The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-22
LOW GRADE Line
IS COMPLETED
Rails All Laid Eight Hours Be-
fore Time Limit Is
Reached.
BINGHAM : GARFIELD ROAD
! MANY OBSTACLES OVERCOME
IN BRIEF PERIOD.
Especial to The Herald)

IL
Bingham. Jan. 2I.-With shouts from the
workmen and the blowing of whistles the
last spike was driven on the Bingham
Low Grade line at 4:10 o'clock this after
noon. thus marking the completion of a
most remarkable feat of railroad engi-
u" IN The contract called for the rails
10 be laid by midnight Jan. o. and when
the rall-layers started TO work this morn
ing there was "A 5.100-foot gap between the
Two forces Every man on the line per-
to completion.
Though the baIlasting is not vet fin
lsneG' the road is in shape to put i'm COM
mission Immediately. Work began NAV
u, and the road was built at a cost of
N.V0OVO. 1t covers a distance of fourteen
ana one-half miles in length from Garfield
junction to the upper terminus with
20 per cent compensated grade.
Grade Is Remarkable.
This feature is most remarkable. Com
pared with the old road which has a
grace of 4 per cent and at it's terminus is
over LOCO feet lower than the new road
at this point. The elevation of the road
is 400 feet at the lower end and $500 at
the upper end. There are two tunnels
and large number of cuts. including
siXty-foot cut. the largest on the system.
There are nine bridges on the road. built
under The direction OF q. W. Kinney.
superintendent of bridge construction.
The large one on the loop is built in 10
degree curve. $50 feet long and reaches
structiOn work was done by the Utah Con-
struction company. The work has been
of that nature that il required great skill
and judgment.
There was approximately 1000 tons Of
powder used i'm blasting. and the damage
10 property below the read was compare
lively slight. The formation on which the
line is built is very difficult 80 handle.
varying as il does from pOrphyry to
quaitzite and the combination OF the two.
The blasting above town was done un-
fnN h Il
Sally, superintendent of the Utah Con-
struction company and it is due to his
cautiouSness in the handling of explosives
that more damage was not done.
Many Men Employed.
An average of 500 men. 200 teams two
dinky engines and ore steam shovel have
been kept busy for the past nine months
and a large portion of this crew will be
kept at work until the ballasting of the
roadbed is completed.
\ gravel pit to furnish gravel for bal
lasting has been opened up near the Re-
we're switch. and a steam shovel is now
at work loading cars for this purpose
From a scenic standpoint perhaps no
road i'm the world Of its length affords
more beautiful scenery. From Crandall
point on a clear day one can see from
way north of Salt Lake and south through
the valley as far as Provo, and the big
L on the side hill near the university
looms up in all its grandeur
Chief Engineer Pleased.
In an interview with a Herald CORE
spondent Engneer-in-Charg Goodrich
said Il have held this position for the
laNt twenty years and this is the biggest
piece OF engineering ! have ever had any
thing to do with Considering the length
OF time in which ii was done, though
nothing came up unlooked-for. II has been
a difficult piece OF work The contractors
never knew what kind of formation to
prepare for. whether porphyry. quartzite
/ or conglomerate. Labor has been scarce
and that has been the most trying diff
Guilty to overcome The Utah Construc-
ton company and Mr.. Kinney have done
their work remarkably well and are de-
I serving of great credit. There has only
been one loss of life and that was due to
/ carelessness on the part of the man who
was killed. Yes. il is a remarkable piece
/ Of work. but it is ready To go into conf
/ mission tomorrow If necessary. The rails
/ were laid on schedule time