Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway
Encyclopedia
The Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway (SLS&E) was a railroad founded in Seattle, Washington
, on April 28, 1885, with three tiers of purposes: Build and run the initial line to the town of Ballard, bring immediate results and returns to investors; exploit resources east in the valleys, foothills, Cascade Range
, and Eastern Washington in 19th century style, attracting more venture capital; and boost a link to a transcontinental railroad for Seattle, the ultimate prize for incorporation. The historical accomplishment of the line was Seattle to Sumas at the border, with British Columbia
, Canada
, connecting with the Canadian Pacific
transcontinental at Mission, B.C.
In addition to the historical accomplishment, the SLS&E built and ran branches from Seattle through Bothell
, on to Woodinville
, to Sallal Prairie (just past North Bend
); Salmon Bay
(the industrial district of the town of Ballard
); and Spokane
to Davenport
. Toward the latter end, one goal was creating a rail connection to North Dakota
via Wallula
, an outpost on the Columbia River
in the early decades of railroad booms, near the present Tri-Cities
. Local historian William Speidel
reported that Henry Villard
, tycoon of the Northern Pacific Railway
(NP), had the federal rights and had the line through Wallula built. The SLS&E was first incorporated to build a line from the Seattle harbor in old Downtown, along Elliott Bay
to the lumber and fishing town of Ballard
.
Railroading in Seattle closely paralleled development and early hopes for the future. Like communications networks today, 19th century railroading represented more than track, stock, and trade. Romantic and practical potential wooed communities across the West, much as Web commerce and bandwidth today (bandwidth was narrow, desire high, competition passionate). Travel between America's coasts had taken months, whether overland by wagon or by sailing ship or steamer around Cape Horn
, until the Union Pacific
reached San Francisco
in 1869 and the Northern Pacific
opened to Tacoma
in 1887.
The SLS&E was conceived and financed by Seattle business interests in response to Villard
of the NP selecting Seattle's intense rival Tacoma
as its transcontinental western terminus. The original scheme for the SLS&E was connecting with an intercontinental railroad somewhere, while actually building north and east from Seattle. By the late 1880s, the SLS&E needed more capital for ongoing construction toward Sumas and an extension toward Spokane
. The Seattle & Eastern Construction Company was formed with many of the same investors as the SLS&E. Construction of the eastern line began in Spokane. By the end of 1889, construction ended, having only reached Sallal Prairie, some miles past North Bend
and 63 miles (101.4 km) from the Seattle station on Western Avenue at Columbia Street. In 1890, the plans were amended to focus on connecting Seattle to the Canadian Pacific Railway
at Sumas on the border.
Local historian William Speidel
(1967) observed that,
The verso of a promotional print celebrating an opening excursion of the SLS&E stated,
to Davenport
, later middle to late 1880s.
"[A]ll along the line the road's construction caused a tremendous stir ... logging camps, mills, mines, and towns sprang into existence as if by magic." The SLS&E boosted not only the town of Ballard (connected 1886), but new towns like Ross, Fremont
, Latona (in what is now east Wallingford
, Brooklyn (in what is now west University District
), Yesler (now part of Laurelhurst
), Bothell
(Thanksgiving, 1887) and towns out to Gilman (now Issaquah
).
The verso of a print in UW archives noted,
and worker safety
was appallingly dangerous.
Edwin Harrison McHenry
, Receiver, St. Paul, Minnesota, to Edward Dean Adams, Chairman, New York City
, April 10, 1896. (Courtesy J.R. Masters, Office Engineer, N.P. Ry., Ret., via Northern Pacific Collection at the Minnesota Historical Society.)
Transmitting report of [John William] Kendrick, General Manager, concerning the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway (the Lake Shore).
You are already familiar with the general subject of the earlier financial transactions of this company. The record is a disgraceful one. Even before the acquisition of stock by the Northern Pacific, the enterprise appears to have been robbed by its promoters.
It was originally intended to complete the line across the Cascade Mountains to a connection with the Spokane Branch, but the amount realized from the sale of bonds being insufficient to defray the expensive construction work of the mountain section the line was not completed The cost of the portion constructed was considerably above the expected amount, and in order to raise more money, the company bonded a number of spurs and sidings.
Under ordinary circumstances it would have been expected that after the consummation of the sale of stock to the Northern Pacific, that the road would have been operated in the interests of the purchaser, but control was not secured until the Northern Pacific had paid for 80 [percent] of the stock, and in the interval the officials and others interest in the Lake Shore apparently devoted their time and attention to looting the property. The sale to our company was rushed through in a very peculiar manner, and without proper examination by the Traffic and Engineering departments of the Northern Pacific.
The specifications for the construction of the uncompleted portion of the line were accepted by our ex-General Counsel Mr. McNaught, and our Chief Engineer Mr. Kendrick was not allowed an opportunity to examine and comment on same. The specifications were so drawn as to comply with the kind of road which it was expected to build, and allowed but two miles of sidings in 65 miles (104.6 km) of main line, and made entirely inadequate provision for operating facilities. The worst feature, however, was the clause which provided that the track would be ballasted with adjacent material, instead of train-hauled gravel ballast. The soil is particularly wet, and a large portion of the line traverses muskeg swamps; this omission would be better understood by a physical examination of the line than words can convey. The natural surface was so bad that the construction company [was] forced to haul in ballast in order to get construction trains over the track.
After the Northern Pacific assumed control, it became necessary to incur great expenditures in providing additional sidings, spurs and other facilities for the ordinary transaction of business, and to perform additional ballasting.
The townsites along the line are held by the Virginia Townsite Company, under some deal engineer by the ex-general counsel, who subsequently unloaded same to the Northern Pacific. So valuable was the real estate supposed to be, that no extra width of right-of-way was provided at stations north of Sedro-Woolley, Washington
.
A contract was also entered into for the benefit of the townsite interest at Anacortes, whereby the Northern Pacific agreed to operate the Seattle and Northern [a subsidiary of] the Oregon Improvement Company, paying [three percent] upon the appraised valuation, and a wheelage portion of expenses, in addition to a further sum of $80,000, expended in purchasing and interest in Syndicate Addition, and in the construction of improvements costing $35,000, entirely disconnected with the property of the Northern Pacific or the Lake Shore. The operation was shortly discontinued by the general manager on account of the heavy loss incurred, but the rental charges still continue to this day.
Valuable real estate at Seattle and at Snoqualmie Falls
, which was formerly supposed to be property of the railroad, was claimed by private parties, and ownership of the Gilman coal mines at Issaquah, Washington
, which were currently reported to have been paid for by the railroad, are in possession of outside interests.
Before the purchase by the Northern Pacific of the stock, the Lake Shore, finding it impossible to provide adequate terminal facilities at Spokane
from the proceeds of [their] main line bonds, organized a company under the title of the Spokane Union Depot Company, to which the Washington and Idaho Railroad (a branch of the Union Pacific System), were admitted to half ownership. Bonds were issued amounting to a little over $400,000. The stock issue of $500,000 was divided equally between the two companies. The Lake Shore was reimbursed for the work on that portion of their main line within the limits of the depot grounds from the proceeds of the depot bonds, but to the best of my knowledge and belief, the railway bonds were never cancelled. This property I have nominally estimated at $600,000 ... but its real value is probably at least $1,000,000. It is used by the Oregon Railway and Navigation [Union Pacific] and the Great Northern systems, and these companies would have to expend at least $1,000,000 to provide equivalent facilities of less actual value. I have made repeated efforts for several years past to have this matter investigated, but owing to the circumstances have thus far been unsuccessful. If this depot stock does not come under the line of the Lake Shore bonds, it could doubtless be attached to satisfy some claims of the Northern Pacific against the Lake Shore.
The Spokane Branch is of little value, apart from the rails, which may be taken up and used elsewhere, with the exception of about two miles of line connecting with the Union Depot property, over which the Great Northern Railway now secures an entrance into Spokane from the west, and for the use of which they pay the heavy annual rental of $72,000.
On the Western Division, that portion of the line from Woodinville Junction to the terminus [at] Sallal near North Bend, Washington
, is of little present value, but its earnings power will constantly increase. The remainder, which includes the section between Seattle and Woodinville Junction, and [Woodinville Junction] and the International boundary line at Sumas, Washington, I consider as very valuable property. Its present earnings afford no index to its prospective earnings in the future, and if it is not secured by our company at this time, the omission will be bitterly regretted.
The development of the region is necessarily slow, but I think it is also certain. There is every reason for expecting a steady and progressive increase in earnings for an indefinite period in the future. I am not in entire accord with the general manager's statement that the business secured from this branch may be replaced from points on our own lines. Contrary to the belief, the supplies of cedar
in western Washington are comparatively limited, and the greatest reserves of this timber are along the line of the Lake Shore. I think it but a matter of a few years when the cedar will be exhausted on our other lines.
There is also reason to believe that the rate on shingles can be materially advanced without affecting the tonnage, as the present low price of the shingles is brought about wholly by local competition. It was not possible, however, to obtain a higher rate, except by concurrence of the Great Northern, which could not heretofore be obtained, on account of James Jerome Hill persistent effort to reduce the gross and net earnings of our system in order to facilitate his plans.
I understand the reorganization of the Lake Shore has been affected upon favorable terms, but have never had an opportunity to see the plan. I would every strongly recommend the purchase or least of the western divisions of the system, if favorable terms may be obtained. I would also advise the purchase of the Spokane Branch, if the property could be acquired upon satisfactory terms, which in my opinion would be based upon the value of that portion of the line within the city limits over which the Great Northern now gains access, including any liens the bonds may constitute upon the depot property, and the salvage value of the rails upon the remaining portion of the branch.
I further add, for your information, that I do not think the bondholders of the Lake Shore appreciate the fact that the bonds covering that portion of the line sold to the [Spokane Union] Depot Company were not cancelled, but I may be in error regarding this.
east to Snohomish
. A 1.1 miles (1.8 km) spur, Ballard Junction to Ballard is mentioned. The Northern Pacific acquired control February, 1898, succeeded the Seattle & International in 1901. The Northern Pacific operated the SLS&E from 15 March 1892 to 1 July 1893, when it was purchased by a reorganized SLS&E as the Seattle & International Railroad and Spokane & Seattle Railroad, Seattle & International Railway chartered 30 June 1898.
The SLS&E was placed in receivership on June 26, 1893, and was sold in foreclosure on May 16, 1896. Speidel reported that Villard
abruptly made a hostile takeover while the SLS&E was a going concern in 1890, in the midst of maneuvering among railroad business magnate
Henry Villard
of the Northern Pacific
, James J. Hill
of what became the Great Northern Railway, and the Seattle Establishment (1873–1900 and later). Seattle DOT (Department of Transportation) reports the SLS&E was absorbed by the NP in 1892. The lines in western Washington became the Seattle & International Railway Co., which was taken over by the Northern Pacific
in 1901.
An old map shows the proposed line going from Davenport to Coulee City, up the Grand Coulee to Waterville, then on to Wenatchee, then along the Wenatchee River, and up over part of Stevens Pass then over toward Everett. With what is known today about Cascade Range topography that was little-known or unknown back then, how much was promotion and how much was actually expected according to the insiders'
business plan
remains part of the intrigue of railroad history.
The steam locomootive "A. M. Cannon." SLS&E number 11, was named after a prominent Spokane resident. Cannon was very instrumental in the building of the SLS&E in the Spokane area.
It has been reported that the Great Northern (GN) used the SLS&E bridge over the Spokane River while the GN was building its own during its transcontinental construction in 1893.
The eastern Washington line became the Spokane & Seattle Railway, which was purchased by the NP
in two parts. The first—Medical Lake
to Davenport
—was purchased in 1899. The remainder, between Medical Lake and Spokane
, was bought in 1900.
in Seattle and Tracy Owen Station in Kenmore
was reopened as the Burke-Gilman Trail
bike path and recreational rail trail
, named after the leaders of the group that founded the railroad, Thomas Burke
and Daniel Gilman
. The bike path and rail trail has been extended along the SLS&E line west through Ballard
, and extending east from Jerry Wilmot Park, South Woodinville
, the King County Regional Trail system
leads to the cross-state John Wayne Pioneer Trail. A 5.5 miles (8.9 km) section of the railway, between Snoqualmie Falls
and North Bend
, was preserved in 1975, and is now owned and operated by the Northwest Railway Museum
.
In eastern Washington, the Northern Pacific abandoned the section between Spokane and Medical Lake right after purchase, preferring to use their own branch from Spokane, the Washington Central Railroad. The section from Medical Lake to Davenport was operated for a time before the line was trimmed back to include only an 18 miles (29 km) spur out of Davenport to Eleanor. The Washington Water Power Company purchased the right-of-way between Spokane and Medical Lake from the Northern Pacific on or about 2 March 1904, for use as an interurban passenger railway. It remained in use as an interurban until early 1922, before the rails were torn up again. The only remaining eastern Washington section by 1970 was the spur out of Davenport that ran to Eleanor, abandoned in 1983.
The right-of-way has long since reverted to adjacent landowners and has been used for other purposes, having been abandoned 1922-1983. If these lines had been operated in a more urban setting, and in more recent times, they might have been converted to use today as a trail. But at the time this line was abandoned, the "rails to trails" movement had not begun. By today much of the lines in the open country of Eastern Washington have gone the way of the "disappearing railroad blues."
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, on April 28, 1885, with three tiers of purposes: Build and run the initial line to the town of Ballard, bring immediate results and returns to investors; exploit resources east in the valleys, foothills, Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
, and Eastern Washington in 19th century style, attracting more venture capital; and boost a link to a transcontinental railroad for Seattle, the ultimate prize for incorporation. The historical accomplishment of the line was Seattle to Sumas at the border, with British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, connecting with the Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
transcontinental at Mission, B.C.
Mission, British Columbia
Mission, the core of which was formerly known as Mission City, is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is situated on the north bank of the Fraser River overlooking the City of Abbotsford and with that city is part of the Central Fraser Valley. Mission is the...
In addition to the historical accomplishment, the SLS&E built and ran branches from Seattle through Bothell
Bothell, Washington
Bothell is a city located in King and Snohomish Counties in the state of Washington. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area. The population was 33,505 as of the 2010 census...
, on to Woodinville
Woodinville, Washington
Woodinville is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,938 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area. There is also a much larger population with Woodinville mailing addresses in adjacent unincorporated areas of King and Snohomish counties...
, to Sallal Prairie (just past North Bend
North Bend, Washington
North Bend is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The town was made famous by David Lynch's television series Twin Peaks Since the Weyerhaeuser sawmill closed, North Bend has become an upscale bedroom community for the Eastside of Seattle, Washington, with property values more than...
); Salmon Bay
Salmon Bay
Salmon Bay is that part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal--which passes through the city of Seattle, linking Lake Washington to Puget Sound--that lies west of the Fremont Cut. It is the westernmost section of the canal, and empties into Shilshole Bay, which is part of Puget Sound. Because of the...
(the industrial district of the town of Ballard
Ballard, Seattle, Washington
Ballard is a neighborhood located in the northwestern part of Seattle, Washington. To the north it is bounded by Crown Hill, ; to the east by Greenwood, Phinney Ridge and Fremont ; to the south by the Lake Washington Ship Canal; and to the west by Puget Sound’s Shilshole Bay. The neighborhood’s...
); and Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
to Davenport
Davenport, Washington
Davenport is a city in Lincoln County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,734 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County.-History:Davenport was first settled in 1880, and was named in 1882 for resident J.C. Davenport...
. Toward the latter end, one goal was creating a rail connection to North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
via Wallula
Wallula, Washington
Wallula is a census-designated place in Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 179 at the 2010 census.-History:Lewis and Clark reached the area April 27, 1806, on their return journey from the Pacific...
, an outpost on the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
in the early decades of railroad booms, near the present Tri-Cities
Tri-Cities, Washington
The Tri-Cities is a mid-sized metropolitan area in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, consisting of three neighboring cities: Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland. The cities are located at the confluence of the Yakima, Snake, and Columbia rivers in the semi-arid region of...
. Local historian William Speidel
Bill Speidel
William C Speidel known as Bill Speidel was a columnist for The Seattle Times and a self-made historian who wrote the books Sons of the Profits and Doc Maynard, The Man Who Invented Seattle about the people who settled and built Seattle, Washington.Speidel is also credited with being one of the...
reported that Henry Villard
Henry Villard
Henry Villard was an American journalist and financier who was an early president of the Northern Pacific Railway....
, tycoon of the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
(NP), had the federal rights and had the line through Wallula built. The SLS&E was first incorporated to build a line from the Seattle harbor in old Downtown, along Elliott Bay
Elliott Bay
Elliott Bay is the body of water on which Seattle, Washington, is located. A line drawn from Alki Point in the south to West Point in the north serves to mark the generally accepted division between the bay and the open sound...
to the lumber and fishing town of Ballard
Ballard, Seattle, Washington
Ballard is a neighborhood located in the northwestern part of Seattle, Washington. To the north it is bounded by Crown Hill, ; to the east by Greenwood, Phinney Ridge and Fremont ; to the south by the Lake Washington Ship Canal; and to the west by Puget Sound’s Shilshole Bay. The neighborhood’s...
.
Promoting a railroad empire involving Seattle
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
, until the Union Pacific
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
reached San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
in 1869 and the Northern Pacific
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
opened to Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
in 1887.
The SLS&E was conceived and financed by Seattle business interests in response to Villard
Henry Villard
Henry Villard was an American journalist and financier who was an early president of the Northern Pacific Railway....
of the NP selecting Seattle's intense rival Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
as its transcontinental western terminus. The original scheme for the SLS&E was connecting with an intercontinental railroad somewhere, while actually building north and east from Seattle. By the late 1880s, the SLS&E needed more capital for ongoing construction toward Sumas and an extension toward Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
. The Seattle & Eastern Construction Company was formed with many of the same investors as the SLS&E. Construction of the eastern line began in Spokane. By the end of 1889, construction ended, having only reached Sallal Prairie, some miles past North Bend
North Bend, Washington
North Bend is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The town was made famous by David Lynch's television series Twin Peaks Since the Weyerhaeuser sawmill closed, North Bend has become an upscale bedroom community for the Eastside of Seattle, Washington, with property values more than...
and 63 miles (101.4 km) from the Seattle station on Western Avenue at Columbia Street. In 1890, the plans were amended to focus on connecting Seattle to the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
at Sumas on the border.
Local historian William Speidel
Bill Speidel
William C Speidel known as Bill Speidel was a columnist for The Seattle Times and a self-made historian who wrote the books Sons of the Profits and Doc Maynard, The Man Who Invented Seattle about the people who settled and built Seattle, Washington.Speidel is also credited with being one of the...
(1967) observed that,
At best, insiderInsider tradingInsider trading is the trading of a corporation's stock or other securities by individuals with potential access to non-public information about the company...
boosters had hoped they might get as far as Denny's Iron Mountain in Snoqualmie PassSnoqualmie PassSnoqualmie Pass is a mountain pass that carries Interstate 90 through the Cascade Range in the U.S. State of Washington. The elevation of the pass summit is , and is on the county line between Kittitas County and King County...
. While the SLS&E was designed to connect with one of the other transcontinentals, its primary purpose lay in 19th-century industrial development exploiting the city's hinterland: the fast-disappearing easy timber, then primarily coal and iron. A theory, which later became profitable in fact, was that commuter trains could run along the SLS&E track, and be only twenty scenic minutes away from the center of the city. Ever since, every suburb around the perimeter of the city has been advertised as only "twenty scenic minutes away from downtown."
The Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railroad was a pretty weak reed for Seattle to cling to. City boosters blew a lot of money on that railroad and when they were through, it had only been built as far east as Rattlesnake Prairie above Snoqualmie FallsSnoqualmie FallsSnoqualmie Falls is a 268 ft waterfall on the Snoqualmie River between Snoqualmie and Fall City, Washington, USA. It is one of Washington's most popular scenic attractions, but is perhaps best known internationally for its appearance in the cult television series Twin Peaks...
and as for north as ArlingtonArlington, WashingtonArlington is a city in northern Snohomish County, Washington, United States, bordered by the city of Marysville to the south. The population was 17,926 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. But it was the only hope that Seattle-New York Alki held out for a connection with a transcontinental system. On the other hand, the side benefits of the SLS&E enabled boosters to hit the jackpot with the Great Northern.
The Seattle Lake Shore and Eastern Railroad company was organized April 15, 1885 and was financed by local men and Jamieson, Smith and Cotting of New York. The first division of the road was to IssaquahThe SLS&E accomplished 126.3 miles (203.3 km) Seattle to Sumas at the Canadian border, connecting with the Canadian Pacific transcontinental, late 1880s-1892; with branches of approximately 24.5 miles (39.4 km) from Seattle through Bothell, 38.45 miles (61.9 km) Woodinville Junction to Sallal Prairie (North Bend) (about 63 miles (101.4 km) downtown Seattle to the prairie), 1886–1889; 5 – from downtown to Salmon Bay and spur to the town of Ballard, 1885; a Winsor branch (through Bothell and up North Creek); and 50.05 miles (80.5 km) SpokaneIssaquah, WashingtonIssaquah is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 30,434 at the 2010 census.Based on per capita income, Issaquah ranks 25th of 522 areas in the State of Washington to be ranked....
where the coal mines would furnish cargoes. The first depot of the road was built at the foot of Columbia Street, but as space for trackage and terminals was too limited, the city created Railroad Avenue, 120 feet wide. The city gave the new road thirty feet of the Avenue for trackage and offered the Northern Pacific an equal amount which was not accepted. Construction was soon started from the eastern end of Spokane and forty miles of road built. Startled by the success of this competing line, the Northern Pacific purchased control and abandoned its fight against Seattle in 1890. [The quote is text on the verso of a silver gelation print, "Excursion on the Seattle Lake Shore and Eastern Railroad, n.d.", A. Curtis 59932.]
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
to Davenport
Davenport, Washington
Davenport is a city in Lincoln County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,734 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County.-History:Davenport was first settled in 1880, and was named in 1882 for resident J.C. Davenport...
, later middle to late 1880s.
"[A]ll along the line the road's construction caused a tremendous stir ... logging camps, mills, mines, and towns sprang into existence as if by magic." The SLS&E boosted not only the town of Ballard (connected 1886), but new towns like Ross, Fremont
Fremont, Seattle, Washington
Fremont is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. Originally a separate city, it was annexed to Seattle in 1891. Named after Fremont, Nebraska, the hometown of two of its founders, L. H. Griffith and E...
, Latona (in what is now east Wallingford
Wallingford, Seattle, Washington
Wallingford is a neighborhood in north central Seattle, Washington, named after John Noble Wallingford . The QFC supermarket at the corner of N 45th Street and Wallingford Avenue N may be regarded as the center of the neighborhood; its large WALLINGFORD neon sign is made in part from letters in the...
, Brooklyn (in what is now west University District
University District, Seattle, Washington
The University District is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington, so named because the main campus of the University of Washington is located there. The UW moved in two years after the area was annexed to Seattle, while much of the area was still clear cut forest or stump farmland...
), Yesler (now part of Laurelhurst
Laurelhurst, Seattle, Washington
Laurelhurst is a residential neighborhood in Seattle, Washington, USA. It is bounded on the northeast by Ivanhoe Place N.E., beyond which is Windermere; on the northwest by Sand Point Way N.E. and N.E...
), Bothell
Bothell, Washington
Bothell is a city located in King and Snohomish Counties in the state of Washington. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area. The population was 33,505 as of the 2010 census...
(Thanksgiving, 1887) and towns out to Gilman (now Issaquah
Issaquah, Washington
Issaquah is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 30,434 at the 2010 census.Based on per capita income, Issaquah ranks 25th of 522 areas in the State of Washington to be ranked....
).
The verso of a print in UW archives noted,
August 20, 1894. Wreck on [the] Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern just west of Latone [now Latona Avenue]. Freight train from Gilman [now IssaquahThe streets at that time were rural, more tracks or plat lines than avenues. The run to Fremont Station was more than a mile (about 1.6 km). A small freight depot remains today at the foot of Stone Way N. Railroading before labor rightsIssaquah, WashingtonIssaquah is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 30,434 at the 2010 census.Based on per capita income, Issaquah ranks 25th of 522 areas in the State of Washington to be ranked....] hit a cow. [Trainload was a] [m]ixer freight train, 10 co[a]l cars, logs and box cars. Train had slowed down at Brooklyn [Avenue] for cows. Engineer saw cows on a bank beyond Latona looking (?) one another[!]. One cow was tossed over [the] bank and hit the track just as [the] engine came by. [The] [e]ngine was raised off the track[,] and when it came down [the] wheels went off the rails. Engineer reversed but [it] was too late. [The] [c]oal tender shot ahead[,] tearing part of car [(the engine cab)] off and decapitating [the] fireman and killing [the] brakeman. Engineer and coal passer [were] unhurt. Steam and dust enveloped the derailed cars. Engineer ran to Fremont to telegraph to stop [the] evening passenger train[;] also [illegible] Engineer claimed train going 20 miles per hr.
Labor rights
Labor rights or workers' rights are a group of legal rights and claimed human rights having to do with labor relations between workers and their employers, usually obtained under labor and employment law. In general, these rights' debates have to do with negotiating workers' pay, benefits, and safe...
and worker safety
Occupational safety and health
Occupational safety and health is a cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goal of all occupational safety and health programs is to foster a safe work environment...
was appallingly dangerous.
The Northern Pacific's View of the Lake Shore
Edwin Harrison McHenry
Edwin Harrison McHenry was the fourth vice-president of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and first vice-president of the Consolidated Railway of Hartford, Connecticut...
, Receiver, St. Paul, Minnesota, to Edward Dean Adams, Chairman, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, April 10, 1896. (Courtesy J.R. Masters, Office Engineer, N.P. Ry., Ret., via Northern Pacific Collection at the Minnesota Historical Society.)
Transmitting report of [John William] Kendrick, General Manager, concerning the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway (the Lake Shore).
You are already familiar with the general subject of the earlier financial transactions of this company. The record is a disgraceful one. Even before the acquisition of stock by the Northern Pacific, the enterprise appears to have been robbed by its promoters.
It was originally intended to complete the line across the Cascade Mountains to a connection with the Spokane Branch, but the amount realized from the sale of bonds being insufficient to defray the expensive construction work of the mountain section the line was not completed The cost of the portion constructed was considerably above the expected amount, and in order to raise more money, the company bonded a number of spurs and sidings.
Under ordinary circumstances it would have been expected that after the consummation of the sale of stock to the Northern Pacific, that the road would have been operated in the interests of the purchaser, but control was not secured until the Northern Pacific had paid for 80 [percent] of the stock, and in the interval the officials and others interest in the Lake Shore apparently devoted their time and attention to looting the property. The sale to our company was rushed through in a very peculiar manner, and without proper examination by the Traffic and Engineering departments of the Northern Pacific.
The specifications for the construction of the uncompleted portion of the line were accepted by our ex-General Counsel Mr. McNaught, and our Chief Engineer Mr. Kendrick was not allowed an opportunity to examine and comment on same. The specifications were so drawn as to comply with the kind of road which it was expected to build, and allowed but two miles of sidings in 65 miles (104.6 km) of main line, and made entirely inadequate provision for operating facilities. The worst feature, however, was the clause which provided that the track would be ballasted with adjacent material, instead of train-hauled gravel ballast. The soil is particularly wet, and a large portion of the line traverses muskeg swamps; this omission would be better understood by a physical examination of the line than words can convey. The natural surface was so bad that the construction company [was] forced to haul in ballast in order to get construction trains over the track.
After the Northern Pacific assumed control, it became necessary to incur great expenditures in providing additional sidings, spurs and other facilities for the ordinary transaction of business, and to perform additional ballasting.
The townsites along the line are held by the Virginia Townsite Company, under some deal engineer by the ex-general counsel, who subsequently unloaded same to the Northern Pacific. So valuable was the real estate supposed to be, that no extra width of right-of-way was provided at stations north of Sedro-Woolley, Washington
Sedro-Woolley, Washington
Sedro-Woolley is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,540 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
.
A contract was also entered into for the benefit of the townsite interest at Anacortes, whereby the Northern Pacific agreed to operate the Seattle and Northern [a subsidiary of] the Oregon Improvement Company, paying [three percent] upon the appraised valuation, and a wheelage portion of expenses, in addition to a further sum of $80,000, expended in purchasing and interest in Syndicate Addition, and in the construction of improvements costing $35,000, entirely disconnected with the property of the Northern Pacific or the Lake Shore. The operation was shortly discontinued by the general manager on account of the heavy loss incurred, but the rental charges still continue to this day.
Valuable real estate at Seattle and at Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls is a 268 ft waterfall on the Snoqualmie River between Snoqualmie and Fall City, Washington, USA. It is one of Washington's most popular scenic attractions, but is perhaps best known internationally for its appearance in the cult television series Twin Peaks...
, which was formerly supposed to be property of the railroad, was claimed by private parties, and ownership of the Gilman coal mines at Issaquah, Washington
Issaquah, Washington
Issaquah is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 30,434 at the 2010 census.Based on per capita income, Issaquah ranks 25th of 522 areas in the State of Washington to be ranked....
, which were currently reported to have been paid for by the railroad, are in possession of outside interests.
Before the purchase by the Northern Pacific of the stock, the Lake Shore, finding it impossible to provide adequate terminal facilities at Spokane
Spokane
Spokane is a city in the U.S. state of Washington.Spokane may also refer to:*Spokane *Spokane River*Spokane, Missouri*Spokane Valley, Washington*Spokane County, Washington*Spokane-Coeur d'Alene-Paloos War*Spokane * USS Spokane...
from the proceeds of [their] main line bonds, organized a company under the title of the Spokane Union Depot Company, to which the Washington and Idaho Railroad (a branch of the Union Pacific System), were admitted to half ownership. Bonds were issued amounting to a little over $400,000. The stock issue of $500,000 was divided equally between the two companies. The Lake Shore was reimbursed for the work on that portion of their main line within the limits of the depot grounds from the proceeds of the depot bonds, but to the best of my knowledge and belief, the railway bonds were never cancelled. This property I have nominally estimated at $600,000 ... but its real value is probably at least $1,000,000. It is used by the Oregon Railway and Navigation [Union Pacific] and the Great Northern systems, and these companies would have to expend at least $1,000,000 to provide equivalent facilities of less actual value. I have made repeated efforts for several years past to have this matter investigated, but owing to the circumstances have thus far been unsuccessful. If this depot stock does not come under the line of the Lake Shore bonds, it could doubtless be attached to satisfy some claims of the Northern Pacific against the Lake Shore.
The Spokane Branch is of little value, apart from the rails, which may be taken up and used elsewhere, with the exception of about two miles of line connecting with the Union Depot property, over which the Great Northern Railway now secures an entrance into Spokane from the west, and for the use of which they pay the heavy annual rental of $72,000.
On the Western Division, that portion of the line from Woodinville Junction to the terminus [at] Sallal near North Bend, Washington
North Bend, Washington
North Bend is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The town was made famous by David Lynch's television series Twin Peaks Since the Weyerhaeuser sawmill closed, North Bend has become an upscale bedroom community for the Eastside of Seattle, Washington, with property values more than...
, is of little present value, but its earnings power will constantly increase. The remainder, which includes the section between Seattle and Woodinville Junction, and [Woodinville Junction] and the International boundary line at Sumas, Washington, I consider as very valuable property. Its present earnings afford no index to its prospective earnings in the future, and if it is not secured by our company at this time, the omission will be bitterly regretted.
The development of the region is necessarily slow, but I think it is also certain. There is every reason for expecting a steady and progressive increase in earnings for an indefinite period in the future. I am not in entire accord with the general manager's statement that the business secured from this branch may be replaced from points on our own lines. Contrary to the belief, the supplies of cedar
Thuja plicata
Thuja plicata, commonly called Western or pacific red cedar, giant or western arborvitae, giant cedar, or shinglewood, is a species of Thuja, an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae native to western North America...
in western Washington are comparatively limited, and the greatest reserves of this timber are along the line of the Lake Shore. I think it but a matter of a few years when the cedar will be exhausted on our other lines.
There is also reason to believe that the rate on shingles can be materially advanced without affecting the tonnage, as the present low price of the shingles is brought about wholly by local competition. It was not possible, however, to obtain a higher rate, except by concurrence of the Great Northern, which could not heretofore be obtained, on account of James Jerome Hill persistent effort to reduce the gross and net earnings of our system in order to facilitate his plans.
I understand the reorganization of the Lake Shore has been affected upon favorable terms, but have never had an opportunity to see the plan. I would every strongly recommend the purchase or least of the western divisions of the system, if favorable terms may be obtained. I would also advise the purchase of the Spokane Branch, if the property could be acquired upon satisfactory terms, which in my opinion would be based upon the value of that portion of the line within the city limits over which the Great Northern now gains access, including any liens the bonds may constitute upon the depot property, and the salvage value of the rails upon the remaining portion of the branch.
I further add, for your information, that I do not think the bondholders of the Lake Shore appreciate the fact that the bonds covering that portion of the line sold to the [Spokane Union] Depot Company were not cancelled, but I may be in error regarding this.
McNaught, James.
Counsel for Receivers.
Office: Postal Telegraph Building, New York, New York.
Born: September 9, 1842, at Lexington, McLane County, Illinois.
Education: Wesleyan UniversityWesleyan UniversityWesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
, Bloomington, IllinoisBloomington, IllinoisBloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
.
Entered railway service: 1871 as director and counsel Columbia and Puget Sound; since which he has been consecutively 1879 to 1887, division counsel Northern Pacific, jurisdiction extending over Washington and Idaho, with headquarters at Seattle, Washington; 1887 to 1889, general solicitor, headquarters St. Paul, Minnesota; 1889 to October, 1893, general counsel same road; October, 1893, to May, 1895, counsel for receivers, same road.
Busbey, T. Addison, editor. The Biographical Directory of the Railway Officials of America, Edition of 1896. Chicago [Ill.]: Railway Age and Northwestern Railroader, 1896, p. 304.
----
McHenry, Edwin Harrison (January 25, 1859-August 21, 1931).
Fourth Vice-President New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and First Vice-President Consolidated Railway, Hartford, Connecticut.
Born: January 25, 1859, at Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, OhioCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
.
Educated: Pennsylvania Military College at Chester, PennsylvaniaChester, PennsylvaniaChester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
.
Entered railway service: 1883 as rodman on Black HillsBlack HillsThe Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
Branch, Northern Pacific, since which he has been consecutively rodman, chainman, draftsman, leveler, transitman, assistant engineer, division engineer, principal assistant engineer, and November 1, 1893, to January 1, 1896, chief engineer; October, 1895, to October, 1896, also receiver same road; September 1, 1896, to September 1, 1901, chief engineer reorganized road, the Northern Pacific, in charge of location, construction and maintenance; 1901 and 1902, visited ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Philippine Islands; June 1, 1902, to May 10, 1904, chief engineer, Canadian Pacific; October 1, 1904, to date, first vice-president, Consolidated Railway, in charge of construction, operation and maintenance of the trolley lines owned by the New York, New Haven and Hartford, and also fourth vice-president, New York, New Haven and Hartford, in charge of Electrical Department covering electrical construction and maintenance of lines operated by electricity.
Busbey, T. Addison, editor. The Biographical Directory of the Railway Officials of America, Edition of 1906. Chicago [Ill.]: Railway Age, 1906, pp. 381-82.
Reorganization as the Northern Pacific's Seattle & International
Reorganized as the Seattle & International Railway in 1896, the line leased the portion of the locally-legendary Monte Cristo Railway that ran from EverettEverett, Washington
Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...
east to Snohomish
Snohomish, Washington
Snohomish is a city in Snohomish County founded by the british, Washington, United States. The population was 9,098 at the 2010 census. The mayor of Snohomish is Karen Guzak, and the City Manager is Larry Bauman...
. A 1.1 miles (1.8 km) spur, Ballard Junction to Ballard is mentioned. The Northern Pacific acquired control February, 1898, succeeded the Seattle & International in 1901. The Northern Pacific operated the SLS&E from 15 March 1892 to 1 July 1893, when it was purchased by a reorganized SLS&E as the Seattle & International Railroad and Spokane & Seattle Railroad, Seattle & International Railway chartered 30 June 1898.
The SLS&E was placed in receivership on June 26, 1893, and was sold in foreclosure on May 16, 1896. Speidel reported that Villard
Henry Villard
Henry Villard was an American journalist and financier who was an early president of the Northern Pacific Railway....
abruptly made a hostile takeover while the SLS&E was a going concern in 1890, in the midst of maneuvering among railroad business magnate
Business magnate
A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a capitalist, czar, mogul, tycoon, baron, oligarch, or industrialist, is an informal term used to refer to an entrepreneur who has reached prominence and derived a notable amount of wealth from a particular industry .-Etymology:The word magnate itself...
Henry Villard
Henry Villard
Henry Villard was an American journalist and financier who was an early president of the Northern Pacific Railway....
of the Northern Pacific
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
, James J. Hill
James J. Hill
James Jerome Hill , was a Canadian-American railroad executive. He was the chief executive officer of a family of lines headed by the Great Northern Railway, which served a substantial area of the Upper Midwest, the northern Great Plains, and Pacific Northwest...
of what became the Great Northern Railway, and the Seattle Establishment (1873–1900 and later). Seattle DOT (Department of Transportation) reports the SLS&E was absorbed by the NP in 1892. The lines in western Washington became the Seattle & International Railway Co., which was taken over by the Northern Pacific
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
in 1901.
Building the SLS&E in Eastern Washington
The SLS&E was planned to be a larger railroad than it ultimately became. Construction was in two parts, with the eastern Washington section started in Spokane and headed west, begun in the late 1880s by largely the same group of investors incorporating the Seattle & Eastern Construction Company.An old map shows the proposed line going from Davenport to Coulee City, up the Grand Coulee to Waterville, then on to Wenatchee, then along the Wenatchee River, and up over part of Stevens Pass then over toward Everett. With what is known today about Cascade Range topography that was little-known or unknown back then, how much was promotion and how much was actually expected according to the insiders'
Insider trading
Insider trading is the trading of a corporation's stock or other securities by individuals with potential access to non-public information about the company...
business plan
Business plan
A business plan is a formal statement of a set of business goals, the reasons why they are believed attainable, and the plan for reaching those goals. It may also contain background information about the organization or team attempting to reach those goals....
remains part of the intrigue of railroad history.
The steam locomootive "A. M. Cannon." SLS&E number 11, was named after a prominent Spokane resident. Cannon was very instrumental in the building of the SLS&E in the Spokane area.
It has been reported that the Great Northern (GN) used the SLS&E bridge over the Spokane River while the GN was building its own during its transcontinental construction in 1893.
The eastern Washington line became the Spokane & Seattle Railway, which was purchased by the NP
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
in two parts. The first—Medical Lake
Medical Lake, Washington
Medical Lake is a city in Spokane County, Washington, United States. The population was 5,060 at the 2010 census. It is home to two mental hospitals, Eastern State Hospital and Lakeland Village.-Geography:...
to Davenport
Davenport, Washington
Davenport is a city in Lincoln County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,734 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County.-History:Davenport was first settled in 1880, and was named in 1882 for resident J.C. Davenport...
—was purchased in 1899. The remainder, between Medical Lake and Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, was bought in 1900.
Recent history
The western Washington lines remained in fairly heavy use until 1963. In 1971, much of the right-of-way, by 1970 part of the Burlington Northern system, was abandoned. Seven years later, in 1978, the 12.1 miles (19.5 km) between Gas Works ParkGas Works Park
Gas Works Park in Seattle, Washington is a 19.1 acre public park on the site of the former Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant, located on the north shore of Lake Union at the south end of the Wallingford neighborhood. Gas Works park contains remnants of the sole remaining coal...
in Seattle and Tracy Owen Station in Kenmore
Kenmore, Washington
Kenmore is a city in King County, Washington, United States, along the northernmost shores of Lake Washington...
was reopened as the Burke-Gilman Trail
Burke-Gilman Trail
The Burke-Gilman Sammamish Trail is a rail trail in King County, Washington. The multi-use recreational trail is part of the King County Regional Trail System and occupies an abandoned Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway corridor....
bike path and recreational rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
, named after the leaders of the group that founded the railroad, Thomas Burke
Thomas Burke (judge)
Thomas Burke was an American lawyer, railroad builder, and judge who made his career in Seattle, Washington. He served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Washington Territory from 1888 to 1889. He was the main representative of railroad magnate James J. Hill in Seattle...
and Daniel Gilman
Daniel Hunt Gilman
Daniel Hunt Gilman was an American attorney and railroad builder who made his career in Seattle.-Early life:Gilman was born in Levant, Maine, the son of Maine legislator Henry Gilman and his wife Mary Gilman...
. The bike path and rail trail has been extended along the SLS&E line west through Ballard
Ballard, Seattle, Washington
Ballard is a neighborhood located in the northwestern part of Seattle, Washington. To the north it is bounded by Crown Hill, ; to the east by Greenwood, Phinney Ridge and Fremont ; to the south by the Lake Washington Ship Canal; and to the west by Puget Sound’s Shilshole Bay. The neighborhood’s...
, and extending east from Jerry Wilmot Park, South Woodinville
Woodinville, Washington
Woodinville is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,938 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area. There is also a much larger population with Woodinville mailing addresses in adjacent unincorporated areas of King and Snohomish counties...
, the King County Regional Trail system
leads to the cross-state John Wayne Pioneer Trail. A 5.5 miles (8.9 km) section of the railway, between Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls is a 268 ft waterfall on the Snoqualmie River between Snoqualmie and Fall City, Washington, USA. It is one of Washington's most popular scenic attractions, but is perhaps best known internationally for its appearance in the cult television series Twin Peaks...
and North Bend
North Bend, Washington
North Bend is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The town was made famous by David Lynch's television series Twin Peaks Since the Weyerhaeuser sawmill closed, North Bend has become an upscale bedroom community for the Eastside of Seattle, Washington, with property values more than...
, was preserved in 1975, and is now owned and operated by the Northwest Railway Museum
Northwest Railway Museum
The Northwest Railway Museum is a railroad museum in Snoqualmie, King County, Washington.-Snoqualmie Depot:The museum owns the Snoqualmie Depot built in 1890, of railroad right-of-way, and of the former Northern Pacific Railway North Bend branch...
.
In eastern Washington, the Northern Pacific abandoned the section between Spokane and Medical Lake right after purchase, preferring to use their own branch from Spokane, the Washington Central Railroad. The section from Medical Lake to Davenport was operated for a time before the line was trimmed back to include only an 18 miles (29 km) spur out of Davenport to Eleanor. The Washington Water Power Company purchased the right-of-way between Spokane and Medical Lake from the Northern Pacific on or about 2 March 1904, for use as an interurban passenger railway. It remained in use as an interurban until early 1922, before the rails were torn up again. The only remaining eastern Washington section by 1970 was the spur out of Davenport that ran to Eleanor, abandoned in 1983.
The right-of-way has long since reverted to adjacent landowners and has been used for other purposes, having been abandoned 1922-1983. If these lines had been operated in a more urban setting, and in more recent times, they might have been converted to use today as a trail. But at the time this line was abandoned, the "rails to trails" movement had not begun. By today much of the lines in the open country of Eastern Washington have gone the way of the "disappearing railroad blues."
See also
- Burke-Gilman TrailBurke-Gilman TrailThe Burke-Gilman Sammamish Trail is a rail trail in King County, Washington. The multi-use recreational trail is part of the King County Regional Trail System and occupies an abandoned Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway corridor....
- Iron Horse State ParkIron Horse State ParkIron Horse State Park, part of the Washington State Park System, is a state park located in the Cascade Mountains and Yakima River Valley, between Cedar Falls on the west and the Columbia River on the east....
. - Dr. Thomas T. MinorThomas T. MinorThomas T. Minor, was a physician, businessman, civic and political leader and the only person to have been elected as mayor of Seattle, Washington and Port Townsend, Washington and founder of the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway....