Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-06-25
WABASH
LINE
OPENED
Great System Entered Pitts
burg at an Enormous
Cost

Pittsburg, Pa, June 25-After four
years of unremi,ting effort and an ex.
penditure of 500 600, 600, the new line
of the Wabash railroad into Pittsburg
is about to become an accomplished
fact. The first train will be run from
this city to St. Louis tomorrow and
will carry distinguished party as
guests of George Gould.
The event marks a victory without
parallel in the history of American
railroads. When the Gould interests
decided to carry one end of their
$1,000 mile railroad system into Pitts
burg they faced stupendous obstacles
which could be overcome only by il.
limitable resources. In the first place
they had to meet the opposition of
the Pennsylvania railroad, which in.
stituted drastic reprisals and even
went to the length of destroying mil.
lions of dollars worth of Western
Union property along it's lines.
Almost as formidable as the opposi.
tion of the Pennsylvania were the en-.
gineering difficulties to be overcome
in the construction OF the new line.
From Pittsburg to Jewett, throughout
its entire length of 60 miles. the line
is a continuous series of deep cuts
and high embankments, great bridges
and viaducts, tunnels and culverts.
So rough is the country which is tap
ped by the new line that scarcely
mile in its whole length carries the
surface level of the ground.
Exclusive of two great cantiliver
bridges, there are nine important via.
ducts on the line, aggregating 1864
feet in length. The Monongahela
bridge at Pittsburg is the largest can.
talever bridge in America, and, except.
ing the Firth of Forth bridge, the
largest of its kind in the world. 1t has
a middle span of S12 feet and two end
spans of 347 feet each, making total
length of 1906 feet The mean pool
level of the river is cleared by 20 feet.
Second only to this bridge is that
over the Ohio river at Mingo This
with central span of TOO feet and
two end spans, each of 298 feet, has
total length of 1896 feet, and is 80
feet above the water. These bridges
cost nearly $1,0OO,O0O each.
There are 19 tunnels on the line,
aggregating 2O,459 feet, or nearly
four miles in length. To reduce the
number of bridges the course of Cross
creek in Pennsylvania and West Vir.
ginia has been changed at several
places, new channels as much as 80
feet deep having been blasted through
solid rock. The entire line is laid
with 90-pound steel rails.
Out of Pittsburg a one per cent.
grade carries four miles to the summit
at the west portal to the Greentree
tunnel. Here will be the new terminal
freight yard where trains will be
made up to full weight for the run to
Jewett. Except for this short switch.
ing haul out of Pittsburg, the maxi.
mum grade, either east or west, is 81
feet to the mile.
Notwithstanding the great cost of
the line the Gould interests figure
that it will bring ample returns. The
road was built with a certain knowl.
edge that vast traffic, running into
the millions of tons, was to be had at
the outset. Along the line local bust,
ness-coal, agricultural products and
passenger travels counted upon TO
develop gradually. Already through
Washington county, in anticipation of
the new outlet coal pits have been
dug and collieries built in what were
yesterday grain fields and pastures.
Oil wells have also been sunk.
From Pittsburg the Wabash will be
the short line to Toledo, while to
Chicago it will be only five miles,
and to st. Louis 40 miles, longer than
the Pennsylvania routes.