The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-08-15
HOW PANAMA CANAL
WILL HELP THE WEST
ambassador r. G. Kerens Enthusi-
astic Over Outlook for In
termountain Region.
SAN PEDRO IS GATEWAY
Salt Lake Road Important Factor
in Affording Shortest
Route to Harbor.
SAN PEDRO is GATEWAY


With the completion OF the Panama
canal, Richard G.. Kerens OF St Louis.
United States ambassador to Austria and
a member Of the board OF directors OF
the Salt Lake Route. sees a wonderful
future for the west and especially for
the intermountain west.
ambassador Kerens passed Though
Salt Lake yesterday on his return trip
after tour of inspection over the Salt
Lake Route and q trip to San Pedro
harbor and Terminal island. Mr.. Kerens
was greatly impressed with the new
southern California port and spoke en-
Enthusiastically OF the possibilities OF this
port upon the completion OF the Panama
canal
Mr. Kercns was In Salt Lake a week
ago when he began his inspection trip
over the road in which he is heavily In
terested. Mr. Kerens made an all day
light trip over the Salt Lake Route In
order that he might see all OF the line
He was in his private car Oceanic; which
points along the line. The ambassador
arrived In Salt Lake OIL the return trip
yesterday forenoon and LEFT for Butte IN
tho afternoon. ambassador kerens VIII
20 from Butte to ST Paul. thence to
Washington. returning 10 Vienna In
about six weeks.
The improvements along the Salt Lake
Route we're particularly pleasing to En-
bassador Kerens He said that he was
sure that when the new high line through
the Meadow Valley wash country was
completed the railroad would never again
expe rience any trouble with the floods
which have proven so disastrous in the
past.
Mr.. Kerens found that 10 per cent of
the work on the new high line has been
completed The grading is finished and a
large portion Of the new track has been
laid The last two OF the eight tunnels
arc both this side of CaIlente. One Of
these is 1900 feet long. the longest tunnel
on the line.
Several new steel bridges. all with con-
crete abutments. are nearing completion
These bridges have spans of from ninety
TO one hundred and 1fty feet. high above
the highest mark ever reached by the
1od Waters These sp%Is make
against the bridge and ultimately causing
wushouts. The channel OF tho stream
is Kept secure By concrete retaining walls
Mr.. Kercns found the railroad engineers
were proflting by past experience and
were .const structing q line that will prove
secure against any attack by tho flood
waters. a large portion OF the new high
Inc Is now In use and 1t comprises one
OF the best portions Of the excellent road
bed between Salt Lake and southern
California.
forth much praise from ambassador
Kcrens.
II visited Terminal Island and San
Pedro hnrbor with several Of the Salt
Lake Route officials" said Embassador
Kerens, Included in the party were
Vice President j, Ross Clark, General
Manager z. e. Wells, Traffic Manager
F. T.. Wann. Division Superintendent
Thomas Cullen and F. NJ Jessup. engi-
neer OF maintenance of way. We went
over all OF the tracks at Terminal Island
and visited all OF the Industries and
plants maintained there by the Salt Lake
Route. making the trip with a special
locomotive and car. We then took q
steam launch and visited all points OF