The Tomahawk., 1904-02-05
BnIDGING An INLAND SEA.
Stupendous Engineering.

Stupendous Engineering.
We have in times past been told much
ST wonderful feats in railroad bmldlng,
md much has been written of the en-.
gineering skill and daring that 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 tho
undertaking, the Union Pacihc-Central
Pacific las never been equaled: The
energy and perseverance with which the
work was urged forward, and the ra'
without parallel in history" were the
statements of the special government com.
missioners 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 ths
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 tho
strengthening of the track.
One of the most interesting and diff
cult feats of railroad engineering ever
the owners of 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,
Thanksgiving Day when Mr.. =. H. Har--
riman, head of the Hartman Lines, and
big party of railroad magnates partook
of THANKSGIVING Day dinner in the mid
die of Great Salt Lake.
The Ogden-Lucin Cut OFF" is l02
miles in length, p miles on land and 30
miles on trestle work and films over the
a practically level track except for 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 ono
system, the maximum grade over the
long Promontory hill is l04 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 day in operating expenses and
also saving of several hours III 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
y, 200 100000.
The cut off runs from Ogden west ID
miles over level country before reaching
the lake proper, then across the east arm
of the Lake 0 miles to Promontory. 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 fillin supported
by trestle. Near the middle of this will
be gap, of 800 feet. Of open trestle work
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 sand and rock of barren
bluff being necessary. At this. point, the
veys have been made for an immense sum.
mer resort.
Across the west arm of the Lake is II
miles of trestla work with 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 tar, arm BY the settling Of !, films and
of the flow of the Bear river having col.
lected for centuries over the bottom of
the Lake and having formed salt wall
of 100 feet. 1t took ], 900 tons of rock in
pSes which appear to have reached the
bottom Of the Lake proper and which has
resulted in a firm and splendid road bed.
In speech which he made at the Alta
Club, Salt Lake City, on the eve of the
opening of the "Cut Off," Mr.. Hartman
said:
t'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 SO
hours, and put passengers into New Yorl;
in 56 hours from Salt Lake.
"These two railroads Pacific and
Southern Pacifc-have spent in the last
three years somewhere near Sl30,000,
10000 in repairs and improvements aside
from the expenses of operation or main
tenance."
ASoft Heart -Freddy-"Boo hoo! Sissy'a
gone. and killed that little fly on the win.
dow" Mother-"1'm glad to see my little
Freddy is so tender hearted" FREDDY