The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-02-11
Will Be Unsafe.

committee to quote nun dS duIhoii'S
for the opinion that no translate con-
structfon will be safe from inrndatlOh
if it does not provide margin Oh sdL
ty of at least fifteen feet above the
present surface of the lake. We submit
that the necessity for this viii make
the initial cost of such line so great,
and the cost OF permanent maintenance
Sc extravagant as 10 forbid faVorabie
comparison with the more feasible hne
via this city. Aside from the disadvant-
age of cost. a line built across the lake
would make slow running time impera-
tive ard more than offset any possible
time advantage claimed for it as a
shorter route.
The committee has considered the
comparative claims of only two routes
between Lucin and Echo: one across
the lake TO Ogden and thence via the
present Union Pacific line to Echo;
the other from Lucin to Echo Skirting
the 81 r,hern end of the Great Salt lake.
via Salt Lake City. Pennington and
Devils Gate to Echo.
The route via the southern line
would be tWenty-six and one-half
miles longer than the northern survey,
but We believe a study of the maps and
tables appended will show that the
AuA1AAstt6 Ailllt DEAhkEEb AlutllA anu fatnO
via Salt Lake City could be scheduled
safely 10 make the time as short by
the southern route as by the northern
line. while the cost Of maintenance and
operation would be less by the southern
line because Of the advantage in phys
ical conditions Of the roadbed
In Favor OF Salt Lake.
Attention was called 10 other points
in favor Of Salt Lake in the brief. Aft
err it had been read. the party went on
with an informal discussion of the
question, all present taking part. Major
Wilkes explained the maps he had
made as to possible routes around the
southern end of the lake, giving dis
tances. He figured the distances as fol-
lows:
Miles
Lucin 10 Salt Lake ...........-..I 1851
Salt Lake to Echo, via Kaysville.. 81
Total ....................... -169i2
Miles
Lucin to Ogden ......-............1O
Ogden 70 Echo ..................... 10
Total ............................14s
Difference against Salt Lake. 261s
State Engineer Doremus told Of his
work in 1858 locating a line across the
lake for the Union Pacific. He stated
that the project was then given UP as
Impractical bic. Deep holes were found
IN the bottom Of the lake and il was
decided that the cost of crossing would
be too great. even if the plan were
practicable Mr. Doremus also called
attention to the prospect of a rise in
the level CT the lake, covering the, road
entirely if il were not. built consider
ably above the present Level.
Danger 70 Trains.
Captain BarTaft spoke % the tremen-
dous force OF waves and Of the wind.
He said the wind vas strong enough
there at times TO blow the trains of
the track. while the force ~ the waves
would damage or destroy the embark
ments and treStles
The members Of the committee and
the men who were assisting IN pre-
senung the case dweIt extensively on
the prospects that the AXE would rise.
Heodlng the tracks in case the Ogden
Lucln cutoff should he built less tneu
ntteen feet above the present lake level
Iney spoke Of the corrosive scfinn of
the salt water on iron. ard the great
danger OF building a tresrIe across The
deep water.
II was brought out that in some
Places II would be necessary 10 IA 70
thirty-eight feet Of piling. besides the
portion III the ground. With such a
tai structure il was urged that the
force o. the wind and waves would
cause Il TO sway and perhaps break
well as II might Be braced- The rail-
road officials stated that it was the
intention ~n h~a7TE
o. trestle-
Knocks Salt Lake Case.
After the committee had stated its
case Messrs. kruttschnitt and Hood
pulled out maps and figures and soughr
10 denoliSh the salt Lake case They
Inquired entirely from Strong's KD0h
ia the Newfoundland range. and in
every case figured in the entire dis
tance from Salt Lake TO Ogden against
salt Lake Their figures were:
Srong's Knob 10 ogden =
StIong's Knob 70 salt Lake -. =
salt Lake 10 Ogden .... ......... 8
Total ......- ia
Difference against salt Lake .--... s.
The route acrpSs q part Of the so7lth
miles.
The committee Is convinced that
these figures 60 not represent the
shortest distance possible. and that the
engineering department OF the South
ern Pacific, in making its surveys. was
simply seeking 70 prove that no good
route could Be found south OF the lake
SO that Engineer Hood could carry
through his Pet scheme OF building 2
monument IN himself II road
across the lake.
Wanted Shortest Route.
Mr. Kruttschnitt then told he com
mittee that the railroad company cared
nothing for the Salt Lake tra6e
phases. and that its sole object wss
10 get the shortest route He stated
however. that the final decision rested
with AIr- Hartman In an interview
after the conference Mr. ETuttschnftt
repeated this statement
A. rNn ruor~fur - sr- s------.-s----