East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-09-19

One OF the most expensive bits of
road building the o. r. & n. COM
pany has ever undertaken is now in
progress between this city and Yoa-
kun and will be completed within the
next two or three months. The work
only covers IL 1-2 miles of construc-
ton but will cost approximately ST.
100000.
The improvements in progress in
volve a complete change of the main
line Of the o. r. & N. company be-
tween Yoakum and Pendleton. none
OF the old line will be used. While
the work only covers 12 1-2 miles 1t
shortens the present line one and sew
en- tenths miles; eliminates 1861 de-
grees of curvature; reduces the maxi
mum degree of curves from 10 to four
degrees and reduces the grade from
eight per cent, uncompensated, to six
per cent. compensated.
On the new line there will be one
b00-foot tunnel, cutting out the
Horseshoe bend; a high fill and a steel
bridge of two 150-foot spans with con-
crete piers and abutments, through
the reservoir Of the Furnish-Coe Irri-
CATION company.
About four miles east of Yoakum
the line will cross the river twice and
cut through a big ridge that makes
another horseshoe of the present line.
This will require two more bridges
similar to the one described above.
There will be two small changes in
the channel Of the Umatilla river
near Yoakum and another about 1900
feet long one mile west of Barnhart,
while about a mile each way from
Pilot Rock Junction there will be two
channel changes about one-half mile
in length.
On the present line the longest
stretch of straight track is but 1900
feet long, while on the new line there
are two tangents of two miles each
and one of one mile long.
Costs Big Sum.
The 12 1-2 miles of new construc-
ton will cost approximately $780,
900, though 1t Is quite probable that
the ultimate cost will be even greater
than the railroad people have estimat-
ed.
The changes in the channel OF the
Umatilla river will very materially
assist the run-off of that stream dur
ing floods and thereby will prevent
considerable overflow during the flood
seasons. The work is being pushed
along quite rapidly and should be
completed about the first of the year.
The we'll known construction firm of
Twohy Brothers has the contract and
they have something like 500 men
employed at the present time. More
would be put to work II they could be
secured and with the close of the
harvest season at hand 1t is possible
that another 100 or two will be avail
able. A double shift is being used on
the steam shovels. electric light plants
having been established so that they
can be operated by night as we'll as
by day There are six Of these great
machines at work on the job and
thousands of cubic feet of dirt and
rock are being moved daily.
While the steam shovels are being
used extensively in the excavations to
secure materials for the many long
fills, It Is in changing the channels of
the river that they come into their
greatest use In one place the new
channel runs straight down through
the heavily timbered river bottom
for half a mile while in others 1t has
been necessary to cut channels
through almost solid rock.
Expensive Right OF Way.
One of the contributing factors to
the great expense attached to the
work is the fact that several of the
prosperous farms along the Umatlla
river bottom have been literally cut to
pieces, necessitating the payment OF
large sums of money for right Of way
since much of the land was worth
from 800 to $500 per acre. The J.
e. Smith company received $4,000
for the right of way across that ranch
which extends up and down the river
for a distance of four miles. This
seems like an enormous sum to pay
for a right of way across one farm
but the damage to the beautiful
ranch with its alfalfa fields and or
chards is almost incalculable. On,
field is cut in two by the new channe
for the river while two or three Others
are similarly divided by the railroa,
and its fills. Barely missing the res
idence, the new line cuts through tn,
valuable orchard, making necessar.
a removal OF the dwelling and a com