Hand-Dug Tunnel Opens the Way for Newport's Northern Railroad

The big tunnel on the Idaho & Washington Northern extension at Blueslide was completed Wednesday. Work on the tunnel was started last January, with work carried on at three levels. The heading was blown through June 20. Over 300 men, in two shifts, have been employed continuously on the job, and it is claimed that a record for building a tunnel—with hand drilling only—has been made.

The tunnel is 1,100 feet long, and the hole cut through the hill is 22 feet wide by 28 feet high. With the tunnel timbered and the track laid, it will be 16 feet wide by 24 feet high. Over a million feet of lumber has been used in timbering the tunnel, and about 100 feet of the north end is being concreted, as the material driven through at that point is wet and causing trouble by sliding.

Tracklaying on the extension will be resumed by August 15. The track is now as far as Tacoma Creek. When tracklaying is resumed, it will be continued until Ione is reached, as all the grade will be out of the way of the steel gang.

Local freights on the new road now run as far as Usk, it having been found that the freight engines could be taken around the curves on the shoofly tracks. Until the Morrissey cut, north of town, is completed, there will be no attempt to establish passenger service, as the 80-foot coaches cannot be hauled around the cut. The latest estimate on completion of the big cut is about September 1.