvyf-s4 TAI IA regs f~7vYa fNk~s