Year: 1869

ding completed and their absoiute necessity and
great usefulness have been fully demonstrated
| during the past season; for although the storms


have been heavy the travel has not been impeded
| one day whereas it would have been closed entirely
| but for the protection they afforded.


! They are constructed two ways. On the cuts they


roof open at both ends The side timbers ana raiers
| are OF course, OF great strength, and have fully


proved their abhty to sustain The great pressure to
which they are at times subjected. At the summit


between the tunnels and where the road s cut round


the edge OF the mountain and liable 10 be covered
called sheds. immense upright timbers twelve by


fourteen inches and SIX feet apart, are erected ON


srases ses VI M ae ~ acs aS TO height
them. and then roonng six ipches thick is carried
AZ the same Incline as the mountain to the upper
cage OF the cutting, and under this the system
OF supports OF heavy timber Is carried, giving the
greatest amount OF strength to be obtained. The
solid granite, OF whicn the mountain is composed.
On tne outside 1t Is boarded up to prevent the drift
that would occur when the heavy gales OF winter
take place. Ths Is unfortunate for 1t shuts out
OF the finest views in the world but scenery must
give way to necessity this time. The summit tunnel
is VA Ieet and the mountain here IS TO- 900 feet
nigh. Consequently the immense snow-slldes that
come down the 5000 feet the track instead OF
falling upon 1t and rendering it impassabe. now go
over the shed and slide into the valley beneath with
out giving any trouble; they cause the timbers to
crack and groan beneath their weight but they can
stand IT, unless the base OF the mountain gives way,
an event not highly probable at present. Additional
shedding will be erected-as other points are noticed
where 1t Will be required-until the entire snow belt
is protected from any possible danger, and thus the
road will be kept open at all seasons, which would
be impossible were snow plough only to be de-
penced upon. Tnirty-three million feet or lumber
were used in the construction OF these sheds.


THE TUNNEL,


or series or tunnels near the summit the longest
OF which Is 1000 feet indicate how costly must have
been the construction OF the road at this point: In
deed, one mile cost over half a million OF dollars in
gold. The work was OF the hardest description,
solid rock, granite OF close grain that required
slant blasting In order to make headway. Nitro.
gycerme was used. and 1t was made upon the spot
and the officers OF the road that this truly
dangerous compound was OF vast service to them
and greatly facilitated their operations in opening the
tunnels and at other points, where heavy blasting was
needed O ceurse passing through these tunnels was


matter OF great interest for we were allowed every
opportunity TO inspect them. The snow was packed
heavily ON the sheds joining them, and huge icices
that form every night from the drpplngs from the
from the roof. We drank water in the morning
made cold with ice nom Kodiak, and in the after
noon we cooled our claret with ice from the summit
OF the Sierras. The temperature within these
vatlons was of course not the warmest, and should
not wish to pass night there without stove; but
they did not lose their interest did any feeling OF
cold or dampness dispel the wonder at and admira-


ton OF the great work that the energy OF our people
carried r.ve eP ay sna s%
zeriand, you may visit the mountain re-
glons OF South America, and although you may
see higher peaks and more OF them, and may enjoy
scenery that Is also magnificent, you will find no
greater triumph OF engineering and greater proof
work done this portion of the Central Pacific
Railroad. When projected it was considered impos-
sble to be carried out nearly every discouraged
the project; newspapers cried IL down; men wrote
against 1t as swindle, and every possible Impede
ment was placed In Its way; but 1t was In the hands
Of men who knew what they were about; who de-
spite all the opposition, worked on; who invested
their own money In the enterprise and VINO
have seens tine great SSar pnde and c
those who opposed them among the first
to sound their praises and acknowledge the great
railroad more than was at first claimed wOld be.
Those OF the doubling Thomas order who think that
1t Is not much after ALL must come and see for them
selves If they will only do this, INwlll guarantee
that they win be among the many to acknowledge
that there is nothing more wonderful on the Con-
tnent, created 10y the hand OF man. cannot devote
more space than have for a lengthy description.
This must form chapter IN itself of the work that
some DAY Will be written fully detailing everything
with the road. / can only go over each
point In way 10 give general idea, s,hat strangers
may draw picture OF what we have Mere and serve
as an nducement for travellers to come and for
themselves.


FROM SUMMIT TO TRUCKEE


a distance OF foarteen miles and descent OF 117G
feet On leaving the summit you Will observe on
your lett and hundreds Of feet below you OF the
most beautiful sheets OF water you behe.d This
Is Bonner lake, some five miles In length and about


mile IN breadth. 1t Is, believe, the highest sheet
OF water IN the world and is OF great Depth and It's
waters are remarkable for their transparency. It L.
OF series OF lakes to be found in this region and
which in future are destined to become great places
OF resort Dot only for residents, but for travellers
from all parts Of the world. Lake Tahoe and Pyra-
mid lake are OF this series, aud the former is
already considered one Of the great watering places
OF the Pacific coast. On this our downward course
we pass through Out SHOW anu loreSt; we
glide along on one side Of ravne and on the other
we see the passenger tram, that We have followed
closely lar below US: here the road is crooked as
s required TO be, for no straighter road could be
made on grade easy enough 10 be worked. You
annat fail 70 notice that through all the country we
ave yst passed there p2sGaTsy 2 y9ssdi; and and
ivered alongside the track at two dollars per cord
which Is very reasonable. ouhere fai to much
or admiration on TINS side the sierra, Tor you have
been surieited on the other but II you keep your
eyes about you particular gems Of scenery
occur that one can linger over as long as they
continue IN sight. forgot TO say, while speaking OF
Bonner lake that 1t was at its head near it, that
a party OF emigrants destined for oregon found
man body ana wandered into this ravlne when
AFTER the most horrible suerings, and having to re-
sort to human flesh to satisfy their hunger, the
greater portion OF them miserably pershed. Their
remains were found afterwards by Colonel Fremont's
party, l beheve, and inferred on the spot


TRuCKEE,


atown only few months old, s now place of no
small importance, and It must continue to be so.
Here Is the centre OF the wooded district; here a
employed getting out timber OF all descriptions
for the use OF the road, and a very large
number OF hands are employed. The power TO drive
the mills Is derived from the fruckee river, stream
OF very respectable dimensions, and capable OF
driving all the machinery that can be placed upon
its banks or IN It's immediate vicinity All the trees
are cut down above the mills and ioated to the re-
CURED point, and l observed some immense logs
ready for the saw. Tue town, OF course, Is In a
primitive condition.; the houses are constructed
yro the rough boards and OF the rudest descrlp
ton. rliere are some exceptions TO this however.
a few stores and ,,wellings that would oon well in
any couptry town n the East, are finished,
and more are In course of constglcrnI,,
and a year hence. will see Tr9ckeo Z place
equal to ANY S sOts nSs mes nSas ,Se ee nf
fate OF such places and be destroyed by nre or
twice before becoming permanent. IL has its news
paper, OF course-the Trf0une-and az we stopped
for haf an hour here 20 enable the paymaster. who
was with az, to pay of the hands, could not resist
the temptation y VISIT the rough looking shanty
fhaf stood III on the euIp or QOOl sized pond, aud
that had printing 0lhcen In large letters over
the door. entered and inquired for the proprietor.
He was not In, he had gone down town; but was


informed by one who was correcting matter that ne
would soon be back couldn't wait, but inspected
the ONCE and was surprised TO find so much In so
small place. There was Hoe Washington


press and Gordon job press, and type enough,


" appeared to me, to PRINT = good sized


daily. The Office looked az II II was doing A


good business, and mentally wished the proprietor


every success and departed VINO knows but that


ten cylinder wlli some day be required there In