The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-04-24
Former General Manager, Great Nor
thern, Receives Highest Honor
In Engineering World.

Former General Manager, Great Nor
thern, Receives Hiaheat Honor
In Engineering World.
Achievements OF John Il. Stevens
famous engineer. formerly Of Sc Paul, |
who assisted IN the building OF the
Panama Canal were portrayed NJ
New York. March card. at the Ameri.
can Engineering Foundation ceremo
niea marking tho presentation 20 Mr.
ntevena Of the John Fritz Gold Medal.
awarded by n special board represent
ing the four great engineering aoeie.
ties OF America. tho American Society
of Civil Engineers, American Institute
of Mining and Metallurgioal Bngi
! neera. American Society OF Mechani
cnl Engineers and American Institute
! of Electrical Engineers. President
/ Ralph Dudd OF tho Great Northern
] Railway delivered ono OF the prinei.
pal nddreaaea on this occasion MT
/ fudd was chief engineer Of the Panas
ma railway under MIR, Stevens.
Tho Fritz award is conferred for
outstanding accomplishments IN engl'
neering.
President Dudd told OF Mr. Stevens
prominence IN railroad construction
work IA the West during the period
OF ita greatest building activity be-
tween the years 1876 and 1898. No
table among his achievements was tho
discovery OF Mafiaa Pass IN the
Rockies OF Northwestern Montana,
whore he was sent by James J I'LL
in 1899 10 find. n possible. "A shorter
route ac aaa tho Roctiea for the Great
Northern Railway than had been dis
covered by any other railroad or Gov
eminent surveys. 10 aoemed no q
: that time TINT tho limo would have &
go about aa far south na ifelena OF
Butte 20 cross the mountains Mr.
Htevena' discovery of Maraa Pass II
tho winter of 1889 obvated this neoea
atty and gave 20 the Great Northers
Railway a lower pass across th
Roellioa than that Of nny other raj
rond I'm Tho United states This wa
a notable engineering achievement
I'm speaking OF Mr.. Stevens diac0'
cry OF Mntina Pass Mr. budd Hnit
"Railroad reconnaissance on the seal
then undertaken in major mountai
ranges and far from the bases OF ope
alton called for more courage phi
= steal strength and perseverance, tina
any other work which on engines
was required To perform. wit
b. these must be combined thoraue
# familiarity with frontier and India
i, life. technical skill and training
determining what gradients an
10 alignment the country afforded. an
d sound Judgment as % the cost
l. building, together with Il sense OF !
81 cation aud direction which amountt
Id almost 70 instinct The necessities
w. the times brought forth numerol
III group Of engineers who, TO an eNtr
of ordinary degree. possessed all or tho
IA attainmenta In thia remarkable col
4 pnny, John II. Stevens was an o.
~ standing figure. We do not have al
~ details Of tho hardahipa or this 1
a. connniaaanee. Hardahipn were
cepted an n matter OF course and
A., most never mentioned We do itnC
that his investigation carried him VI
into the winter and that his pera
tent search enabled him 70 rept
that. on December H. 1889 he had
Gated and Aurmounted Mariaa Pa
and that II was on tho line OF I
direct route westward, The thoroul
~ ness with which no had covered I
q country enabled him 90 nay that
NJ was tho lowest and bea' pass acre
NJ the Rockies IN the northern Unit
atatea. The actual location OF
Great Northern through n NJ nm a
tude Of B,ai2 feet on ! per G,
grade weatbOund and iA per q
eaatbnund fully confirmed his repoi
nv The Great Northern Railway !
sg selected a site along the right Of "
AZ al Mariaa Pass IN tho heart OF
Uoekiea of Glacier National Park
et which II will erect monument
~ Mr.. Stevens IN commemoration OF
ian contribution his engineering gen
a on has made 20 the progress or the On
~ Northwest
9ea Following this. Mr. Stevens ioea
Stevens Pass IN The Cascades for
Great Northern IN 1880. Referring
this achievement. Mr. hudd said.
= believe II was tho last piece OF ael
g held work he did, and u Is. ind'
g the work of master Mr., btey
x remained IN tho Cascades until tr
= laying was completed through 20
Il Coast. January b. 1893, little n
than three years after the diAeo1
OF Mariaa Pass. He continued '
ty. the Great Northern uhul 1908.
last eight years as Ohief Engines
the system. and two years aA Gen
Manager"
= Other outstanding accomplishing
eat of Mr. Stevens IN the enginee
He'd. world were me ne eoastrn p'ja'
ele- ana alleellon 90 ~ 80 Fson, feos ~
300 ne lsna ,a....t t'ep' - tbe aeatns
< or shs V9''s ea 49, naiiway aud a.,
her, 80, - = ,.slta,e iinea on the "ifui
ther 49, 49, ~ oreeon and washington.
and 49, sehshiiifaiion aud operation
ROSS. ths crtnpted railways of Ruaaia
70 IL Inc The years 1917 TO 1899.