Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-11-08
i'm HILLS FCLLY.
The Crest Cascade Tunnel Is
Now Completed.


WILL BE LIGHTED BY ELECTRICITY
Splendid Engineering Feat Saves
Time, Coal and Money by Piercing
a Mountain Wall Two Miles and a
Half Through-Fnmous SwitchbnciS
Railway VIII he Abandoned.
"Jim Hills Folly" after more than
three years work and the expenditure
of $4,OO0,O00. is at last a living fact
and profitable Investment, writes the
st. Paul correspondent OF the New
York World
The Cascade tunnel of the Great
Northern extends 1882 feet under the
mountains. Eight hundred men have
been working from both ends of the
great bore When they met. there was
but two inches difference in the grades
the two parties We're working on.
In its early stages Mr.. Hills plan Of
piercing the mountains instead of cross
ing them was scoffed at by investors
and railroad men as visionary and i'm
practicable, destined to prove failure
or bankrupt the road or both But now
1t is estimated that the saving in ex-
pense over the ..switchback" system
will pay 10 per cent on the cost of the
tunnel. The tunnel is "a feet high and
20 feet wide, with room for a double
track. Thirty-two air drills were used
In excavating, and the rock taken from
the tunnel was crushed and used with
cement for a lining which is four feet
thick throughout. Electric motors will
be used to run trains through the tun-
mel and the great tube will be lighted
by electricity.
The Cascade "switchback" Of the
Great Northern. one Of the greatest
feats in railroad construction in the
United States, is fast nearing the end
of its usefulness. The approach to this
series of zigzag ascending and descend.
Ing tracks over the mountains is
through tremendous gorges. Tunwater
(Talking Water) canyon, about 80 miles
this side Of the tunnel, Is defile ten
miles in length through the heart Of
the great hills and for scenic grandeur
has few rivals. The mountains here
are nearly perpendicular. Everywhere
hang long, white streaks Of snow and
water. One cannot distinguish between
them until directly under cascade.
At Mason creek the train pushes deep
into the mountains, passing through q
canyon so steep that 1t seems as though
lightning had cleft the mountains asun-
der. Climbing still higher. the train
comes to a stop at the foot Of the east
side "switchback"
Most careful examination Is made Of
each part Of the train before the as
cent Is commenced. Every wheel and
truck, all airbrake. mechanism, signals,
etc. are inspected to guard against the
possibility of accident. There has new
er been an accident on the "switch-
back" A huge IL wheeled mountain
engine is attached to the rear of the
train, and the ascent is begun. At the
end Of the first short length Of track,
called leg" the train stops, switches
are thrown, and the train backs on to
the second leg. This process is repeat
ed until height of 4.O27 feet is reach
ed at Cascade Summit. the entire train
having been raised co. feet from the
starting point at Cascade tunnel.
At various points during the ascent
the station houses and other buildings
are seen in the valley far below, and
the series Of tracks passed over by the
train are in plain view. At Cascade
Summit the train is at the highest point
reached IN the Cascade range4,O OPT
feet. The crossing Of the Rocky noun
tains. 5,202 feet, and of the Cabine,
mountains. 4.l46 feet. both exceed it in
altitude.
From Cascade Summit the train now
begins the descent of the west slope
to Wellington station. There are four
legs on the west side. the stretches of
track are shorter and sleeper than on
the east. The scenery also is Of diff
ferent character. The profuse vegeta-
ton and huge trees of western Wash
ington are now in evidence. The train
zigzags along the mountain and at last
runs past the west end of the great
tunnel and stops at Wellington. 1908
feet above sea level
Here better opportunity is afforded
to see the work on the tunnel than at
the east side Big buildings. with tall
chmneys throwing out clouds Of
smoke, contain the electric light plant