The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-02-23
RAYxoND W. PULLMAN.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 33.-lf the
government builds and operstes 2
railroad In Alaska
Government and makes provt-
Railroads. sion for the feder'
al operation Of the
tsrritory's coal mines, It viii not Be
breaking into q new 6eld Of govern
mental activities In the United
States. - many people might sup
pose. A goyernment.bullt and oper.
ated railroad 10 already doing busi'
ness In the continental United States
svery day. and. 40 to coal mining. the
government has also entered this In
dustries. and tor nix years has oper'
atsd q mine In North Dakota with On
output Of 100 tons =. day.
The railroad which the government
now runs n located In southern Idaho
on the Boise river. the capital Of the
state. Every detail OF construction
was planned and executed By govern
msnt employees and every train which
4 run over the 10 miles OF track
y operated BY men ON the fed
Sfal pay roll. The governments coal
mine Il located 1t Williston. N. D.
where coal has been mined for more
than six years 70 supply fuel for z
power plant On an irrigation project
When government engineers enter
"a upon their stupendous task OF CON
strueting the famous Arrow ROCK
dam. IN southern Idaho. they faced
most serious transportation problem
TIE cost Of hauling supplies By
wagons from the terminus Of the near
est railroad branch. 10 miles away
was @ Per ton. This cost Was 90 o.
ceosivO that the governments engi
nsers Immediately began to plan fol
better transportation facilities.
More than 100000 barrels OF cemen
and thousands Of pounds OF other ma
terials, many tons Of machinery and
large quantities OF supplies will be de
manded during the construction o.
tho immense dam. which will reQuirt
five years work. The construction o
u reclamation aarYica railroad was im
mediately approved - solution q
the transportation problem. Thu
road begins ct . little place callet
Barbsrton, on the Boise river. and
runs TO he site Of Arrow Rock dam
10 miles sway. In one place tn.
road crosses the Boise river and
|at another point spur. OF the lint
recrosses the river on deck bT1dg'
TO Arrow Rock camp.
The government has Constructed
this single-track. standard-gauSe rail-
rad with . minimum OF cost ana
maximum Of efficiency. 6ixty-pount
Yalls are used on steel tie-plates rest
lnx on q good grade Of cAestnut dee
me ooet Of building the road VA
approxinatsly $4,000 pr mia. whScl
q considered By engineers - b
record n ocouomy b railroad con
stYuotion n . rough. western country
AecoSdihg 70 statistics. the ortgina
ooot e construction Of railroads ]!
tho United States today rum frou
90. go % @ high - $4,000 pr mile
n 4 en- - eosn that The Governmeu
- peacticed considerable eeono4,
In ne buAdtng Of tAls DoutAeA Ioeai
Nns.
WhSle ths equipment Of the reclaim
eth ooevlco nne = small. It 10 ON
c1enI end q entirely governmsn
owned and yovernment operated. II
-. most of the engines and car,
vGBO hunt on specifications and PLAN
peepared b. Serv1ce engineer wh.
viShed - have sn equipment whicl
vas 10Th economical and suitable 10
- k1nA q seev1os wAieA the roel
Void - called upon - givs. On thi
mo- soVefnmsnt line ~ roiiinl
etosk consists az two LOCOMOTIVES, ~
poooeaesr carr, three box cars en-
louS nat 0asD. al costing about ~
| 90 Tho Rod n expected % cav
| - novornment not only maAy thOu
ana160 a AoIlaYS IN the cost Of trAA1
p0ftlne gupplies 20 tho Arrow Rocl
-. 6ue q oxpocted - help the eng
no6gv o Qu1cken the WORK and CON
|p6eeo he peo1oot bo1Deo ~ ed q q
|ao3t. w yoarA
ne nuvornneatOwnod and 0peraA
| q oaal m1no y also ua0er ne dire
tn q ~ roc1naDa31GA oorv1co. wnicl
80 : poVoe plant Q Hf<ao lees thai
: ma nogtA q WIIl1Dtoo, N. D. Her
eel = xntnsA . supyl1 fuel fcr N
49, ho1ao 81 vASch electricity I
enGrnfnA f0e he pump1Ag station o
10 neaz1y hrisatioo project 1he zoe
vUf,I1ngu 10. comparatively neof IN
|SarfAoo, bo1ne q a average dep0 Q
Nbout ~ 1ool The main entrance =
- .tunnGl r. obout 3.o0e feee =
|ioowtS. ~ appeox1ns4ely * -
49, "a ~ 80 WIN.
- 1osuyunent has worked .
|1efo coaAifSoas or the miners jus
- poyfoot @ possible. Good air ]
foroo1 yKy0Uh De mine b. EeufflA1
M ahalt6. ana he mine = OaSofuu,
IToanol I'd kept dry. Only . small
Sneeo = nosded - Tn he mine an
|0o vOual num1e9 q men employe'
r1as fIU0 - . 70. one huAlreo ton
| C ED Z ~ = ~ sutYue ana a
u1nogp afo paA % - - eeofe -
u, de0uu1lag upea ~ leeatasa Q
lie cd nfno1. elx y ia eeas a.
asU n1As1 ~ each nan md me ave'
- 80 oafnanas, afteF expense 70
eGDDoolVes and supplies ID dsducte
ars @s1o - eS.oe ~ day q sish