The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-31
TO BRIDGE THE LAKE
NORTHERN PACIFIC PREPARING
TO BUILD TRESTLE AT
NrKENZIE
WAVES ARE TEN FEET HIGH
Trip by Boat Is Dangerous, but
Many Passengers Faced lit
Rather Than Submit to
Further Delay.
Special to The Globe.

JAMESTOWN, n. D., March 80
Northern Pacific officials decided today
that the only solution of the present diff
nculty over two miles of submerged
track at Mckenzie was to bridge, and
work will probably be commenced to-
morrow. Efforts to transfer have been
only fairly successful.
Today hfty-tiVe passengers west bound.
and twenty east bound. were transferred
over Lake Mckenzie Passengers east
bound We're conducted two miles north
on the west side Of The lake on land
from trains. thence 500 feet across by
boat, ard five miles by wagons to trains
on the east side, The same procedure
for those west bound was reversed. Lake
mckenzie. for such has now become the
name Of a big slough thirty miles long
{ ana TWO miles wide. was as formidable
as an ocean today and where the rail
road tracks are submerged waves ten
feet high swept across a broad expanse
ana passengers shuddcred al the mere
mention Of going by boat two miles
across in d binding snow storm, which
oDScured the view Of the opposite Shore
and even the most fooIhardy sidestep-
ped chances of meeting death in a wa
terry grave. In wagons driven by farm
crS who laughed al the fears of paSSen-
gers ladies of culture who arrived on
PUllmans sat side by side with poorer
classes, and interested themselves in the
efforts of the drivers to urge their steeds
along weary miles of travel. For once
classes were forgotten and only anxiety
TO get somewhere where there was some
thing beside a dTeary eXpanse of water
and close cropped prairies uppermost in
the minds of strangely assorted leads.
To some i was new and novel eXperI-
once, while others were well used to the
dreary monotony of drivers urging their
, st oeds. and tales of praires.
No trains were sent west of lanes
town today, but tomorrow the usual
train viii he sent with those who prefer
going over the lake to the long trip
round by way of the Great Northern and
Helena. A number of passengers from
the Pacific coast arrived in jamestown
last night, east bound, and related tales
Of great trouble in getting across. They
Were given choice of going to Helena
and thence east over the Great North
ern. or to Billings, and east by way Of
y tbs Burlington. All were relieved thar
the lake had been crossed.
Still Blocked at Bismarck.
Special to The Globe.
BISMARCK, N. D., March 30.-That the
blockade which has prevailed in railroad
circles here for nearly a week will be
broken tonight by the arrival of train
bearing passengers, mail and baggage is
the cheering assurance received at rail-
road Headquarters. Although a lake Of
water OF great depth Stll covers the track
OF the railroad, passengers, mail and bag
gage are being transferred by wagons to
neck o. the temporary lake about a
mile and a nalf north of the tracks, and
there ferried across with a gasoline
launch and small row boats. 1t has been
slow work today in the teeth Of cold
wind that drove snow and Sleet in the
faces Of the passengers who were willing
10 brave the worst the elements had to
oiter for an opportunity to end the tedium
<oi waiting. The water over the tracks fell
I eight inches today but there are still sew
eraI feet Of water rushing over the tracks
Arrangements are being made to build
temporary track around the submerged
section of country traffic over the
present track may be delayed indefinitely.
Hes and rails have been ordered shipped
In and contracts are being made for
Teams and crews 90 men to build the tenn
porary tracks as speedily as possible. An
immense amount of freight is accumulat-
7ng at both sides of the washout. which
must soon be moved or great loss will be
eniMled upon the railroad company in
addition to that already occasioned by
che delay in traffic.