Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

272 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. extended but a short distance in a southerly direction, and paralleled the valley on the opposite side of the dividing range, through which, we concluded, ran the waters of the Beaver, which emptied into the Columbia on the east side of the Selkirks.” * and Sandford Fleming made the first passage ever accomplished by human beings over the pass that bears his name. On that occasion, as they came in sight Rogers finds a Way. of the peak now called Sir Donald, Major THE GAP, IN THE ROCKIES. {Photo, William Notman, Montreal.) Major Rogers then retraced his steps, and, rounding the Selkirks by a southern route, joined his engineers, who were at work upon the Kicking Horse Pass over the Rockies. In the following spring he made the summit of the pass he had found over the Selkirks from the eastern side by way of the Beaver Valley, without, however, actually crossing. It was not until 1883 that Major Rogers * The Selkirk Range. By A. 0. Wheeler. Rogers declared it would be the summit of his ambition to plant on its highest point the Union Jack on the day that the first through train passed along the gorge. Who could imagine, as he contemplates the pass from the comfortable observation car of to-day, what the engineers had to face in locating the line ? Seventy-five miles of track were laid from the top of the Kicking Horse Pass to the