Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-01-28
BRIDGING AN INLAND SEA.


We have in times past been told much
81 wonderful feats in railroad building,
md much has been written of the en-
gineering skill and daring hat directed
the course of the iron horse across the
plains and mountains that lie between
the Missouri river and the Pacific Ocean.
'In the grandeur and magnitude Of the
undertaking, the Union Pacifc-Central
Pacific has never been equaled. The
energy and perseverance with which the
work was urged forward, and the ra-
pidity with which it was executed, are
without a parallel in history" were the
statements of the special government COM
missioners to the Secretary of the In
terror.
Thirty-ive 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. 1t was a 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
tie owners of 1.-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,
the new track was formally opened IN
Thanksgiving Day when Mr.. +. H. Har-
riman, head of the Hartman Lines, and
a big party Of railroad magnates p%artook
of Thanksgiving Day dinner in the mid
die of Great Salt Lake.
The Ogden-Lucin Cut Off" is 1902
miles in length, p miles m land and 30
miles on trestle work and films over the
waters of Great Salt Lake. 1t 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-continental traffic over the old
line from Ogden to Lucin, Nevada, around
the Lake. This strip of track is one
of the most expensive of the Hartman
system, the maximum grade over the
long Promontory hill is lO4 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
$l,50O.OO a day in operating expenses and
also a saving of several hours i'll running
time.
Active work was commenced in 1902,
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
81, zoo, 000. 100.
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 8 miles to Promontory. Then
five miles Of solid road bed and then ~
toward Lucin and thence across the Great
Salt 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 arm 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 sane 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 II
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 was 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 over the bottom of
the Lake and having formed a salt wall
of 100 feet. 1t took 1000 tons of rock in
piles which appear to have reached the
bottom of the Lake proper and which has
resulted in a firm and splendid road bed.
In a speech which he made at the Alta
Club, Salt Lake City, on the eve of the
opening of the "Cut Off," Mr.. Hartman
said:
"'The completion of this undertaking
will reduce the distance between San
Francisco and Salt Lake by ii miles, and
will eventually bring the time between
the two cities down to % hours.
ut 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 Pacific-have spent in the last
three years somewhere near 100000,
10000 in repairs and improvements aside
from the expenses of operation or main
tenance."