The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1920-08-06
G.N. CONCENTRATES
SPENDING 80 MILLIONS
IN IMPROVEMENTS
ENGINEERING CREWS HAVE
BEEN At WORK FOR SEVER
Al WEEKS MAKING SURVEYS
FOR MOST FEASIBLE ROUTE.

The Wenatchee World of last Fri
day contained this follow-up story as
a result Of the story by The Echo
two weeks ago:
Plans arc on foot for the construc-
tion Of a new tunnel through the
Cascades by the Great Northern
Railroad and surveying crews arriv-
ed on the ground this week and are
preparing to make the surveys to find
the most feasible route. Present
plans contemplate the construction of
Il tunnel from point a short dis
tance west Of Merit to a point near
Scenic. The exact location has not
been definitely decided upon but that
the new tunnel will be constructed is
practically settled. Other railroad i'm
provements by the Great Northern
are also contemplated. The total ex-
penditures in prospect for this sec
tion are said to total S30000,000.
The engineering crews arrived at
Merritt on July 81. The start for the
first survey is at a point three miles
west of Merritt. Chief Engineer
Hoagland has been on the ground
during the past few days. Chief Lo-
eating Engineer Whitcomb is in per-
sonal charge of the survey.
For years it has been realized by
the higher ups in the Great Northern
that another route must be worked
through by which the railroad should
penetrate the Cascades. When the
road was built J. J. Hill was short OF
money When the last of the road
was to be completed to the coast, it
was necessary to push the line thru
by the cheapest route. The Column
bia River near Wenatchee was eros
sed by means of ferry. The hump
at the top of the Cascades was eros
sed by means of a switchback. The
present route was selected as the
cheapest for the time being. But it
was recognized that a. better route
could have been selected had there
been more money available.
A few years after the construc-
ton of the road. the fires along the
mountain side started by the engines
or by travellers through the country
along the line of the railroad. burn
ed Off the timber. 1t was then thru
a period of several years that the
great avalanches blocked the road and
carried a number of trains into the
abyss below. Railroading through the
winter became perilous. The break
up Of the winter was still worse, for
the water soaked snow descending
along the mountain side blocked tho
track for weeks at a time. To allevi-
ate this trouble millions of dollars
were expended in building snow
sheds. Sheds of heavy concrete and
timber served as armor against the
attacks of the rocks and andslidcs
from above.
But during the past five years
another difficulty has presented
itself. Business in the great
Northwest has grown to a point
which undoubtedly would have
been the realization of the hope
of the builder of the system. To
tell the truth. the Great North
ern i swampcd with business. 1t
1nfi al nIt To Lan
the traffic that has been develop
ed. With a one-track line. the
congestion has steadily develop
ed The Great Northern must
have another track to take care
of the business. All this is in
contemplation. And when the
new tunnel is built it will be
wide enough to accommodate
train each way at the same time.
Several years ago a new route
through the Cascades was surveyed
from Lake Wena,chee to Skykomsh.
But this is said to have been CON
demned. II seems to be pretty def
nitely settled that the new route will
be the new tunnel which may be 10,
or Il or l. miles long, depending up
on which location will be definitely
decided upon.
In connection with the new
tunnel, new survey has been
completed up the Chumstick.
thence through two tunnels, west
ward and a short distance from
the foot of Lake Wenatchee back
To the present line near Merritt.
This new route has been practic-
ally decided upon and if built may
mean the elimination of the pres
ent line through the Tumwater
Canyon.
Tunnel construction is different