The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-12-11

tlOu, lhfougn tue bi"SN hhS- /" i'S"' VI
way and some grading completed for a
small lccal rad is held under option,
The embankments will be 'widenei and
considerable rock ballast will be added
TO make the right .of.way serviceable
for through transcontinental. Tho
line will touch Rapid City, in the east
ern part Of the range. and bend North
70 Deadwood. The two lines OF the St,
Paul. from Eyarts and from Chamber
lain, will probably meet at Rapid City.
West OF the Black Hills there is a
section Of about 200 miles in which
the right.of-way will cross seven big
rivers and a countless number OF small
mountain streams, flowing North. This
section includes the crossing of the Big
Horn and Shoshone ranges, though
neither Is claimed 10 present any won
derful difficulties in the way OF en-
yineeriny. There r. nothing here to
compare with the Denver L Rio Grande
risht-of.way across Western Colorado,
The principal expense will be bridging
and the need of high trestles TO cross
mountain streams, which always pres
ent difficulties because Of their strong
currents in the spring months. The
amount OF concrete masonry and steel
bridging required in this division will
be the big bill.
The hardest construction on an open
track will lie through the Southern ex,
tension al the Bitter Root mountains.
II will be crossed on comparatively
easy grade, in open cuttings, and by a
twisted route much like ahe right-of'
way of the Great Northern and the Ca
madam Pacific through similar regions
There will be plenty Of curves, though
none OF them will be severe. The en-
gineer's Specifications call for maxi
mum curvature less than that Of tn,
Great Northern through the mountains
and even below that adopted as stand
ard for the Western Pacific. This sec
tion of the route, however, will prob
ably cost we'll over Ss5,OOO per mile.
From the Western slope Of thes'
mounts aims TO the Cascades the rout'
| is not difficult, and lies through ver,
rich section. The resources Of that re
gion are as yet barely touched. Tb
plans of a several -year-old line to bulk
from Salmon City to Butte have bee
laid before the management several DIFF
ferent times, for purchase, but it is no
known whether or not the plan ha
been taken into account. In any even
Butte will be either ON the main lin
of the Milwaukee or reached by a goo
short branch.
The passage OF the Cascades was sup
posed to present bhe biggest engineer
ing difficulty, and was the one divisio
that had 10 be solved by the use OF
tunnel. The tunnel will be several mile
long, and will add probably 100000
to the cost of the road when completed
1t will be both broader and higher tha
the Hartman tunnel through the Sierr
Neyailas. 1t will take over two year
to build this tunnel alone, even
started now. So far a. can be learen
no contracts have been let for the sam'
The Pacific coast division will parable
the Northern Pacific closely 1t will ais
90 after the local trade Of Centra
Washington, fruit, grain and hmbe
with its products.
The main Western terminus will b
at Tacoma rather than Seattle. The ~
attic terminus is TO be reached directl
by the Tacoma landing will be first o
the main line west. bound. The mai
freight handling plants will be built a
Tacoma. --.-
What does all this mean to Wester
country: Undoubtedly the main ben
eft vii accrue TO western and North
ern Wyoming and TO Idaho. The Eas'
ern section Of Wyoming has alread
the Northwestern, the Burlington an
several local lines. The central regio
is practically without railways. 1t
{ ringed around with mountain range
and has lain fallow for years. The va
leys east Of the main Big Horn ranl
r are grazing country, and can also raii
Q wheat when the market is made al
ce,sible. There j. no doubt in tn
' world that this country will create son
: of the richest Of the new wheat LAM
!, Of the West when it is made possib
n to take the grain to market All tn
! there is in Big Horn county is to
brought to light. The Burlington is nc
b, pushing a spur into Basin City, al
, -. .,, Cn,,4h "a Theruonvlap That