A Storm Cuts the Northern Pacific and Strands the Capital
A weekend storm washes out the Northern Pacific, cuts telegraph lines, and leaves travelers—and would-be supreme court attorneys—stuck between Tacoma, Olympia and Montesano.
No trains arrived from Tacoma this morning because of washouts on the roadbed, and in consequence many persons who visited that city were detained until this evening. Attorneys who contemplated attending the supreme court were also unable to be present, and much inconvenience was suffered. The Multnomah brought down quite a number of passengers, but those who went down to the Northern Pacific depot were unable to return to the wharf in time to catch the boat.
The storm which began on Sunday night and continued until yesterday morning caused many small washouts on the entire railroad and uprooted trees which fell upon the telegraph lines and temporarily cut off communication at several points on the road.
None of the washouts were of a serious character, and all the telegraph wires were in operation late yesterday afternoon, as usual. The storm raged with great severity in the Cascade mountains and the streams in that section have swollen and were still rising yesterday.
At Montesano pieces of the roadbed have been completely undermined, and trains hesitated about running over it. The most serious place was between Montesano and Gate City, and when the train from Tacoma to Montesano got a few miles beyond Gate City, it was found to be impossible to proceed. The train backed into Gate City and remained overnight. This morning a force of men were at work repairing the damage and she was able to proceed to Montesano. The Chehalis train to Tacoma got through all right to Tacoma this morning, and there was really no good reason why a train from Tacoma should not have come down.
“No trains arrived from Tacoma this morning because of washouts on the road bed.”
A washed-out rail line once stranded the capital for a day; today, Olympia’s connection to Tacoma and the coast still depends on vulnerable infrastructure. The story is a reminder that weather, transportation and access to courts have always been civic issues, not just commuting inconveniences.
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