A Report on Washington TerritoryRuffner, William Henry
History
A Report on Washington Territory
Ruffner, William Henry
Washington (State)
The proposed line will leave the West Coast Branch at a point six miles
south of Snohomish City, running east, crossing the Snohomish River on
drawbridge at the junction of the Snoqualmie and Skykomish rivers:
thence up the right bank of Skykomish on a 1 per cent. (52.8 feet per
mile) grade, a distance of forty miles from point of beginning.
Thirty-five miles of 2 per cent. (105.6 feet per mile) grade carries the
line to Cady's Pass and mouth of tunnel. The tunnel will be 3,500 feet
long, in granite rock; probably little or no lining will be necessary.
Descending to the east by a 2 per cent. grade, following the Wenatchie
River, a distance of twenty miles. Descending and level grades alternate
for the next twenty-five miles, where 1,000 feet of tunneling will be
required in the divide between the Wenatchie and Chumstick rivers. This
tunnel saves eight miles of distance in the following eighteen miles,
and avoids entering the box cañon of the Wenatchie, a difficult and
expensive piece of work.
The development in the Chumstick valley is especially easy. Thence into
the Wenatchie valley again, on a 1 per cent. grade, a distance of
twenty-seven miles, to the mouth of the Wenatchie River.
A summary of the distances and grades shows a very prettily balanced
scheme for operating cheaply and effectively.
SUMMARY OF DISTANCES AND GRADES.
DISTANCE. GRADE.
West Coast Branch to end of 1% grade, 40m. × 1%
End of 1% grade to tunnel, 35m. × 2%
Tunnel section, 3,500 ft.
Tunnel to foot of 2% grade, 20m. -2%
Foot of 2% grade to Wenatchie 52m. -1% (or less.)
The introduction of 1 per cent. grades, though higher than the water
grades of the Wenatchie and Skykomish rivers, is justified as balanced
against the 2 per cent. mountain grades and the saving effected thereby
in the bench country, which prevails along both rivers mentioned.
While tunnel is being driven, a 4 per cent. cross-over through Cady's
Pass can be cheaply put in if necessary.
II. RESOURCES.
[Sidenote: Mr. Mohr's account of the resources of the new route.]
West of the Cascade Range the road will pass through a densely wooded
district, through which, with the additional aid of transportation
facilities by river now existing, an immense logging industry will be
created. The red fir and white cedar now being taken out are superior in
quality to those of any section of this coast. Each mile as opened will
therefore become an immediate source of income. Considerable prospects
and discoveries of gold and silver have already been found, and a number
of men are now at work making such developments as are practicable in
the absence of transportation facilities. With the opening of the road a
heavy mineral traffic will be developed in the future.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account