Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1904-01-29
snrnersa AN INLAND SEA.
stupendous Engineering.

HHLD4THNG 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-
gineering skill and daring that directed
plains and mountains that lie between
the Missouri river and the Pacific Ocean.
In the grandeur and magnitude of the
undertaking, the Union Paci6c-Central
energy and perseverance with which the
work was urged forward, and the ra-
pidity with which it was executed, are
without parallel In history, were the
nissioners to the Secretary of the In
terror.
Thirty-fve years ago there was no time
20 spend on work similar to that which
was watching while the builders of the
Union Pacific and Central Pacific raced
for supremacy. 1t 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 diff
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 bridge across the
and Lucin, Nevada.
The work being practically completed,
the new track was formally opened on
Thanksgiving Day when Mr.. f. 81. Har--
riman, head of the Hartman Lines, and
q big party. of railroad magnates partook
of Thanksgiving Day dinner in the mid
die of Great Salt Lake.
The Ogden-Lucin Cut Of" is l02
miles in length, 70 miles on land and 80
miles 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
tered.
The use of this cut off will throw out
che trans con tinental traffic over the old
line from Ogden to Lucin, Nevada, around
of the most expensive of the Hartman
system, the maximum grade over the
long Promontory hill is 104 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 a day in operating expenses and
also saving of several hours i'll running
time.
and thus. the almost impossible task was
completed in about % months. The last
pile was driven during the last week of
October This great work has cost over
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 miles to PromonGory. Then
five miles of solid road bed and then n
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 film supported
by trestle- Near the middle of this will
be a gap of 600 feet of open trestle work
left for the waters of the Bear river which
flow into the arm of the Lake.
ont PnIn fxy0
miles of solid road bed and here difficult
work was encountered: A cut of 1900
feet long in sand and rock of barren
most beautiful on this inland sea, sur s
veys have been made for an immense sum-
mer resort.
Across the west arm of the Lake is IL
miles of trestle work with a film ap-
proach at each end of four miles. In
completing the work of spanning the Lake,
one great difficulty 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 oyer the bottom of
the Lake and having formed a 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 speech which he made at the Alta
opening of the Cut Off," Mr.. Hartman,
eaid
.'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 sc
hours, and put passengers into New York
IN Sc hours from Salt Lake.
"These two railroads-Union Pacific and
Southern Pacifc-have spent in the last
three years somewhere near S130, 900,
10000 in repairs and improvements aside
from the expenses of operation or main
tenance."
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