Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1904-01-29
BRIDGING AN INLAND SEA.
stupendous Engineering.

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
tho course of the iron horse across the
plains and mountains that lie between
the Missouri river and the Pacific Ocean.
Elm 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, arc
without parallel in history" were the
statements of the special government com
missieners to the Secretary of the In
terror.
Thirty.five 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 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 1.-THE Overland Route"
Union Pacific and Southern Pacific Rail
road-the building of bridge across the
Great Salt Lake between Ogden, Utah,
and Lucin, Nevada.
The work being practically completed,
tho new track was formally opened. on
Thanksgiving Day when Mr.. +. II. Har.
riman, head Of the Hartman Lines, and
a big party Of railroad maenates partook
Of Thanksgiving Day dinner in the mid
die of Great Salt Lake.
The Ogden Lucin Cut OFF" is lo2
miles in length, p miles on land and 30
miles on trestle work and films over tho
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 eff will throw out
the transcontinental 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 tho
long Promentory hill is l04 feet to the
mile and helper engines are always neces-
Rary. The elimination of the use of these
engines will mean the saving of at least
Sl,5o0.0o day in operating expenses and
also 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
The cut off runs from Ogden west IL
miles over level country before reaching
| the lake proper, rthen 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 a continuous tillin supported
by trestle. Near the middle of this will
be gap of 600 feet of open trestle work
left for the waters of the Bear river which
fow 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 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 is l,
miles of trestle work with fillin ap
proach at each end of four miles. Ii
completing the work of spanning the Lake
the east arm by the settling of films anc
trestle work. This was caused by the sal
of the flow of the Bear river having col
lccted for centuries over the bottom o
the Lake and having formed n salt wal
of 100 feet: 1t took 1000 tons of rock il
phes "HlCH appear 10 nave TeacneQ tn
bottom of the Lake proper and which ha
resulted in firm and splendid road bed.
In a speech which he made at the Att
Club, Salt Lake City, on the eve of tn,
opening of the Cut Off," Mr.. Hartman
said:
The completion of this undertaken;
will reduce the distance between Sai
Francisco and Salt Lake by Al miles, anc
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 81
hours, and put passengers into New Yorl
in Sc hours from Salt Lake.
, "These two railroads-Union Pacific ant
Southern Pacifc-have spent in the las
three years somewhere near $3.50, GOO
10000 in repairs and improvements asd
l from the, expenses of operation or main
i, tinance."