The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-30
OUTLOOK FOR LucIM ROUTE.


IHE HERALD is advised that the
recent visit Of Mr.. Hartman will
be followed within a short time by the
operation OF all Southern Pacific trains
west from ogden over the Lucin cut
on. 1t may require sixty days. possibly
no longer than thirty, to complete the
preparations for this nomentous
change, but the summer will see the
famous route over the lake in fun one
ration for the traffic of the Hartman
lines.
Few people realize the magnitude of
the task involved in this great engi-
neering work; even fewer appreciate the
tremendous engineering difficulties in
Volved or the problem of financiering
which made the achievement possible.
1t Is safe to say that no comparable
undertaking has been carried to sue
cess in this country. The waterfront
problems of New Orleans, Galveston
and San Francisco furnished some re-
markable feats of construction; the
Russian government has a great prob
lem in its connection Of the two ends
of the rans-Siberian road over Lake
Baikal; terminals in various great sea-
ports have called for a high order Of
engineering skill, but none of these
equal the Lucin enterprise in the ne
cessity for invention and ingenuity de-
manded by the factors Of uncertainty.
For instance, one Of the greatest ply
steal obstacles his been the spot in the
lake known as the sink" where a
shifting foundation, sinking under
pressure, has given the engineers no
end Of trouble. There has been no
means Of determining just what caused
the difficulty. and experiments innu-
merable have been tried with a final
promise of success after months of hard
work and the accumulation Of immense
amounts Of filling material at the point
of greatest stress.
The fact that Mr.. Hartman expects
trains 10 be in operation over the Lucin
route soon ought TO set at rest forever
the rumors that the lake route might
have To be abandoned. It ought to set
tie. too, the countless reports that the
cutoff is i'm any sense of problematic
value. As an operating economy the
new line will be worth much more than
its cost, great as that has been. 1t will
obviate the need Of the heavy haul
around Promontory HILL cut out the ex-
pensive dOuble-head trains. reduce the
maintenance. fuel and labor cost Of the
road, and by a reduction in mileage
and grades bring the running time
down so that trans-continental trains
win break all present records between
Chicago and the coast.
The ultimate achievement Of this
great project should mark an epoch in
the history Of the Pacific roads. To
cross the Great salt lake on trestle and
embankment viii. OF itself. be an ex-
perience worth travelling far to find.
To pass by the scenes of Bonnevile's
exploration in the limited. TO see from
a car window the route of Fremont's
memorable trip, to view the magnifi-
cent panorama Of lake and valley and
mountain. will offer the scenic treat of
a lifetime.
The incidental advantage to Utah of
this railroad feature is incaIcuIabIe
We who are accustomed to the sights
OF the region do not appreciate to the
fun its beauties; but the traveller from
abroad who comes into the valley Of
the lake from trip across the plains
10 the east or the desert OF the west,
finds here a magnifcence of scenery
and charm Of natural beauty scarcely
eQualed elsewhere. The Lucin cutoff
IS the last touch needed to make the
fame of Utah world wide, and its sue
cess should be a matter Of pride for
every one who has the future Of the
state and its institutions at heart.