The 'Big Little Job' of Connecting the Sound

Mr. Nonneman, who spent a day or two here last week while on his way to Portland on business connected with the work, gave information regarding the line, its progress and difficulties. He said the line was practically complete, with the exception of a few portions where swamps interrupted the work. All work on these had to be abandoned until the dry summer weather should make the task of grading less difficult. Within the next sixty days, he anticipates these portions will be finished. The present force of 250 Chinamen and 150 white men are amply sufficient to carry out the contract. From the Puyallup end, five miles of track are completed and ready for traffic. The swamp presented a problem that proved somewhat difficult, if not capable of solution, but the plan adopted by Mr. Nonneman has turned out a complete success. Rather than convey materials over the morass by horses and wagons, he proceeded to build a permanent road on piles from the edge. As fast as the piles were placed in position by the pile driver, a gang of carpenters and track layers followed close upon the machine, providing an easy and rapid means of conveying materials and supplies. There are no less than five miles of trestle work in these twenty-one miles, accounting for the delay in the completion of the contract about which the Seattle papers made their growling. However, Mr. Nonneman says he is quite satisfied that Mr. Villard will fulfill his promise of riding in his own private car into Seattle by the 1st of September next.