Cottonwood chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1917-current, 1918-04-12
BREMERTON
NAVY YARDS
An Interesting Article on
Coast Shipbuilding.
(By w. B. Hussman)

and Camp Lewis. 1t would hard
ly be fair to chronicle my impress
sions on this trip without also
mentioning the beautiful scenery
along the route of the Great North
ern between Spokane and Seattle,
this in justice to that company in
view of my former prejudice
against it because of what | have
always thought inferior service to
the travelling public. On a recent
trip to the east l returned over
this route, and swore then that it
would be the last time if there
was any other way open. Char
acteristic of its spasmodic and er-
ratio temperament, suffice to say
that on this trip we were some
times ahead of time and then
again as much as an hour and a
half behind. 1t all seemed to de-
pend on the mood of the fireman
and engineer, sometimes poking
along in a niggardly fashion and
then again running as if the devil
were after them.
But somehow l feel different
after taking this trip. Ihad some
years ago come over the Milwau-
kee and N. P. and so was natural
ly inclined to take the C. N. and
on the morning I left it was the
only west-bound train that was
on time. Leaving Spokane at
eight o'clock almost the entire
distance is covered in daylight.
The mountain scenery along this
route simply beggars description
and cannot be fully appreciated
unless seen from the rear end of
the observation car as the engine
puffs and snorts as it draws it's
long train up the mountain divide
and after passing through tun-
mel that must be several miles
long, glides aimlessly and tran
GULLY down the west slopes of the
Cascades into the regions of big
timber, of evergreen forests, water
falls and Chinook salmon. Miles
and miles of snow-sheds contain
ing millions of feet of lumber,
concrete retaining walls and steel
bridges spanning deep chasms can
be seen along this route. Of
course they did not select this
route because of its scenery, as
railroads care little about that, es-
pecially when it has to be bought
at a heavy expense in grades,
steel bridges and miles of snow
sheds.
But it is there and costs moth
ing to look at, and no matter if
you gorge your appetite for seen
cry to the limit you are taking
nothing from anyone, for passen-
gers on the next train will enjoy
it just as much as you did, for it
is all there and the only thing you
bring away with you is the i'm
preston it made on your mind ac-
cording to your faculty of conceiv-
ing and retaining the wonders and
beauties of nature. Verify it is
inspiring and the company's slo-
gan of 'See America First is not
merely a catch phrase but one of
real suggestive value.
Arriving in Seattle at about
eight in the evening | stopped
there for the night and the next
morning took a boat for Bremen
ton where the U. S. Navy Yards
for the Pacific Coast are located.
Bremerton is about an hours ride
by boat from Seattle, with service
almost every hour of the day. 1t
is very pleasant trip and the
day | went over the sun was shin
ing brightly and all nature SEEM
ed to be out enjoying the first re-
spite of spring and sunshine since
the rainy season set in last fall,
which, according to some old
timers talked to was the worst
in years past. The boat glides in
and out among some islands, over
water that is unusually deep and
clear, admitting of Uncle Sans
largest battleships passing over
this route even at low tide. Sea
gulls lowered over the boat the
entire distance across and added
to the enchantment by their
screeches and docility, coming SO
near the boat that they would al
most eat out of ones hand. 1t is
great pastime for people to feed
the gulls off the moving decks OF
the boat with old bread, potatoes
or some other kitchen refuse and
watching the gulls catching it be-
fore it strikes the water. Of course
anyone who has ever been to the
coast is familiar with their antics
and capacity for storing away all
kinds of food, and no doubt to
people resident there they are
very monotonous, but to anyone
seeing them only once in a great
ubiIn thpv are VerV interesting