The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1911-10-05

Columbian-One of the most i'm
portant pieces of railway construc-
ton ever undertaken in the
west of late years has late
ly been completed by the G. N.
Ry. Co., in the building of a double
track extending from Java to Sum-
init at the very crest of the divide
distance of fourteen miles.
Forseeing an immense freight
and passenger traffic over its trans
continental line of railway, the
officials OF this company decided
that the most important piece of
construction work necessary was
the proposition just mentioned,
but for one to realize the magnitude
OF the undertaking and appreciate
the perfect work done. he must go
over the route in daylight and oc-
cupy a seat upon the rear of tn
observation car, as the Columbian
reporter did on Friday of last week.
The work which has cost in round
figures. $1.500,O0O, was commence
on October l.. 1909, and during
that time there has been as many
as 500 men at work at one time,
and at no time less than 500.
Not only has a double track been
built, but the old line has been
practically rebuilt in order that the
curvatures might be reduced and
the grades improved. To show how
near the old line has been rebuilt it
can be said that in taking out curva
lures in the old line the new track
has crossed the old one So times in
fourteen miles.
The contract called for 100000
yards of grading and 100000 yards
of ballaSting, this work being let to
Winston Bros, who sub-let it to
other concerns. Two large cement
tunnels have been constructed be-
tween Fielding and Highgate, be-
sides numerous cement culverts,
large enough for the smaller sized
passenger engines to pass through.
| The old grade has been raised
from one to six feet, making an
even grade of 1.8 from Java to
Summit, and just above Fielding
the work has eliminated four heavy
| curves within distance Of one
mile. West of Skyland is cliff of
rocks extending back from the track
a distance of 500 feet and of such a
formation that had it been blasted
1t would have resulted in slide
and caused enough damage to tie up
traffic for many weeks, but this was
overcome by building a cement re-
tanning wall.
The yards at Java, Fielding and
Summit have been changed COM
pletely, and at Highgate and Sky
land the side tracks have been eX-
tended 500 feet. New depots have
been built at the first three named
stations and water tanks of new
type have been installed at Fielding
and Summit, two at each place.
| These tanks are of the latest type
being built by the Great Northern,
| the base of the tanks standing 80
feet from the ground and located
so feet from the tracks, the water
being conveyed underground to
standpipes near the tracks.
Two miles east Of Java it was
necessary to cut a distance of 900
feet through solid rock fifty fee
high, a NEST expensive piece OF
work, and the river channel which
follows the roadbed has been
changed in numerous places to pro-
tect the grading.
In the new construction work the
triangular tie, a patent CT Jas. ].
Hills, has been used. Ninety
pound rails with Goldie tieplates
and WALLPAPER joints have been
laid, one-inch bolts and six-inch
spikes used. This class of material
makes the track the strongest in
operation west OF the Missouri
river
The grading was sub-let by Wins
ton Bros, to three different con-
Germs, c. w. Wordenhoff, who
graded a distance of three and a
half miles from the Summit west
w. c. Cronk with the next three
md half miles and to Grant
Smith & Co., who had the balance
from Java to Fielding, the greater
portion of the work.
G. D. Eddy of St. Paul was the
chief engineer of the entire PROPOSE
ion, while Division Roadmaster ]
iarrity and his assistant, F. A
Larson, superintended the track
aging. with Division Superintend.
| mt w. R. Smith OvorSoeinp the