Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1904-02-25
BRIDGING AN INLAND SEA.
stupcndous Engineering.


We have in times past been told much
of wonderful feats in railroad building,
and much has been written, of the en-,
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 Pacifc-.Central
Pacific has never been equaled: Inc
energy and perseverance with which the
work was urged forward, and .he ra-
| without parallel in history We're 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
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
solut ton of the grade question and the
| Strengthening of the track.
| One of the most interesting and diff
cult feats of railroad engineering ever
the owners of 1.-THE Overland Route"
Union Pacific and Southern Pacific Rail
road-the building of bridge across tho
Great Salt Lake between Ogden, Utah,
and Lucin, Nevada.
! The work being practically completed,
the new track was formally opened on
Thanksgiving Day when Mr.. =. H. Har:.
big party of railroad magnates partook
Of Thanksgiving Day dinner in the mid
The ogden.Lucin Cut OF" is lo2
miles in length, y miles on land and 30
miles on trestle work and films over the
waters of Great Salt Lake. 1t presents
practically level track except for short
vada, where a 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 "trip of track is ono
of the most expensive of the Hartman
system, the maximum grade over tho
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 III running
time.
Active work was commenced in 1902,
and thus tho almost impossible task was
| cOhPleteu III ABOUT ~ montns. Inc Iast
pile YVES driven during the last week Of
October. This great work has cost over
| n 200, 10000.
The cut off runs from Ogden west Is
miles over level country before reaching
the lake proper, then across the east arm
Of the Lake 9 miles to Promontory. 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 q continuous film supported
| by trestlc. Near the middle of this will
be gap of 600 feet of open trestle work
left for the waters of the Bear river which
| dow into the arm of the Lake.
| Across Promontory Point runs five
miles Of solid road bed and here difficult ut
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 il IL
miles Of trestle work with film ap-
proach at each end of four miles. In
one great difficulty was encountered across
trestle work. fhis 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 salt wall
Of 100 feet. It took 1000 tons of rock in
PAes which, appear to have reached tho
bottom of the Lake proper and which has
resulted in a firm and splendid road bed.
In speech which lie made at. the Alta
Club, Salt Lake City, on the eve Of tho
opening of the "Cut or" Mr.. Hartman
said:
will reduce the distance between San
Francisco and Salt Lake by Il miles, and
will eventually bring the time between
the two cities down<to p 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 naturalization Pacific and
Southern PaciGc-have spent in the last
three years somewhere near 100000
10000 in repairs and improvements aside
from the expenses of operation or main.
tenance."
ASoft Heart.-Freddy-" hoo! Sissy's
gone and killed that little fly on the win