Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-03-19
LAST SPIKE ON
NEW HILL ROAD
Impressive Ceremony Marks Com.
pIetIOn Of Railway.
Special Tram From Vancouver Car
ries Enthusiastic Crowd--GoIden
spke Driven at Sheridan's Point,
West of Stevenson-On Site of
Early Day Blockhouse.

Vancouver, Wash, March 12.-Il
the presence OF 500 cheering people
who travelled 80 miles to witness tn,
ceremony, the golden spike was driver
in the North Bank road yesterday after
noon. The exercises were held at Sher
idan's Point, three miles west Of Steven
son, Wash, and although they occupied
but few minutes, were impressive
The driving home of the golden spike
was regarded by the spectators as sig.
nalizing the dawn of a new epoch in
the railroad history of the Pacific coast
The gray old mountains that looked
down on the coming of the tiny canoes
of Lewis and Clark, over 100 years ago,
stand all around the spot where the last
spike WIS driven yesterday. Almost
On The very pl ice where the last rail
was laid, an 4 blockhouse, erected oy
pioneers. wlthstood the repeated at
tacks of Indians and after it had served
its purpose, was washed away bya flood
in the Columbia river.
The special train that was run to
Lyle yesterday over the new Spokane,
Portland & Seattle railway WIS made
up at Vancouver, and the people who
attended the ceremony Of driving the
spike were guests of the business inter-
ests of Vancouver and the new railroad.
The driving of the golden spike took
place on the trip up the river, the train
being halted at Sheridan's Point for
the purpose. E. f. Beard, editor of
the Vancouver Columbian, was master
of ceremonies and held the golden spike
that was to be the final bond linking
the Inland Empire with the cities Of
the seabnard. He introduced Mayor
Green, Of Vancouver, who made short
talk.
Geo &c H Hines. ecr tary of the
Oregon Historical socI,ty, was intro
duced aid dwelt on the historic signifi-
canoe of driving the golC Ell spike of the
new ,o,d where the pioneers took
refuge ( ON the attacks OF the Indians.
Char leg H. Carey, of Portland, coun-
sci for the Hill lines il this terr tory,
was called upon and r, sp ,nded with a
speech.
The golden spike was then driven.
Judge Carey st uck the fret blow, and
handed the gilded hammer over to
Mayor Green, who, in turn, gave way
to George H. Hines. Superintendent
Forest, of the new road II Farchild.
representing Governor Mead, of Wa-h-
ington, who was unable TO be pres ent: !
G.. 7. Giezentanner, editor Of the Panco
Express, representing the present ter
minus of the North Bank road; Fl NJ. /
Adams general freight and passenger
agent for the new line; Major Nc
Glachlin, OF the United States army;
Richard Porter, 'f the contracting firm
of Porter Bros. & Welch, who con-
structed the new line; James P. Staple
ton, Of Vancouver, tapped the spike in !
turn, and n. D. Miller, chief engineer,
was called upon to drive the spike
home. AS he did so he was loudly
cheered and the new road was formally
The track was completed on Waah-
ingt ms birthday, bnt the golden spike
was driven at the point where the last
rail was laid. The line will be opened
for traffic next Monday morning from
Vancouver to Pasco. a distance OF 22l
miles. Work is now going forwa'd on
the line between Pasco and s. ,ape,
making the total length of the road
when completed, $50 miles. 1t is ex-
pacted to have the entire line in opera.
tion between Portland and Spokane by
the end Of the present year. Trains
over the road will be running into
it is expected, by next June,
up'n completion OF bridges across the
Columbia and Willamette rivers. /,