The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-20
BRIDGING AN INLAND SEA.
stupendous Engineering


We have in times past been told much
OF wonderful feats in railroad building,
and much has been written OF the en-
ginesring skill and daring that directed
the course Of the iron horse across the
plains and mountains that lie between
the Missouri river and the Pacific Ocean
"ln the grandeur and magnitude of the
undertaking, the Union Pacihc-Ccntral
Pacific has never been cqualed. The
energy and perseverance with which the
work was urged forward, and the ra-
pidity with which IL was executed, arc
without a parallel in history" were the
statements Of the special government com
missioners to the Secretary OF the In
terror,
/ Thirty.fye 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. It was = magnificent con
test, but nowadays the owners Of the
road have been brought to consider other
problems. One of these necessitated the
solution Of the grade question and the
Strengthening of the track.
One of the most interesting and dill.
cult feats of railroad engineering ever
undertaken has Just been completed by
the owners Of The Overland Route"
Union Pacific and Southern Pacific Rail,
road-the building of a bridge across the
Great Salt Lake between Ogden, Utah,
and Lucin, Nevada.
The work being practically completed,
Che new track was formally opened on
Thanksgiving Day when Mr.. y. H. Har.
riman, head of the Hartman Lines. and
9 big party Of railroad magnates partook
~ ~. pIUxiY.fr. IlutF l,an,a =, A.. .,,I
die of Great Salt Lake.
The Ogden Lucin Cut Of" ia l02
miles in length, 70 miles on land and 30
miles on trestle work and films over the
waters Of Great Salt Lake. It presents
a practically level track except for a short
distance on the west end near Lucin, Ne.
vada, where a slight grade is encoun-
tered.
The use Of this cut off will throw out
the trans.cOntineutal traffic over the old
line from Ogden to Lucin, Nevada, around
the Lake. This strip Of track is ono
OF the most expensive Of the Hartman
system, the maximum grade over the
long ~Promontory hill is I04 feet to the
mile and helper engines are always necGs.
sary. The elimination of the use OF these
engines Will mean the saving OF at least
Sll,5O0,W a day In operating expenses and
also o saving Of several hours IN running
time.
Active work was commenced in 1902,
and thus the almost impossible task was
completed in about 22 months. The last
pile was driven during the last week of
October. This great work has cost over
u, 200, 5000
The cut off runs from Ogden west IS
miles over level country before reaching
the lake proper, then across the east arm
n fHU 1 h. n ! l. mn
miles Of solid road bed and then 70
miles west over the west arm Of the Lake
toward Lucin and thence across the Great
eait Lake Desert to Lucin, Nevada.
Across the east arm Of the Lake, it will
be almost a continuous film supported
by ~trestle. Near the middle Of this will
be a gap OF 800 feet Of open trestle work
left for the waters Of the Bear river which
flow into the ann 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 n film 40.
preach at each end Of -four miles. In
completing the work Of spanning the Lake,
me great difficulty was encountered across
The east arm by the settling Of films and
,restle work. This was caugcd BY the salt
If the flow Of the Bear river having col. .
ected for centuries over the bottom of -,
he Lake and having formed a salt wall
100 feet. 1t took 1000 tons Of rock in
'iles which appear TO have reached the
'ottom OF the Lake proper and which has
esulted in a firm and splendid road bed.
In a speech which he made at the Alta |
Tub, Salt Lake City, on the eve of the
of the Cut off," Mr.. Hartman
aid:
"The completion Of this undertaking
viii reduce the distance between San |
francisco and Salt Lake by Al miles, and
viii eventually bring the time between
he two cities down to q hours.
ut is intended to reduce the running
ime from Salt Lake to Chicago to 81
ours, and put passengers into New York
SO hours from Salt Lake.
These two railroads-Union Paci.Gc and
P~acihc-haye spent in the last
hree years somC Rnerc near 3J,000,.
5000 in repairs and improvements aside
the expenses Of operation or main /