Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-02-04
BRIDGING AN INLAND SEA.
Stupcndous EnEineerinE.


We have in times past been told much
of wonderful icats in railroad building,
and much has been writer of the en-
gineering skill and daring tiat directed
the course of the iron horse across the
plains and mountains that lie between
the Missouri river and the Pacific Ocean.
I'm the grandeur and magnitude OF the
undertaking, the Union Pacific Central
Pacific has never been equaled. The
energy and perseverance with which the
work was urged forward, and the ra-
pidlty with which it was executed, are
without parallel III history were the
statements of the special government com
missioners to the Secretary of the In
terror.
Thirty-fve years ago there was no time
TO spend on work similar to that which
has just been completed. Then the world
was watching while the builders OF the
Union Pacific and Central Pacific raced
for supremacy. 1t was a magnificent con
test. but nowadays the owners of the
road have been brought to consider other
problems. One of these neCessitatcd the
solution of the grade question and the
strengthening of the track.
One OF the most interesting and diff
cult feats of railroad engineering ever
undertaken has Just been completed by
the owners of "Thc Overland Route
Union Pacific and Southern Pacific Rail
road-tlre building of bridge across the
'TtaI Sdlt Lake between Dgten. l TAN,
and Lucin, Nevada.
The work being practically completed,
the new track was formally opened on
Thanksgiving Day when Mr.. i. II. Iar-
riman, head of the Hartman Lines and
big party of railroad magnates partook
OF Thanksgiving Day dinner in the mid
die of Great Salt Lake.
The Ogden-Lucin Cut Of" is i02
miles in length, 72 miles on land and 80
miles on trestle work and films over the
waters of Great Salt Lake. 1t presents
practically level track except for a short
distance on the west end near Lucin, Ne
vada, where slight grade is encoun-
tered.
The use Of this cut off will throw out
the trans-continental traffic over the old
line from Ogden to Lucin, Nevada, around
the Lake. This strip of track is one
OF the most expensive of the Hartman
system, the maximum grade over the
long Promontory hill is lO4 feet to the
mile and helper engines are always neces-
sary. The elimination of the use of these
engines will mean the saving of at least
81 10000 day in operating expenses and
also saving of several hours i'll running
time.
Active work was commenced in 1902.
and thus the almost impossible task was
completed in about 30 months. The last
pile was driven during the last week of
October. This great work has cost over
81 200 100000
The cut off runs. from Ogden west Is
miles over level country before reaching
the lake proper, then across the east arm
OF tho Lake miles to Promontcry Then
five miles of solid road bed and then ~
miles west over the west arm of the Lake
toward Lucin and thence across the Great
Salt Lake Desert to Lucin. Nevada.
Across the east arm of the Lake, it will
be almost continuous fillin supported
by trestlc Near the middle of this will
be gap of 600 feet of open trcstle work
left for the waters of the Bear river which
flow into the arm of the Lake
Across Promontory Point runs five
miles of solid road bed and here difficult
work was encountered. A cut of 5000
feet long in sand and rock of barren
bluff being necessary. At this point, the
most beautiful on this inland sea. sur.
veys have been made for an immense sum
mer resort.
Across the west arm of the Lake is IL
miles of trestle work with u film ap-
proach at each end of four miles In
completing the work of spanning the Lake,
one great difficulty was encountered across
the east arm by the settling Of films and
treStle work This was caused by the salt
Of the flow of the Bear river having col
lected for centuries over the bottom of
the Lake and having formed Il salt wall
of 100 feet 1t took | 900 tons Of rock in
piles which appear to have reached the
bottom OF the Lake proper and which has
resulted in firm and splendid road bed.
In a speech which he made at the Alta
Club, Salt Lake City, on the eve Of the
opening of the Cut Off" Mr. Hartman
said:
The completion of this undertaking
will reduce the distance between San
Francisco and Salt Lake by Al miles, and
will eventually bring the time between
the two cities down to % hours
1T is intended to reduce the running
time from Salt Lake to Chicago to So
hours, and put passengers into New York
in So hours from Salt Lake.
These two railroad.-Unon Pacific and
Southern Pachc-have spent in the last
three years somewhere near Sl3O .OO0,-
0OD.OO III repairs and improvements aside
f'om the expenses of operation or main