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THE WEST SHORE.
141
the final survey, and will be ready for the contractor by
the first of June. The company hits aiinouuSrnl iU pos
itive intention to construct a temporary line over the
mountains, work upon which will Im tiegnn as soon ss
the track reaches a point to make it practicable. It is
expected that by the first of July, 1887, the line will be
completed so as to permit trains to run through to Ta
coma. That the Northern Fuciiio is in earnest, aud that
next year Eastern and Western Washington will be
united by a railroad across the Cascades is now as cor
taiu as anything can be which is not yet accomplished.
Aotive construction is now in progresi on the Kxkane
A Palouse railway, a branch of the Northern Pacific,
running south into the Palouse grain region from Mar
shall, a station on the main line near Spokane Falls.
Another company recently organized is tho 8Hkane A
Columbia, which proposes to construct a line from Spo
kane Falls, by the way of Colville valley, to the Colum
bia at Little Dalles, with a branch from somo suitable
point to Kettle Falls, a point on the Columbia, from
which steamers may run up the stream to Farwoll, con
necting with the Canadian Psotfo. This road will tap
the rich agricultural and mineral regions north of Spo
kane, and will furnish a rail and steamer route into
British Columbia, rendering the southern mining dis
tricts of the province more accessible, especially the
Kootonay region, when the KootenBy railroad is com
pleted. Another feeder of the Northern Pacific much
discussed, and to secure which many business men aro
earnestly working, is a branch from the main line at
Ainsworth to Walla Walla, Doyton aud other points in
that magnificent wheat country lying along the baso of
the Blue mountains. Such a road would supply tho
Northern Paoiflo with two-thirds of its local traflio across
the mountains whon the Cascade branch is completed.
Willi this branch and a line of steamers on Snake rivor
to oonnect at Ainsworth, the rood would be on almost
an equal footing with the 0. II A N. Co. in region
which has given the latter this season seven million
bushels of wheat to carry to the seaboard, and which
will be able to consume great quantities of Pugel sound
coal and lumW. It would seem as though without this
feeder the Cascades branch would be practically useless
as a bond of union between the two great sections of the
territory.
In Orooon there are a number of railroad projects,
some of which seem to promise great things for this re
gion. The Oregon Pacific, which last year completed a
line from Corvallis to Yaquina bay, and thus furnished
a portion of the Willamette valley with a new mute for
wheat and other product to San Francisco, as well as
f,.r the imixirtation of gcxxla from that city, has surveyed
an extension to Albany aud prcared plan for bridging
the Willamette at that city. It officers declare a posi.
tive purjxise of constructing the road through tho Cas
cades, pasting through Un, urstii ana issuer couu
ties to Boisd City, where it will connect with some now
line from the East Surveying parties are now at work
in Eastern Oregon. If this road represent one of the
great trunk lines, it is as yet unknown which one it be-
nigs to, although both tho Union Pacific ami Chicago
aud Northwestern are credited with it That the Union
Pacific should deire en Independent rout to tidewnter
is natural, and it is not impossible that it will extend its
line from Huntington on the route Ixung surveyed by
the Oregon Pacific. The Chicago A Northwestern has
progressed as far westward as Fort Fetterman, Wyom
ing, and its intention to push on to the Pacific is well
known. Its route has Ixxm indicated to cross Snake
river at Eaglo Uock, and continuing westward to the
north of the Oregon Short Line, pass through tho IjosI
rivur and Wood river regions to Camas prairie and thence
ou to tho oonst This would bring it very near the line
of the Oregon Pacific as indicated above. Citixeus ot
Douglas and Coom counties inoorMrated in March, last,
the Oregon Central 11 II Co., for the puroo of build
ing a road from Coos bay, via Koxeburg, across Eastern
Oregon to a connection with the Oregon Short Line,
with a view ot making Coos bay the Pacific terminus
of tho Union Pacific. A road from Iloseburg to Coos
bay has been projected tor several years, a company ha
been organized and preliminary surveys made, but the
route eastward from Iloseburg has yet to lx selected.
From Roseburg to tho oonst the proocd road would
pass through tho finest fir and ocdar forests and coal
measures known in Oregon. It would give an outlet for
Southern Oregon to a good harlxir. This Mad will
probably le constructed before many year without ref
erence to the projMsied line across tho Cascades, which
seems to lo dcondcut ukii the selection of Coos bay
by tho Union Pacific for its western terminus, although
tho company will endeavor to secure capital for it con
struction a an indeMndent line. Another company ha
lxon organized at Eugene City to secure the construc
tion of a similar lino from the Oregon Short Line, to
cross the Cascade by tho Mackun.in pass, a very poss
ible route in cose tho Union Pacific should decide to
cross the mountains and seek western terminus In this
city, or it might bo such a route a tho Northwestern
would consider desirable in crossing Oregon.
Progress is being made on the route from San Fran
cisco to Portland. Tho Southern Pacific is pushing
construction on the California A Oregon, with tho Inten
tion of reaching Strawberry valley, at tho base of Mount
Shasta, before winter set in. This will leave gap ot
hundred mile between that Niiut and Ashland, the
southern terminus of the 0. A C. Negotiation for the
transfer of tho Utter road to the former are In progress,
and would have becu concluded ere this but for legal
complication. When this is accomplished, work will
prolmbly le resumed ou the tunnel through the Siski
you mountains, possibly on a new aud shorter tunnel
some distance from tho old one, and a final connection
of tho two roads mode in alxmt two year. There are
other projects, which are not now being pushed. The
road up Green river from Seattle will probably m com
pleted to a connection with the Cascade branch sxn
a the latter crowtee the mountain, thus placing tWtle
r-r'ir;i juw-;j myyvfw fM"y-