Tracing the geological and railroad history of the Pacific Northwest, Leon Speroff uniquely evokes the Age of the Railroad in his newst book, The Deschutes River Railroad War. With intricate detail, expert understanding and amusing anedotes, he brings to life this facinating true tale of the race to expand railroad service from the Columbia River up the Deschutes River to Bend, Oregon. When the two railroad barons, James J. Hill of the Great Northern and Edward H. Harriman of the Union Pacific, both set their sights on the Deschutes River Canyon for building a railway to Bend, neither man could have foreseen the massive expenditure of money, time, energy and human lives that characterized their mad rush to the finish. At the heart of this gripping story is the essence of the American West and the magnates, workers, immigrants and settlers whose impact on the region would usher the age of railroad transportation into the Twentieth century.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Leon Speroff Teaches Us About More Than All That:
The Deschutes River Railroad WarThis incredible book not only spins an exciting true story about the Deschutes River Railroad War but is also a wonderful explanation to the terrain of Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. I have wondered for years about the fertile valleys of Washington and Oregon. The "strange" peaks that seem to sprout from no-where in the western Oregon valley. Now I know and understand more about some of the strange geologic formations in Oregon and Washington. This is a riviting book... more info
Oregon Trunk Railroad History:
I enjoyed this book wriiten about the building of the Oregon Trunk Railroad in Central Oregon. The book begins with a credible, yet understandable look at the geology of the watershed, continues to the overall history of the competition between UP and GN railroad presidents and then to the particulars of the construction of the lines on both sides of the Deschutes river. I liked it because it wasn't only a railroad book, nor a roadside geology book, nor a history book, but all three to some degree. I would... more info
