The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-01-28
BRIDGING An INLAND SEA.
Stupendous Engineering.

We have in times past been told much
IF wonderful feats in railroad building,
Ind much has been written of the en-
pineering 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 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. -
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.
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
Great Salt Lake between Ogden, Utah,
and Lucin, Nevada.
The work being practically completed,
the new. track was formally opened on
Thanksgiving Day when Mr.. +. H. liar
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 Of" is lo2
miles in length, y miles On land and 30
miles on trestle work and films over the
waters of Great Salt Lake. 1t presents
a practically level track except for short
v,ada, where a slight grade is encoun-
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 l04 feet to the
mile and helper engines are always neces,
engines will mean the saving of at least
81 10000 day in operating expenses and
also saving OF several hours in 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
"a 200, 10000.
The cut off runs from Ogden west /.
miles over level country before reaching
the lake proper, then across the east arm
Of the Lake 9 miles to Promontory Then
five miles of solid road bed and then r
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
by trestle. Near the middle of this will
be a gap of 900 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 3,OO(
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 II
miles Of trestle work with film an
preach at each end of four miles. II
completing the work of spanning the Lake
one great difficulty was encountered acros.
the east arm by the settling of films ant
trestle work. This was caused by the salt
VI VIC ~" VI tHS Dear river having COL
lected for centuries over the bottom oil
the Lake and having formed a salt wal
of 100 feet. 1t took l 600 tons of rock il
pxes which appear to have reached tho
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:
The completion of this undertaken,
will reduce the distance between Sar
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 81
hours, and put passengers into New Yorl
in Sc hours from Salt Lake.
These two Naturalization Pacific and
Southern Pacifc-have spent in the last
three years somewhere near $4,000,
10000 in repairs and improvements aside
from the expenses of operation or main
tenance."
ASoft Heart-Freddy-"B hoo! Sissy'l
gone and killed that little fly on the win.
dow" Mother-"I'm glad to see nv little