The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-03-17

Pasco. In one respect the town is for
tunately situated. Nature has so form
ed the topography that Pasco occupies
1 position that invites the coming OF
railroads, and in consequence several
railroads pass through the town. Be-
sides the bridge across the Snake
there is bridge across the Columbia
at this point, and another under con-
struction. Judging from the tangled
ramification of tracks. stretching out
like the fingers of hand. but more of
them, many trains pass through Pasco
daily. and very large number of men
in the employ of the various railroads
have their home in that place. AS seen
from a car window the town covers
considerable ground, has numerous
large buildings, or large as compared
with, other towns of similar size paw
ed streets and sidewalks, water sys-
lem, electric lights. of course, and
)ther modern conveniences. But the
desert comes up to the very back
doors Of those living on the fringe OF
the town.
Shortly after leaving Pasco the road
,ouches the Columbia river and closely
lugs the north shore of that stream
until reaching the end of the journey.
rhe advent of the river on the retina
is refreshing change after several
hours of looking out for something
and observing nothing in particular.
The patience of the reader will be
spared any attempted description of
The Columbia river. In fact there is
very little to describe further than II
is considerable quantity of fluid
slipping along between ranges of bar
rem hills, at this time free from snow
which is very much of relief after a
superabundance of the more or less
immaculate around Spokane, and
which continued to cover the scenery
until the train had almost reached
Pasco. The Columbia slushes along at
moderate gate for long stretches
then breakes into rollicking race in
its haste to the sea where cramped for
space, and especially so over the
rocky road it travels through the
its surface with varied and changing
colors. At the time the train upon
which we were travelling flashed along
the shore King Winter had not en-
tirely lost his grip, and for long
stretches the river was covered with
ice. which seemed rather incongrous
with tincture of balmv spring in the
air.
And so the day passed uneventfullv
and tediously. The shades of nigh; had
fallen. fallen for quite a little time
when in the distance the myriad lights
of Portland burst into view, two rivers
were crossed. the Columbia at Van
couver, and the Willamette. and the
train rolled into the depot and the trim
was at an end.
At the end we may go back a few
laps and refer to grade. II has been
mentioned that the builders of the
North Bank figured on grade. and II
they did not strike the mos. attractive
section of this great state in the pro-
cess of building, the engineers, estab-
iished a grade all right. and one over
which the heaviest trains can be null
ed without too much strain en- the To-
connective and wear and tear on the
rolling stock 1t is alleged although
we are not prepared to verify the
statement, that the slant is SO slight
and true from Spokane to lortland
that freight car could be cut loose
at Spokane and it would slide down to
Portland by its own volition This may
be an exaggeration. but the fact Is
that enormously long freight trains
can be and are pulled up from Port
iahd TO Spokane by single engine.
and IL the trains can go up hill 50
easily there is nothing to the coming
down again.