. :J.?.·: ;. t�ir;· . ', '• ! i ! ..... ·-··------·--- ·--.. . . (l) __ .:,0--- ...,--:. ·�·e ·----------------------,-----------------------· · · • o·o .• oo·. oo· •. ----------�----._:·· ______ --------· To the Pres.ident arid Directors of the B ...B.&,.B .. C.R.R.Co .. 1 · • ---.-. ·.: Gentlemen: - . I ttfhere-with to lay before you a condensed repo-rt of' .woFk . - . . . . . . . and -operatior.i.S 'conducted by me, in consultation with and u�der . ·.. !:t ' ./ :.� .. . ·., . .-- . � : . ; _: : .. the general direct-ion of your President, since 27th May -1888, . . .. ·. . {.t; ' . when I received the appontment of Engineer and·.Sllp.erint,endent_, of your Co,_.pa.ny. . . . On arriving here on 1st June, y,-our p�ty, consisting of about 3800 acl'.es of land, a small wharf \:b'uiit. 1'�1 /i .ii ?.1 .;; 1883 fror:1 which ·a railroad had been.graded about 3:Ilfi'.�$' and track laid about 1 1-3 miles to Whatcom Creek 1 ·tim. -��s �:_: l���-�. dwellings, an� old store- and ··black-smith· shop-, and . tools _ and .horses, was turned over to me by your Agetit whose appointment as Agent was s0,on ffterwar-ds transf·,... :- .. · . ·., m e,.;, so; and Whatco.o., separated from it and by half a_ mile, by .. ·;·· t:� . .Cre-ek Whatcom of forest, rn:>t more than 3 or 400 people. · Bellingham and Fairhaven lying on the Bay and about 2 .mtles south of Sehome contained perhaps 50 more. ---------------------------------- Railroad location and construction. ••••• : 0: ••.•• ' After a firtnirrht sp�nt. ;r,,-.studying the situation and �ki):� · . . . cursory exa.mit�tions of the count;, I obtained a co·���e of ., Assistant Engineers from Seattle�,. organized an. ·Engineers· corps, :ind cor.1I:J.enced the surveys for a 1Railroad to connect Bellingham "· Bay with the Cari.adian Pa,cific Ry. A thorough investigatior::. having convinced me that the line locc1..ted ir:. 1884 as far as Nooksack River could be mucl1 L!:proved upon, I atandor.:.ed the two ..11iles of grading-done iiorth of ., C\ ·r·1 ·. '}-:::>t.. �JI�rikf The settlement of Sehone or New Whatcom contained at· t,4a£ not ove·r ":i ·j . �� :� �.-•·---.. -i_ . . :1 . , ;' (2) ---0--Whatcom Creek, and, after �uch slow and tedious work in running . many lines through the almost impenetratable forest jungle, 'I obtained a line 4000 feet shorter with better grade$and aligrune� and which cost $16.000 less to build than it wou.ld have done to complete the old line. No pains were spared in getting a good locat"ion combined with economy of construct ion., and I feel satisfied that we have obtained a first class road at a very moderate cost, considering the country through which it runs. The � Engineers and Chie.f Officials of the C .P.R. have repeatedly told me that ,it is eqµal to any ·par½'-- and superior ·to �:ah of their line_, in every respect '- excepting in the lightn¢Sis �f· our s 1 . ..·-•�11!· . rails, 50 Lbs .per yard o •; . .. ·; and structures,as also map and profile of the aair.i. line. In the Summer of 1888-, having -streagtbitltaed and partially-:E�-d the old ,! j -� •: wharf and trestle approach an.d repaired and put the road b-ed and track through towr.i. ir:i. good order, I co:mmenc-ed clearing and constr:uct iion beyond Vmat com Cre .::. k. The Winter rains eoming early and ti1e shortness of the winter days making it unprofitable to do .more work than immediately necessary,we stopped for the winteJ;after clearing and grading a few mile.s besides clea.r::j.ng and making roads and incidental to constructior.. .ln 1889 we with loca t ior1 arid cor.struct ion as ��ppeared. to warrar1t. other work re,sumed,�nd proceeded fast as circumstances and funds The track reached Nooksack Rive·r in September 1890, and the .3ri tish Boundary. on 1st March 1891. We found r.o gravel or other __ :aterial suitable for Ballast, (excepting a small quantity of Coal Ci-nders in heaps of :r::.irie refuse at What�om) until we reached Nooksack River at 15 r:.1iles, so after completing the Ballasting from the River to ·the Bound-��.:.,.: ,,·.•:,;':·_'c:·',:.,,;_;kf • :...... · ....._,:·.··. . (3) -----0--�· we have b-een working baek towards town and have now almost completed the Ballasting of the entire line and put it in first class condition.· We· have buil ti4 · stall round house and turntable at New Whatcom �d turntable and shed at Sumas, and tn: a-11 � 5-4 . � . ... miles, of spur and sidings;. We have built:and are o�·ia � connection with the ·p.P.T.Co, a telegraph line. the whole lerigt.h of' our road. . • .Ra.ilr.oad Ope·ration • -----. -------------• •.• o-o ••• In January 1889 ., we eGDaenee,d hauling piles, and �-�• laat,. . . having complet.ri the SBall Saw Mill, we cQrneneed �- t.t ' with logs cut OD, � 14.n«. and hauled gyer our r�:... of July, 189-0, we ,e,o-:mmene·ed r� :� . �:· _ _ lil�I.)-> . , mile, extending the distance operate� as ea.eh �ee:ssivle miles were put into running order. regular train servi.ce, 2;· ,� 6n fir:st of .April our · ..•·,y: :s­ ( 2 trains per day } reached the B&undaiy at Sumas City, 23 1-2 miles, our trains still consisting of a Caboose and box car for passengers a.nd a box and flat for freight, or two each train,.._in addition to the passengers and w.U. freight bring in logs from the Camps being established along our line. On 22nd lin to.the exi_)ress, .two rnixe-d. trains to SUID.as for :freight and local passenf;er busine2.rnin::;-s are likely to increase as t�e efforts n•:JW bei:1:c made by the C.P .. R. to obtain freight. t2.ke effect. ·-, �-:·· . '· �" �-4, -J -- We have also a.;reed 1'dth the Dorimitn Express -Co to carry tlleir business Jver our " .. '· ' · ,_ �ine for 40 percent of their gross earninGs. '' •; (5} ,: •• o ..... ----------------•.••• 0,••..• Our Rolling stock consists of two old lgcomot'ives brc;mght from ..; "£ . th " . , is about worn out; ,., e Bl 1._ac.r:l, D'· ''1�ona. 1v11ne, · t,ne s1:1a11er o f wuicn 1)ut the larger one has just been built �ver in our shops, :1nd is now a very - serviceable Engine. We have also a good new Baldwin passep.ger Engine, and a Mogul freight ·Engine has beeL ordered. We have just recei ved fron Troy two new co.aches, a11d a combination Passenger and Baggage car. We have also a 4.8 ?asseng-er coach whieh we :ma,(lte here, a Caboose which �a$, .sest last year from- San Fra.neiseo, 50 old c_a.rs built by Mr �il:.k and not accepted by the C.P.R. which we have put in repai-r s:0 as to be good, · ( 12 as box and 18 as tlat car s ) and we have ais:o· 12 flat cars and 12 Rair of logging trucks built by us here-•. 3ranch R.ail Road t,o Lake Vv'hatcon. --·-----� -oOo---------In the fall of 1888 I i:iade a preliminary locati ;r.:, OL the South side of V{.natcon Creek for a branch Rail-road 5 miles long to Lake What�oE:. In 1890, I found and located a ::ietter thouc-h sofilewt.at loq;er liLe le<1..vir1rr our main liri.e at the Sun,ni t ., 3 miles from the tovn-1, a.nd runr�r.g to the L4-ke oa.:. the :,J::,rtr-� si.de of �. vn:atcoD Creek. ThP_ � •l..,,.. • ., 'I.he cost of eith-er woulJ riot ex�eed $75.00C. · · e i.;�t ;__ Ii, 'uuildirn� � th1_·s branch would be to rea,.;.h the fine OOJ a:.-1d extensive �jdy of t.im.ber lying- a.round. the S,:;uti:: end of· the • .�•i,. Lake and t8 retair::. the tr?,cle between the South f )rk of �c'i:::s,;;.ck and t.he Sout ..-"1 end of the Lake which nay� otherwise 1..J-,;1 .., el.+he-r,_. ... .,i, .._I which passes a few �iles fr:Jm it. the S. .L .S .&.E .R:,r, ·t,..., C:.=-a++ V'- le, w v_...... -or An;::r>orti=>s, or· b"ly a line --- be diverted. .._,, • 1 to Fairhaven. ·I .I (6) -:���� --0 �..:- .•· '!'he re:�ent devel,opmert ... s of Coal on the East side or the Lake wc::;.ld appe:::�r to warrant the expectation� of considerable t� tide water, though to do that 0:1 a lar;;� s,:::ale would require considerable out lay for tracks and bunkers beyond the above naned figures. - Goal Prospecting. 00000:0:ooooo In 1838 & 89, .we did eor�iderable prospecting_ f_�r coal on the Tributaries of the Noo-ksa.ck River'. T�e only in¢.icati,ans which I felt warranted in followiri� up and spending.money on -w:£re on Ar.1.ders rm Creek about ten n:iles N .E. of the Bav and abe:i:ic\ .5 miles J . •.·. ' ..., .. , .-.� There we f oun.vr\T",t,1· nue ·th-e S\•1•. ..'..:1y1··np- � '--'-' •. •• .,_,• ..., '-•,_J-�V ':..J _ - \, V V' \..: _ ...L.- V'J· _. ..., ,._.., ., - l::� al-"'Q eit2'!.er ::.:y �irillir.:-g- 0r with a steam.Enr;ine. This Sumner we.are agair.. prc,s_pe-:tir:g out s-o far without rauch result. Snall Saw Mill • . . • : 0: .... Early iE 1339 ,, we ::milt a s1�:all Saw Mill of about 4-000 feet Capacity _per l:0---.::r. I operated it supplyir.:.g- our o-w-n needs ::or 1838 -:Jf.it i.l :-::--:rver:::oer 1890, wher:. the ri.e·. Saw Mill beir1g almost {'\T,0 ._,..,,I,..., J . a. : :) · inc�e/.se t.l�e Stat e,.,=�"--.i,.i=:-v� , .... --o�-1- -� -r i- +.,�-� ..,rrro ,.:,.. s uso-1 +·J..l1 0 H'.hrr1· ;· 0 .,.1,_. ..... u ....,, -·• b l··:al ·"',·..· .. and. ,.,, .. �i ------· ...... {7} ----·:O:----- life time. By it you will s ee ,it earned $26 .·6?5 .82 a'bove ''its running expenses. over and .. New Saw Mill. ---:o:-·--- In October 1889, we commenced bU.ildin� the Bew Saw Mill. It has been constructed in the .most thourough r!.nd substantial sa.nn:er and started up for the first time on the 15th January 1891 Since t her. some additions, planers, dry kiln, lath Mill &c, aave been Bade to it, so.me of which .are still u1lfini.s�tl:•. It has a capacity of about 10.000 feet per hour, and¥ oow··in operation as a. sepll!!jat� and indep�ndent department .·'lili• · :i? ·the · --�;-' . .. _. .. - ·, 2anas-en:ent of Mr Atkinson, wJio takes his instructions�:;,�:>� ···:..·\1L · reports to t11e Presidents offi0e direct. ...·,.. . �.:. �· ,,· •••• 00 •...• In November 1889, we commenced t he const ruction of the Eleetric Light Station and plant with one Engine and one·65 Arc light Brush dyrfin:o ( of 2000 .C .P .Capacity each ) and coa:nenced operatine it on. the 4th of February .1890 with 19 lights. As consumption ±n·:!reased and ·warranted we added two more 65 Arc light dynamos and one 850 { 16 C .P. Capacity ) West.ingholis:e -. incandescent dynamo and increased the power by the addition of th� Ene:i:;:).e 2.r:c!. ooiler which had beer. in the· SE1all Saw Mill. 1r�le ct.. re r:.O'\¥ suppl�ling, to the City of New Vfuati.;om. 65 Arc lights, t.:) pri v?...t e ,.;onsu.:�i:;rs---and T.:. os e • 11 75 I II ----390 incandescent lights. stal:ement ·•Xmdi'ttL to the Cit:, are supplied Ulider contract by which we get .l \ I ,, (8) -----0----$13.00 per month for eac-h light; those at 3. to private consumers are· sGnewh.at higher rate. B. B. Water Conpany. --------�------------0 : : -------· ------- Early ir.:. 1889, I co�:1eEced su,rveys for supplying Old and New Wbateo.E1 with water from Lake Whatcom, which is 12 ·miles long and a nile •Nide ar1d the lowest Sun.:::.er leve 1 of which is 312 fe�t­ above low tide. Having found a good route and made ?- loca.'tion survey 1 we revived a local tncorporation .made in 1383 f.ex ··the sc:1.Ee purpose, subs.cribed for 7925 of the 10 .ooo shar�P·j• ·�i-tal' ' ....:·. . ,··- . _:.- st'::lc1: ( outside parties taking the rem2..ining 2075 sha°T�h): procured the passage of ordir.ances by the Coun�ils of ��¥��. a�·.d Seh0�s1e :;iving us all the rights we -desired for 45 ·y.�� ..... " , ;, f:-'.Jn the 12th of June 1889, we agreeing to place hydrants?�-,;0::ar ·:iwn exper.se at ea.ch street' int ersection reached by our mai&is: and to supply them free of charge with water for extinguishing fires, and commenced wor_:k clearing the right of way_, making a road the whole length and prep�ring to lay pipe. r1y plan conte2plated a deep cut or t unnel to take water from the Lake at a depth of 7 feet below low water level, but, in order to s2..ve t i:.1e a,:·!d exper:i.se at that e3.rly and aimo�t · experimental st21,ge of the er,.terprise, I followed the edge of Whatcom Greek for some distance from its head at the Lake for 4800 fe·et, faljir;g 7 feet' uo«R to the top of the upper falls, with an 18 iLch riveted steel pipe; thence on a grade of 5 feet per mile witr_ 2. 20 ir.::.;h pipe 6200 feet� and thence with 2.n 11 inch pipe � .8740 feet to the intersection of Maple and Hish under presure ,.. s+.reets ir.:. New Whatcow, fallin g 105 feet to an elevation at' t :,A.t :r,oi.nt of 187 feet above low tide. A'----,---·---·-- -· ·--..-· - ... � I'-'· :· ' �·· ' (9) -----0----I had contemplated g-rade carrying the water as far as the 5 foot extends in a flume, but substituted a light buried·steel pipe tJ avoid the dar(;er to be feared from fires and falling the :.::arryinrr Capacity of the pipe being 2 .000.000. gallons per 12.y, ir.. ,Jantiary 18-90, wb.en we CDllli..1eLced layine the main� for dist:-ibutior:., being 8 rivetted steel an.d 6 inch and J.aer sizes of iron. We have 12.id Mains· between Lake .and High Street11, 18, and 20 tnch.: 19.740 feet. Mai1:.s in tov;:n distribution,81 6, 4 and 2 inch: 58.188 • Service pipes:2, l, 3-4 .; aLend. i tures $1951.09 besides a fa.ir a.mount of . . /l stock on hand. Town I.q,rove.ments and Real Estate ---------------------------------••••••• :00:00: •••••••• 1�.e Among the first thir1gs I saw on my .arrival here was need -o·f _ .,1 ·�-..:.,�•�·. aecOJll.O..... Litigation. ---------- --- - We have had and ar.e still having sOJne lita�atior1 aris'i.� principally from uon �9mpliance in early days with all the • :.·?ci::�a:�----•:,_ :·c�:_;_1_-::, __:2�::.s ·-}. : ter_:;,_�\_;r·ial .. wh:i!bh c -t�� : "4,· � .· d_ · 1···,-, S ..!:.--, 4_ . t'.r,.z,, t OI ;_,,:,, "'-c,1 1IOTUl.�,,2. · -� . ·-· nd t�.·r.om t L.··1::j_�c-.S � ·ffe.,,_,_ _. sr-,;n. --i:,, r""'spet ."' ,, • - 7� • :i.�;,\}fkif:;,,\0r:. r · . &6 .•• c'v a1 Jlac,-ma.il ba�.d Qn :1W"rent" 11;�i? of!f�hor�l:tffetthe rnlcLJ z: 0f some deeds b? yo'-'r firs- Agent h-r,wh.��� ,"'�';�!r atte.�r- '�d t.o •;)� strengtheEed by t he,.�L�,in:ant,·.��i"°'''.' · .. , • . .. : �.'\•��; • • ,, •. �. uee:. .;'."--:.':.!.� d�J:licate·::on·;.sue�-- L��t?f}-�1fi:J.�S- h'.JW�ver not.tu�· ve�_�;rie;us . i� ar.y of t �#.,:'<µ,a�:..:S.{rrn-ni)���erit ir. ���1: r was instru2ted° .that the. no,oks w,:;.ul,�; be ·k�pt in San.�r�, ,� � tChat I snould �··· --- . • ' ..;'. ·" ... .:· · lg' -" m:�:�.: s :� tr,,, ';, • L • s erJ up t o me • t. ion of which-,Jntc diferent 2.:1J. m\:tf\\,"� I ',:;t� , ! c c . .-. r- 1•: ...,.:.:., accJunts was :rrade in the S.F .Cos office. Since then we have kept accounts here and charged to ea.ch :lepart.mer.t the disbursm.,. e1:.ts �a.de here in cash and material a.ntl. Ats" lilt.� er .:..:.oor ir.. ;;ash or J.ue for labor or material suppl_ied to other -f; I attach stat�ent o:f totals of disbursments .made .J here ( caaa and Memo ) Sir1ce March 1889. 8f' those ma.de by San­ Frapei:$-CO 9ffice, we ha:v:e uo rcecord. For a.11 complete records for. rece;;_Pts anc. ,J.isbursments I must refer you to th e San Fran 1;. office, wh-., 3..ll the account·s have been kept from the teginnir.g In conclusio� I would say that I consider yot:.r porperty irl i:;ood condit ionJ whatever has t:ieer.i. ctone has been done substaa.ntially I"' and. well, anc.i witt full re1:;ard� to true econom.y according to my "'-· r: . 'views and· to th.-e very best of my ability. . . --�· ....... ..... ,