Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

30 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. A NASTY CORNER AT PORCUPINE POINT. having been built on Lake Ben- nett in 1899 were fully occupied in the Klondike traffic ; but the railway folk built hastily steam- barges of large size, and with their aid were able to accomplish the task of getting everything to Caribou Crossing before the ice closed navigation in the autumn of 1899. Work was pushed on vigor- ously throughout the winter, but great difficulty was experienced by reason of the ground being frozen, not merely for a few feet be- Trouble , p i caused low the surface by . by the winter frost, Frozen but to a great Earth, depth by the gla- cial cold of prehistoric ages. The frozen earth proved to be more difficult to deal with than solid rock, since, having no cleav- age lines, it was tough in addition to being as hard as rock. When the spring came, cuttings made in this frozen earth began to thaw and run, and embankments made with the frozen material began to melt and settle down, and soon shores of the lake. In order to carry out this programme successfully, it was necessary be- fore navigation closed in 1899 Preparations to assemble at Caribou Cross- for the ing at the foot of Lake Bennett Winter. a supply of rails, sleepers, con- struction plant, and material, in addition to rolling stock and camp supplies, sufficient for nine months’ work and the con- struction of 45 miles of railway. Once navi- gation closed on Lake Bennett the work beyond would be cut off from rail-head until the lake was again free from ice in the follow- ing June. The steamers already mentioned as the surface of some of them was 5 or 6 feet below the grade line. All this involved con- stant refinishing of the line, and a great deal of extra work ; notwithstanding, the first train ran from Caribou Crossing into the new town of White Horse on June 8, 1900. By that time the ice had melted on Lake Bennett, and navigation was open, so that by means of the steamers on the lake through communication was at once established between Skaguay and the foot of the White Horse Rapids. During the winter and spring work had been progressing steadily along the rocky