The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1901-06-27

The fight the Oregonian is making for
the completion of the o. R. & N. into
Clearwater basin was strongly put in the
article appe airing in the issue Of Monday
June "a. The following article was ac-
companied by maps showing graphically
both the addition in mileage and the ad-
vantage Of grades over various attitudes.
on the map the Oregonian
says:
The maps and diagrams presented on
this page leave little to be said as to the
routes from Lewiston, Idaho, to tide
water. There could hardly be sharper
contrast than that between the o. R. &
N. and the Northern Pacific. In mere
matter Of mileage the difference is enough
to define clearly the advantage of the o.
R. & N. Co., its route from Lewiston to
tide water at Portland being but 355
miles, while the Northern Pacific mile.
age from Lewiston to tide water at Ia
coma is s47. This makes the route to
Portland 1872 miles shorter than the
route to Tacoma. The haul from Lewis
ton to Portland is thus less than IS per
cent as long as the haul to Tacoma. This
is not so because Lewiston is much far
ther from Tacoma in straight line. but
because the ply sical character Of the
country compels crooked course for
railroad between those points, whereas
between Lewiston and Portland the route
is fairly straight.
Even more notable than the difference
in mileage is the difference between the
two routes in the matter Of grades. Leav-
ing Lewiston, which is 647 feet above
the sea, the Northern Pacific track
passes up perilous canyon on 8 per
cent grade, and at the divide between the
Potlatch and the Palouse reaches an alti-
tude Of 27oo feet, sheer rise of more
than 1000 feet in about 20 miles. Then
the descent to the Palouse crossing 10
made. and in the next 40 miles the track
gets to point only 8sS feet above the
sea. Pulling out Of that depression, an
altitude of about 1900 feet is attained at
Marshal Junction, near Spokane, that
being the point where the Palouse branch
joins the main line Of the road. Then
another down grade is struck, extending
las miles to Pasco, which Is but 386 feet
above the sea. There climb Of I76
miles is begun. ending in Stampede
tunnel, at an elevation Of 2849 feet. A
sharp descent Of 70 miles on the west
side Of the range takes the road to tide
water at Tacoma. Thus total Of more
than mile in altitude must be overcome
in going from Lewiston. Idaho, At an ele-
vation Of 647 feet, to Tacoma docks, 40
feet above the sea. The total descent 10
6I95 feet. which, Of course, must be over
come in making the return trip. This
takes into the calculstion only the great
grades, there being . multitude Of SMALL
er ones and large amount of curvature
on the Palouse branch, which curvature
has the aame effect Al grades in practical
operstion, certain degree Of curve on q
level Offering the same resistance Is q
certain per cent Of grade.
The o. r. & N. from Lewiston to Port
land makes quite : different showing
The railroad halts ct Riparia, on Snake
River, distance Of % miles below Lew
iston. which 10 covered BY steamboats,.
But this company has line surveyed up
the north bank Of the Snake to Lewiston
and good deal Of work has been done
upon II. The O. r. & N. route from
Lewiston to Portland u down hill al the
way. OF course, there are some slight
irregnlarities. but the greatest grade ON