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<br />TII}: (a.:'\:'\I~O:'\ HI\'EI~ /l1\'EHSIU:,\ "HuJI-:CT
<br />
<br />273
<br />
<br />itself decided to carry out the construction, which started in
<br />July, It was essentially completed by October 1, 1904, except
<br />for a fev,,' additional turnouts and widening at a number of
<br />places, by force account. The grade where the road switch-
<br />backed down into the gorge was as much as 23t"{, the steep-
<br />.ness permissible because no loads would have to come up out
<br />of the canyon," The job involved the excavation of 30,000
<br />cubit yards of material, the clearing of 38 acres of road\vay,
<br />the construction of nineteen wooden box culverts and 300
<br />linear feet of cribwork along cliffs,"
<br />
<br />
<br />The wag 0 n
<br />road into the can-
<br />yon became the
<br />only one to reach
<br />the river for sev-
<br />enty miles, The
<br />grade was so
<br />steep that. as one
<br />author comment-
<br />ed, "4-horse wag-
<br />ons going over it
<br />present the ap-
<br />pearance of
<br />be i ng almost all
<br />brake3,"'" The construction down to the river cost $20,000 and
<br />hauling over this road was to cost $4,50 a ton, This road is still
<br />in use today as an access road to the river portal and is
<br />reminiscent of many of the old mountain mining roads through-
<br />out western Colorado, After completion of the road, a 24,32-
<br />mile telephone line from Montrose to the Cedar Creek Portal
<br />and on over Vernal Mesa to River Portal was put in, this con-
<br />tract being completed in December.~(l
<br />
<br />Government headquarters for the project were set up in
<br />Montrose, and at West Portal and River Portal shelters were
<br />erected for the use of the workmen, Excavation of the tunnel
<br />from both ends commenced on January II, 1905, By the middle
<br />of May, when 15';; of the contract time had elapsed, only 4,5~:;
<br />of the \\'ork had been accomplished.'\! The contractors were
<br />experiencing financial difficulties, They had had neither the
<br />adequate mechanical plant nor the organization necessary for
<br />such a venture. A 65-ton Bucyrus steam shovel used on the
<br />
<br />."
<br />,
<br />
<br />h
<br />
<br />HUAI' 110\\":\. TII HI\.'.:I: I'OHT.....1.
<br />
<br />"t.. ~. Ht"dallla.tilm ~t'nkt", ~t" _1""u(I/ /o'rport, op. Clr_. ~4.~5.
<br />,. Arthur "". I'aj::l;', "HunninJ;: a fOyer Throu"h a :'Ilountaln:' "'orld.;lj \I'or"",
<br />\'01. U, :>;0. 5 (I!;O~). 93~'.
<br />:.<It.. S. Geoloj::kal ~ur\"t.'Y. Jrll ,lmuUll UqlQrt. op ('it., 20!;-~11.
<br />"t.. S. Ht"clamatlon :-:t"rvkt', !It II .tllfllwl Rfport, UIJ. Fit., '6.
<br />0.:. [bid.. 95. II
<br />>>\'. S. G{'olo~kal Survey, 4th .4""1/(11 R~'IJf,n, 10('. dt.
<br />:;. l' $. r:{'damatlon :'t'rvie.., !It" _t1l"I</ll N.po,t, Of). /"it.. !';..
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