The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1934-04-12

I
through the northern tier of states
to the Pacific Northwest over an un.
broken line of steel rails.
| Although the Northern Pacific,
sfirst of the northern transcontinen-
tails" on September 8, 1883, at Gold
Creek, Montana, drove the last spike
/ in it's through rail line, it was not
until April 20, 1884, that trains oper-
ated all-rail over the 2,000-nile
course. " ..47 ~ -, $50. IS. 80
The final link in the through rail
line was bridge over the Snake
river south of Pasco in southeastern
Washington. This bridge, which was
constructed at a cost of 81, 135, TAB,
was the second in size on the North
ern Pacific system at that time, and
when it was opened to traffic it elm
mated from through service pictur-
esque ferry boat named the "Freder-
lex Billings"
When the Northern Pacific line was
completed in September, 1883, the
route for movement of trains was over
the new line from Minneapolis-St.
Paul through Minnesota, North Da-
kota and Montana to Spokane, Wash.
and thence southwest to Ainsworth on
the Snake river. At that point the
Frederick Billings" a familiar old
time ferry boat, carried the trains
across to South Ainsworth. The trains
then moved to Wallula, Wash, where
the Northern Pacific rails connected
with the Oregon Railroad & Naviga-
tion Company's line on the south bank
of the Columbia river. Over this line
they then travelled to Portland, Ore.
When the first trains defeating
through service to the Pacific Coast
passed through the Northwest en-
route to Portland and paused at Gold
Creek for the last spike driving cere-
monies, bearing distinguished political
and industrial leaders, they moved
over this route.
The old "Frederick Billings and
the part it played in early-day thru
transcontinental service still is af-
fectionately recalled by many of the
earliest travellers. This boat was
built in 1880 at cost of $35,053. it
was stern-wheel, 14-car boat, 220
feet long. It's first service in trans
ferr1ng of loaded cars was on October
1, 1881.
Ainsworth held a conspicuous place
in the early life of the Northern Pa
cific Railroad. Construction of the
Northern Pacific line was started al
most simultaneously in Minnesota and
in the Puget Sound area in 1870. Con-
struction was halted by a financial
panic on the east end Of the line when
the head rails reached Bismark, N. D.,
and on the west end when they reach
ed Tacoma, Washington. In 1879,
when construction was resumed, the
crews were set at work west OF Bis
mark building westward and at Aims
worth building eastward. The grad
ing started at Ainsorth on October z,
1879. In this latter construction, a
small locomotive named the "Minne-
tonka" was used in hauling lumber
out on the line as fast as it was saw
ed at q sawmill at Ainsworth. The
"Minnetonka" and the "Itaska" were
the first locomotives purchased by
the Northern Pacific and they were
acquired in July and August, 1870.
They first were used in construction
on the line in northern Minnesota. In
1871 they were shipped west by rail
and steamship and used in construc-
ton Of the line then being built by
the Northern Pacific from Kalama,
Wash. to Tacoma. But, when it was
decided to build eastward from Aims
worth, the "Minnetonka" was sent
there for construction work.
Operation over the line of the Nor.
thern Pacific from Spokane via Aims
worth to Wallula and to Portland
over the Oregon Railroad & Naviga-
ton Company line started on Novem
Der 20, 1882, although the "Fredericl
Billings" had been in ferry service
across the Snake river since October
1, 1881, and thus in. the Spokane
Portland service it performed for one
year and five months before thu
Snake river bridge was built. Con
struction Of the Snake river bridgt
was regarded in the early days as ar
engineering feat. The high water
| channel was about 1900 feet wide
and the current at times was yer.
rapid, exceeding 10 miles an hour. Tn
extreme rise of the river was about 2.
feet. The engineers built abutment
and piers of granite masonry. Th'
records show the total amount of Thu
material was 8,465 cubic yards. TIL.
iron superstructures consisted Of
seven spans, one Of which was 15t
feet long, four $50 feet long, a draw
J span $50 feet long and girder So
feet long. With the exception of one
pier, the abutments and piers were
completed on December 8, 1883. Work
on the remaining pier was hindered by
ice gorges, but it was completed OF