The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-30
'SV|TCHBACK Is ABANDONED.
REPLACED ON WHITE PASS ROAD
ny STEEL BRIDGE.
Completion OF Great Engineering
Fent-yew steam Coal and Ore
Conveyor ON Company's wharf
Rotary PIows Keep Tracks Clear.

General Manager Hawkins, of the White
Iass Yukon road, was advised yester-
day from Sksgway of the completion of
the steel cantiever bridge that crosses
the chasm near the summit of White
pass. which heretofore has necessitated
The use OF a switchback at that point.
This steel bridge has d total length of $50
feet. Its open work is such as to preclude
the possibility of IT'S ever becoming OBJ
sfructed by ice or snow.
Work on the bridge was begun last fall.
and work has progressed on 1t ever since,
weather permitting. and the last two ends
Of the cantilever were put in place and
connected on December 20 There Is gen.
erai rejolsfng among the railroad men In
the north over the completion of the
bridge, which in point Of difficulty was
equal 10 any piece OF engineering work
undertaken along the entire length of the
White Pass road.
The new bridge will be put into use jan
nary ] and the switchback which has
done service since the construction OF the
road will be abandoned. This will give
straight continuous run from Skagway to
White Horse and save the thirty miles
lost by every train at the switchback
Commencing January | trains will leave
Skagway for the Interior at a. M, in
stead OF $50. as heretofore. making the
same time to White Horse and saving
half an hour at the start The same
efdsfRt VIII Apply " eioftiS Soiiia'e ~
skagway
SNOW liz no longer dreaded by the White
Pass officials who. prohtinR by the expe-
ricnce Of the last two winters. have Sc
cured rotaries OF caIiber SUFFICIENT to an
initiate any mountain OF snow that may
cover its tracks: Superintendent Rogers
writes Mr.. Rawkins from Skagway that
the rotary snowplows this year are doing
excellent work. and, notwithstanding the
heavy snowfails have been able to keep
49,. So ~ .Ifar .rxI xyafA q rU
The heaviest drifts have been swept from
the tracks without much difficulty, ana
they are able TO handle drifts up to twelve
feet In depth. This has been OF great con-
venience TO travellers. who have so far
lost no time on account OF snow DOCK
ades.
its snowsheds. extending them In the VI
entity OF Bennett and Cariboo. also In the
sand cuts along Watson river.
Great improvements have been made by
the White Pass road at Skagway, notably
the extension Of Its wharf along the blum
the construction on II Of a steam con-
veyor running on double tracks. This is
built entirely OF steel. has a capacity. OF
coal and ores. with It can be handled
coal directly from the ships to the cars,
and the ores from the cars direct into the
ships holds. This will work great saw
Ing Of time and money to both shippers
and the railroad company.
Another marked Improvement that win
strike the old-timers on reaching 6kag-
way In the erection by the White Pass
rad Of coal bunkers having capacity OF
aO00 tons These were erected near the
shops In the upper end OF the town, near
the old Brackett wagon road barn. They
are constructed with tracks on either side.
an Incline up which loaded cars are pulled
nv stationary engine into the center Of
the building and their. contents emptied
4-.x. ~. <sxA H&xa 1911 tru.x IL
through the center or the building on the
ground floor on which a whole train Of
rinr The mines at Comax are keeping
these bunkers full.