The Winter Journey of a Railroad Scout
Engineer Tinkham survives freezing crossings of the Cascades to prove that a northern railroad route is feasible.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Mr. Tinkham, the chief engineer of the northern Pacific railroad exploration, has reached this place having crossed the Rocky Mountains for the second and third times. Tinkham with his party were fifteen days making their way on snowshoes through the Coeur d'Alene mountains, carrying their packs fifty to seventy pounds each, and living mostly on flour and salt. He crossed the Cascades accompanied by five Yakima Indians. This winter route of Mr. Tinkham for hardihood and success has never been surpassed on the continent, and has furnished information indispensable to remove the doubts which had existed as to the obstructions to be anticipated from snow.
“This winter route of Mr. Tinkham for hardihood and success has never been surpassed on the continent.”
A.W. Tinkham's grueling winter expedition laid the groundwork for the Northern Pacific Railway. Today, his route through the Snoqualmie Pass remains a critical, and often snowy, lifeline connecting the Puget Sound to the rest of the continent.
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