Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-06-02
WESTERN PACIFIC.
Wild Stories Regarding Construction
Difficulties Denied Emphatlcally.

According TO the Reno Gazette, A. W.
Keddle. the Western Pacific engineer In
charge OF the construction and survey
work at Quincy. Cal, does not take
very seriously The oft-repeated stories
that the Utah Construction company
took bigger contract than % could
handle when II agreed 20 build the
Western Pacific railway from he Neva-
da state line through California. These
stories are TO the effect that the COM
many took the work TOO low, that 70
now realizes 80 and cannot therefore
pay proper wages 90 ils men or make
the necessary OUTLAWS Incident 10 the
great work.
1T would be impossible 10 build such
a railroad as the Western Pacific and
escape criticism said MI keddie
"aud also impossible not % make somc
mistakes and justify comment but ]
viii say that so far as our work In
Plumas county is concerned. % IS proc
crossing In a satisfactory manner The
winter was a hard one aud The right
sort OF labor Is difficult 20 secure, and
OF course these two causes have delayed
us. but aside from them We are d0ink
very well. lnQetd. / think. Some ~
the stories afoat are outright fabrica-
tlons ana most Of the others gross ex-
aggeraions.
you win bear IN mind continued
Nj. Krdiie. that this construction
work IA being done not by the Western
Pacific Itself. but by the Utah Cone
structlon company II that concern
took the general contract 40 ton low
figure the Western Pacific cannot he
banned. The work was let 90 the lowe
est responsible bidder and vii Dc done.
As 90 arrangements between the Utah
company ana ts subcontmctOrs that
a thelr business. not ours. Whether
riecemoal construction Is let by the
t'iah company at log or high prices Is
its affair altogs.her II its general bId
was too luN. 10 may even up On some
Instances but the Western Pacific
VIII be built 5ust me same. and So Far
a. construction Work iu Plumas Is CON.
ctued ] am Wen content
The difficulty experienced In getting
The right sort ~ labor is a serious prob
lem. Mr. Kcdile said. and appears 70
h the great obstacle now in me way
OF the speedy construction OF tho West
orr Paclhc in Butte and plumss coun.
ties The laborers ohtainabic are un-
reliable. They are not IN most Instances
gooA workme1, and lack perseverance,
- fast as one sci OF men come in an
other quits. Labor win have 20 be ODE
tanned somewhere and somehow but
the delay a. % Is insures that the Utah
Construction company will not complete
re contract In two years, a. o. agreed
% 40.
Work AZ Chllcoot, where = big tun-
mel Is 70 be driven. Is going ON active
l. every day. and also 40 other points
where contracts have been lei Nearly
ali the route through this county Il
how IN the hands % sub-contmct0fs,
a bid for the greater part ofthe un-
covered work having been let this
week Il d understood
At the Spring Garden tunnel quite A
fierce OF men 81 employed, their camp
snd hospital being nearby From the
stage road between tins place and
Beckwlih. work done on The grade AT
various points comes into view. and al
one point. not Ear from Beckwiih' Y
sang % men and steam shovel caf
hc seen digging away the side Of :
mountain IN order 10 lessen the degree