April 1883
THE WEST SHORE.
77
Transportation.
Work is progressing rapidly on the extension
from Puyallup to Seattle.
The engineers of the 0. S. L. still continue
the survey down Snake river.
Track was laid across the third crossing of
the Pend d'Oreille, or Clarke's fork, the last
week in March.
The new time table on the Northern Pacific
went into effect April 22d, from St. Paul to Boie
man without change of cars.
The road on the old Cascades portage has been
reduced to a narrow gauge, allowing the company
to utilize the rolling stock of that class it pos
sesses.
Local passenger traffic on Puget sound is be
coming very extensive, while the arrivals by San
Francisco steamers far exceed anything before
experienced,
A line of weekly stages has been put on the
newly opened route from Jacksonville to Crescent
City, where connection is made with a steamer to
Son Francisco.
Posters announcing the opening of the Oregon
Short Line route to Wood river, and describing
the mineral resources of that country, have been
issued by the Union Pacific Co.
A continuation of the O. R. k N. Co.'s line
from Riparia (Texas Ferry), on Snake river,
through the Palouse country to Spokane Falls or
some ulhcr point on the Northern Pacific, Is de
sired by the people of Walla Walla, because il
will furnish a shorter eastern outlet, and will
bring larger area ol country under contribution
to that city.
The Seattle and Walla Walla Wagon Road Co.
has been Incorporated In Yakima City, with a
capital stock of $100,000, to build and maintain
a wagon route through Smxiualmle pais connect
ing eastern and Western Washington. It Is an
effort to open direct communication between those
sections while awaiting the railroad that will In'
evitably be constructed.
The WUe Wist is now making the round trip
between Portland and Astoria in one day, start
ing from this city at 5 A. M., and leaving Astoria
on the return trip at 1 A. M. It is but a decade
ago that we had but two trips per week, and now
we not only have the regular boats each way daily,
but this fast boat making the round trip each day,
It is but one instance of the growth of trade and
travel throughout the great northwest.
There, are to be twelve bridges of the I low
truss pattern between Little lilac k foot and Mis
soula. All are comosed of sixty-six loot spans
the shortest being a single span at Gold creek,
The railroad bridge toe built across the Wil- and the longest a four span at l-ennsn's, near
lamette at Portland by the Northern Pacific Rail
road Co., has been located to run from North
Seventeenth and W streets to the wharf at Albina.
Work has been commenced on the structure
The trestle now being constructed at Marent's
gulch in O Keefe canyon, Montana,-will be one
of the most wonderful feats of railroad building
ever accomplished. It will be 868 feet long, 84
feet wide at the base, and 226 feet high.
The Ilaker City branch of the 0. R. k N. Co.
has been opened for traffic to Cayuse station,
twelve miles beyond Pendleton. Early in May
the road will be operated as far as Meacham's,
near the summit of the Blue mountains.
Track-laying has becun on the "half-moon
road" running from Palouse Junction on the
Northern Pacific to Colfax, Palouse City, Farm
ington and Moscow. It will be a great factor
in developing: Whitman county and Northern
Idaho.
The celebration in Boreman of the completion
of the Northern Pacific to that city on the twenty'
first of March, was participated In by 6,000 peo
ple. Speeches, banquet, procession and lllumln
ations expressed the joy of the citizens at receiv
ing direct rail connection with the east.
The Shonkin bar on the upper Missouri river
will be removed this summer by the government
engineers. This has lone been a detriment to
navigation of that important stream, and its re
moval will be of great benefit to a vast region
depending upon the Missouri for a commercial
highway.
The Northern Pacific has fixed $150 per car as
the freight rate to Immigrants from St. Paul to
Bozeman. A family can thus take their houshold
goods to Montana at a small expense. The same
liberal policy will be pursued when the road is
completed. Such action as this helps wonder
fsaly in building np a new country.
Bear Mouth. Everything is ready for the pile
driver and carpenters to commence the work of
construction. With the exception of one at Ciold
creek and one at Big Blackfool, all are crowlngi
of the Hell Gate river,
Livingston having been selected as the starling
point of the branch running from the Northern
Pacific to the National Park of the Yellow
stone, surveying wu commenced at once, and
now large force Is at work on the grade. It
Is the intention to have the road completed
in lulv. so that tourists to the Park can be
accommodated this season. It will become very
fashionable for overland travelers to switch off
at Livingston for a few days' visit to that great
home of nature's wonders.
The work of building steamers to ply on the
rivers and bays and between our coast hsrhors
has leen very active this spring, showing a great
increue In coast and Inland commerce. Pie W.
K. Aftrwin has Just been completed at Seattle,
a cost of Si. 000. to ply on the Skagit river
trade. The A. B. Put J wu launched In A
toria in March, and has entered upon the route
between that port and Tillamook. The AnnU
Faxon and D, S. liixktr were launched at Cclilo
recently, and will ply on the Upper ColumWa
and Snake rivers. At Victoria the K. Vunimmr
and Unrbart HtKturil, the latter a steam
schooner, were recently completed. A new
steamer to navigate the waters of Cray's harta
and Chehalis river is being constructed.
The iron bridge across Kraser river, to U built
by the Canadian Pacific, has been located sisty
miles above the head of navigation. Owing to
the narrow channel and the great increase m
volume of water and strength of current in the
iDiine. it was found impossible to erect a pier
1m aaul 4lafifUL and therefore a central span of
i feet will be throws acrma the stream, resting
on piers on either cad, while two end spans of
105 feet each will cairy the bridge to the rocky
lea of the valley. The bridge will be 1 15 feet
Ihiw the oHlnsry itct !., which raises sixty
feet during the annual freshets. The bridge Is
now on its way around the Hum, being shipped
small pieces ready fur putting together.
The extension of the O. & C. road to the Cali
fornia line la king vigorously pushed. AIhiuI the
first of May trains will be running to Julia, on
Cow creek, which will lie the operating terminus
till after the Cow creek tunnel is completed. This
will be done In July and the road, which will be
graded many miles beyond, will be extended to
Rogue river valley so as to reach it some time this
fall. The great tunnel through KUklyou moun
tain has tan definitely located, and work will I
once commenced and pushed to a
completion at the earliest possible moment
probably in the fall of 1MM4. On the California
Ide, grading Is now bring done on the first fifteen
miles north of Redding, while the bridge work
fur a long distance beyond that point Is In an ad
vanced stage. The road will have penetrated far
into the mountains licfore the season closes, lie-
ween 3,000 and 4,000 men are at work above
Redding.
In answer to a letter of Inquiry, addressed by
Hon. P. II. Johnson of Walla Walla to Henry
Villaid, Esq., the latter gentleman uses the fob
lowing language 1
"I would say in geneial terms that the policy
of our couiantcs will not he like that pursued
by the Central Pacific railroad company in refer
ence to interior points. The Northern Pacific
and 0. R. k N. companies do not propose to
charge local rates that will prevent the develop.
ment 01 distributing points In the Interior. In
other words, to use your example, Il is mil the
purpose of the management to charge ralea to
and from Walla Weiia eual to the rales between
St. Paul and Portland, plus the tales from Port.
land to Walla Walla. I cannot at this time, In
advance of the completion of the Northern Pa
cific railroad, say precisely what the rates will be,
but have no hesitation in saying thai they will be
so adjusted that Walla Wall will retain the cu
torn of the country naturally tributary to lite
place."
The following from a Chicago journal shows
what tliey think of our country In that great rail
road center 1
"One of the most noteworthy essmplrs of cur
rent progress Is the opening up of Idaho, M..
tana, Oregon and Washington by railroad con
it ruction. 11m remote regions of the Kucky
mountains In Idsho and Montana, as well as
Eastern Oregon and Washington, hitherto an.
accessible save fy means of the slow-plodding
mule and the long-suffering horse, will soon ra,
verlwrale with the shrill locomotive whistle and
tlx thundering train. The vast regions thite
opening to traffic ait mostly wllhoat ailequala
timber resources, and as their mining and stuck
gracing interest are developing, and towns and
cities spring ap, a field fur lumber distribution aa
large as thai tributary to Chicago will ba added
to that which is calling on the supply. All are
familiar with the building of ihe Northern Pacific,
whu.lt now lacks only ton miles of completion,
and will sweep across Ihe northern part of lha
moanlaia region. TUe Union faclbe company
is palling out to reach Oregon aad Washington
abreast us MS great aunaera nvat. 11 la