ft
- TOE OEEGOK DAILY JOURNAL. PORTLAND, THURSDAY EVENING,, DECEMBER -17. 1903.
1
RAILWAYS IN AND- GUT OF THE STATE OF
GREAT
OREGON
OUQHJL.Y speaking.1 there" are
2,000 miles of main line rail
.road In th , state of Oregon
Two companies 7 "control r- the
greater part of this mileage, the South
ern Pacific and the Oregon Railway &
Navigation company. Other roads that
. center ln Portland are the Northern
Pacific and the ' Astoria ft Columbia
River roads, In addition to these lines,
is the Columbia Southern, .running from
Biggs to Shanlko, and the Sumpter Vat
ley road, operating between Baker City
and Whitney.
Though in numbers the railroad rep-
resentatlon Is small, the state is blessed
with roads that have a trans-continental
business and that bring to the city and
the state directly the colonists and
trade from the far East. The Southern
Pacific, with an outlet through Southern
California, and another by the way bf
Oregon, affords excellent advantages for
both shipper and traveler In the choice
Sf routes; the O. R. &' N., with its
feeders draining the country northeast
of Pendleton, and its main line stretch
ing toward the East,' becomes an artery
of traffic; the Northern Paolflo affords
an outlet Via the sound country and
places Portland in Immediate connection
with- the entire- Northwest,-' While th
Astoria ft ColumbIaRlver oad, wlth-;,, -regtin Bairroad ft Naviga
seaside lines, brings pleasure near the
dwellers in the city and makes certain
the growth of Astoria and lower Colum
bia river territory.-
' , ' Though promises cannot always ' .be
coined, .and though projected lines are
valueless for traffic hauling purposes,
still- ahrewd railroad men of experience
and with an understanding of state con
ditions, seldom miss the truth far la
their guesses, and when for month after
month men Of this character tell of
things that are about to be accomplished
-ahd tn -thelrinformal gatherings discus
events that mean great things for the
state; and when, as the weeks go by,
lorn of these eonie to pass and theorlex
become facts, then even the cautious
tnay be excused If he accepts at nearly
jar other prognostication
'During' the summer Portland railroad
men have been dwelling constantly on
the extension of the Columbia South
ern; on the probability of the Northern
Paciflo building a direct line to Port
land; on an extension of the Sumpter
Valley road; of the purchase of the
Iteppner coal fields by the O. R. ft N.
and the consequent exploitation of this
region; of better service on the Southern
Pacific, and of numerous other things.
Within the month positive announce
ment baa been made that the Southern
Pacific would build a model line from
'Frisco to Portland; word has come that
the Columbia Southern would advance
its line to Bend, a distance of 100 miles,
and that the Harrlman syndicate would
float these bonds for $1,500,000. There
has also been allowed to leak from tha
Northern Paciflo office the fact that thi
line, had bought the old Portland, Van
couver Yakima road, and that a line
from North Yakima was not far from
the bounds of belief. Then, too, the
advancing of the Columbia Southern to
Bend, and the announcement that 1t
would ultimately extend to Burns, has
wakened new Interest in the Sumpter
Valley- line, and a branching out of this
road is now believed by conservative
railroad men to be very probable. There
has also come a promise of many more
freight cars from the Southern Pacific,
the mail service of the O. R. ft N; has
been bettered greatly, the Heppner coal
fields ar attracting the serious consid
eration of the company and other prog
nostications that three months ago were
only dreams are rapidly shaping them'
selves into realities.
Whether all this happens because
Portland has - found - herself - and - has
shown she Is worth all these efforts, or
because the rallroada-lia-ve 'found Port
land and Oregon, and have decided the
prise was worth the grasping, matters
little," except - tor ..the man of theory.
The fact remains that the year now
closing has been ona that greatly in
created the railroad facilities of tha
state,, and . that marked as well the in
auguration of enterprises that no . one
can yet bound in their relation to the
state's advancement - Though Portland
has long been most fortunately . situ
ated as regards railroads and transpor
tation facilities, she looks out n thb
new year with promises of great things
stirring her blood, and that she may
not rejoice alote, the entire state in its
various sections has gathered in projects
and plans,' nearlng : fruition, that will
make fori thd commercial advancement
of the entire district between the fiake
and the Pacific. V
In detail the story of the state's, pres
ent railroad wealth Is one not easily
told.. Changes, projected and being car
ried out so alter the face of the railroad
map and so act on the service that ac
curate statement Is difficult
tlon company, the" account may .begin,
for this line chiefly confined in the
state, bringing to Portland, its chief ln
terlor trade, supplying Eastern and Cen
tral Oregon with .most of the necessi
ties, and from first to last a home insti
tution,, desesves, for importance' and
present accomplishment, first place in
any account,, ' 'l'--
The O. R. ft N has in its Oregon and
Washington divisions 1,152.03-miles. Jn
Oregon Its lines cover the district from
Portland along the Columbia jto Uma
tilla, through Eastern Oregon to Hunt
ington, with branch lines into the Heppr
ner coal nelda;f rom ?endleton to Walla
Walla, and from La Grande to Elgin.
Over the main line from Huntington Is
hauled all the vast business ,from the
East that the Union Paciflo . carries.
Front ' Omaha, ' Denver, Cheyenne and
other middle west gateways the flood of
freight and Immigration is poured over
the O. R. ft N. to Portland, and of that
vast immigration that has flooded the
state within the past few years the
O. R. ft N. has handled the chief share.
Besides this through business, the
O. R. & N. Supplies all the local trade
from Portland - to .the East Oregon
boundary, and drains the Eastern Wash
ington country down the Columbia to
the port Qt. Portland. ;
The equipment vt the O. R. ft N. has
been areatly Improved since the Harrl
man management has taken charge of
It, and the roadbed has Deen shortened
and ballasted after approved methods
Heavy climbs still conrront the en
gineers from Baker City west, and prob
ably always will, but miles of track
have been straightened In the past few
years, grades have been reduced and
erolected improvements are being con
stantly made (o facilitate the handling
of traffic.
In the past three years, according to
a recent statement to The Journal by
President Harrlman of the system, there
has been spent $7,600,000 for the im
provement of the O. R. ft N. This being
emended In new motive power and roll
Ing stock and in bettering the right of
way. ,
The road at present possesses 2.730
freight cars, 87 passenger cars, incluJ
Ina mail, express and baggage cars, 63
shovels, dumps, plows, water cars and
miscellaneous equipment and 111 en
gines. ' In addition, the road owns two
narrow-gauge engines and ! narrow
gaugo cars The narrow-gauge equip
ment is only jjBed on the -Cascade port-
.age and-the Dixie branch.
The O. IU & N. has three hospitals,
located at Portland, St. Vincents; Walla
Wallavti St v Marys; - Spokane, ',Sacred
Heart. i In connection, with. lts'Portland
hospital the company, maintains an am
bulance.
. - Local officers of the O. R. & N. are:
A. L. . Mohler, president: William
Crooks, assistant to president! J. ' C.
Atnsworth, K." 8. ; Benson, William
Crooks, W. ,W. Cotton. W. M, Ladd, A.
1 Mohler and H,. W. Scott, directors;
J. W. Newklrk, assistant treasurer;: W,
W. Cotton, general attorney; A. It. Craig,
general passenger agent; R. B. Miller,
general, freight agent.' The above list
includes 'the- executive, - legal,' traffic,
treasury and . accounting ; departments.
The construction, road, operating, me
chanical,; purchasing, claim, store, tax
and land and industrials departments
have, the following Portland officials:
W. H. Kenneday,1 chief engineer; J. V.
O'Brien, , superintendent; George Con
way, superintendent of water lines;, w.
Moxon.'port steward; R. Pryeh superin
tendent dining cars; E. A. itllppel, sup
rintendent telegraph; J. F. Meyer, car
service agent; F. G., WJieeler, purchas
ing agent; D. E. HaH..cla!m agent; A. S.
Watt, tax commissioner!. Charles Wan-
ear,; right of way agent; R. C. Judson,'
Industrial agent , '
, The development of the Soutoern Pa
cific, railroad and Western Oregon has
been so closely interwoven and so greatly
has the one depended. on the other that
no account of the state that does not
deal with this road in detail canr be
considered complete. The Southern Pa
cific, besides being the sole line connecting-Portland,
and J3regonwliluCallfornla
and the vast Southwest country, has
berun to tao the western part of the
state with branch lines and already has
developed the territory between Portland
and Eugen more thoroughly; than any
other region of the big state has Deen
opened up. With branch line.s to Cor-
vallls, Salem, Albany, McMinnviue ana
Marlon and Una county towns the
Southern Pacific has covered the field.
the richest of the West, rather thor
oughly and every Indication is that the
territory south along the main line will
be as thoroughly tapped M, long before
Eastern uregon is opened to general set
tlement.
With the Inauguration of the Harrlman
control the Southern Paciflo began to
look up and take notice and in Oregon,
despite delayed steel shipments and van
ous adverse conditions, -the company has
in the past two years bettered its line
equipment and service 60 per cent. No
figures are available concerning the cost
of ftate betterments since the Harrlman
expense account for the southern racino
is kept at the New York of flee and the
various divisions are not segregated,
but oT the $130,000,000 spent by the sys
tem in the flast three years fpr Improve
ments through the West the state has
received a goodly share, beside the 7,
500.000 spent on the O. R. ft N.
According to the statement of General
Manager Koehler tbe traffic of the
Southern Pacific In Oregon was six times
greater the past year than in 1888. In
the past three years 20 additional engines
have been put on the Oregon lines and
small-capacity-freight cars have been re
placed with cars having a capacity of
from 80,000 to 100,000 pounds. The com
pany has as yet placed none of the
latest model, heavy engines on Its state
lines, because the roadbed with Its light
rails would not bear the weight' oFthe 1
engines, but the old Steel Is being rapidly 1
replaced with modern- rails and - heavy
engines will soon be added, During the 1
past year 17,643 loaded cars passed from 1
Oregon outh - via Ashland .-' over : the i
Southern Pacific and 9,122 loaded cars
came north through the same -point The !
excess speaks well for the export busl-,
ness of the state, --- ,. .;.'.''!.(
Though the running time of the local
trains la admittedly ; slow the ? heavy
mountain grades ' and the poof roadbed,
which the company found: Itself en
cumbered 'with on taking, hold' of the
property 20 months ago, are. chiefly re
sponsible : f ort this, according to traffic
officials. . .. .,..
In speaking of the improvements for
the past; year" on the company's Oregon
lines Manager Koehler said; , , . v
"The company has replaced the bridge
crossing the Clackamas river by a mod
ern steel structure, consisting of two hew
spans , of 150 feet each, and ona plate
girder- of 60 feet.- -It . haa , prepared the
masonry for abutments and piers for
the crossing ; of Grave creek, which is
100 feet high, for which the Ironwork is
already on the ground and will be erected
within a fortnight or so. For some
minor bridges to the SIsklyous the steel
girders are On hand. The company Is
Just putting in the cylinder piers for a
steel structure over the North Yamhill
river, and has received the steel trusses
for. the South Yamhill and Lucklamute
on the west side line and expects shortly
to get the structural material for the
crossing ,of the Tualatin river on the
Yamhill division. On the Woodburn-
Sprlngfield branch the crossings of the
North and South Santlam will be taken
In hand during the coming year.
The company filled a large amount of
UIl structures durlng.the pasea vis:
All of the trestles front tunnel No. 9 to
Merlin, the long trestle approaches to
the Cow-Creek crossing, near tjiendaie,
and has begun filling on the treaties be
tween tunnel No. 8 and Wolf creek. Con
siderable work 1 was, done on trestle
filling and incidental tnereto, cnange 01
line, in the Siskiyou -mountains and
Northern California, between Edgewood
and Slsson. In ail these cases permanent
culverts of either concrete or stone or
iron were used.
The rail renewal with heavy rail has
been started in Northern California in
continuation of the work done on the
adjoining division to the south. Before
the end of the year the entire line from
Dunsmulr to Ashland, except 12 miles,
will be laid with heavy steel. The re
maining 1J miles will be relald during
the current year,- and considerable work
of thTs character will be done northward
In Oregon during the coming year. .
"Ballasting has been done In the bibki-
yous and on certain structures of the
lino In Ciretrnn phipflv near Salem.
"Steel turntables of largo diameter, to
fit modern equipment, have been put in
at Dunsmulr, Hornbrook and Siskiyou
and tables are already on hand for Ash
land, Grants Pass, West Fork and Rose-
burg.
"Considerable betterments and addi
tions have been made to a number of the
company's buildings, principally station
houses, section-houses, etc.
"The company at this time operates 96
engines on the Oregon lines and it is
the intention of putting heavy power at
an early 'date on the Siskiyou moun
tains, facilitating the operation of the
line."
Leading officials of the Southern Pa
clfic are: R. Koehler, manager of lines
in Oregon; W. E. Coman. general freight
and passenger agent Oregon lines; L. R.
Fields, superintendent - Oregon lines; G.
H. Andrews, acting land agent; W. W.
Bretherton, right-of-way- agent, - and - J.
. Jpnes, traveling passenger agent. -Thouirh
as a corporate citlsen of the,
state the Northern Paciflo Is not deeply
Inetersted, the possibilities of this line
one of the, main freight and passenger
thoroughfares to the , East-r-nave Jong
been the hope and the dream of ship
pers, and. with a present large( volume of
trade the road looks forward to a time
in the near future when changes will be
made that, will permit It to actively com
pete for other business than that out of
Portland, In the state. ' -
As a terminus of one of the great con
tinental roads, Portland -' has received
great benefit from the Northern Pacific
and as far as the Portland passenger
of floe Is concerned the returns are most
satisfactory, ? With the operation of
through trains to the Eas( from Port
land th Northern Paciflo has proved
an active -competitor for traffic "business
and has constantly attended to the In
terests of the local traffic. But the
Washington line, with Its heavy-grades
and somewhat, devious course, has pre
vented the road entering Into as active
a competition, for -freight -shipments as
might be desired by a pushing corpora
tion and the shipper who revels In out
rates, so the plans of the Northern Pa
cific for an extension Into the eltyi and
for, the consequent branches into Harrl
man territory south and easj-of Port
land have played a leading part In the
local agitation for increased railroad ac
commodations. '
For years the plans of the company
have been somewhat murky and it was
not known Just what was probable or
to be hoped for, but with the growth of
the city and Its Increasing value as a
shlppniK center-thg NoTthenrPaetflctiaa
gradually evolved a plan mat seems to
be the one liable to be carried out in
reaching the city. With the purchase
Of the property in Clarke county, Wash
ington, of the Portland, Vancouver &
Yakima railroad the Northern Pacific
showed the probable course of its new
line, .and the recent development in that
territory, a development by no means
Justified by the amount of .eiarlte. county
trade, has added fact to theory and local
officers of the company, while not of
ficially Stating the course of . the com
pany's short Una or the time of Its ex
tension, are ready to back the statement
that Pbrtland is the present point of in
terest to the corporation and that a short
line will enter the city or territory at an
early date. There are two courses feas
ible for this new line one from Pasco,
down the Columbia valley to Vancouver
or Kalama and thence across the river
to this city, or from North Yakima to
Vancouver via the old P. V. ft Y. and
an extension to Yakima. By the purchase
of the P. V. & Y. and subsequent de
velopment the company has shown its
preference for thl route, which is by
far the shorter of the two.
Thou ah but a new line, having been
open for business only since May, 1898,
The Astoria and Columbia River rati
road, has already several things to be
proud of, among which is the fastest
schedule In the state, most modern
equipment and a territory that has a
wonderful future. The line Vas built
after years of plans 'and blasted hopes
and formed the link destined to ma
terially aid Portland and that has al
ready been the salvation of Astoria,
The A. ft C. management is building on
the hope that some day Astoria will be
the commercial rival of Portland and
have purchased extensive terminal facil
ities near Astoria with a 40 to 60 foot
water front along their property. .
The A. & C. runs over ita own track
between Goble and the sea and has
abnnectlng rights into Portland that as-,
sure It the lower Columbia field in its
entirety.; At first the line was chiefly a
resort road with big summer traffic but
enough " tm- Business- has greatly In
creased, the coming of the A. ft C. to
Astoria has doubled the population and
trebled the business of, that town In
five years and has ao built up the sur
rounding territory that today the road
has difficulty In handling the business
created. To better serve their shippers
mn ruaa mis autumn oraerea new en
gines, 75 flat cars and many box cars
and some of the new equipment is al-
reauy ua roruano. iracKS. nougn tne
company has during the last season ma
terially enlarged its facilities, still fbe
business increases too rapidly for their
rolling stock and -motive power and
other large orders wilt have to be
placed early next year for additional
rolling stock..
In few other western states haa rail
roadlng paid so well as it has In Ore
gon. In scarcely .another locality can
paper road be bonded toward the mil
lion mark and in a few years after Its
construction return such dividends that
farther big issues of bonds are eagerly
taken by substantial Eastern corpora
tions, but that' has been the history of
more than one short stretch of, track in
the state. A marked example of this
peculiar fortunate condition Is In the,
nistory or tne Columbia southern
When President E. E. Lytle and his
few associates began their work a few
years ago they were not men of great
wealth, any proposition that they took
hold of and Invested in-had: to pay well
ana pay quics. ana lew would nave
chosen a railroad with which to start a
fortune under these conditions, but
though the construction was not an idle
dream for ease and though grief of va
nous sorts arose and troubled, still tbe
line was built from Biggs to Shanlko. a
distance of 70 miles, and operations was
begun. Several things happened soon
after the line was opened, one was that
the wool business was taken from The
Dalles' and centered at Shanlko and th'ls
Interior village became the most lm
portant wool point In the world. Then
the' country along the Columbia South
ern began to settle itself as it were and
business and towns arrived slmultan
eously. '
After a period of such prosperity that
old obligations were paid and money
was lad aside for a crisis, the backers
of the road began to dream of new fields
and by connecting with their dreams
a considerable amount of judicious work
they accomplished their desire. ,
The accomplishment was marked by
the announcement a few days ago thut
the Harrlman interests would back an
issue of $1,500,000 worth of bonds. then
bonds being issued for a 100-mlle ex
tension to the Columbia Southern. Si
lently Mr. Lytle and his associates had
accomplished their - --purpose ana hui
convinced Mr. Harrlman that the prop
osition was not only safe, but highly
remunerative, - . The : extension will be
built next season and will run from
Shanlko southwest to Bend. It is also
announced by President Lytle that al
an early date the road will have a ter
minus at Burns, opening up the Central
Oregon country as: yet untouched . and -probably
connecting with an extension "
of the Sumpter Valley road giving the
O. R. & N. a short cut with many ad
vantages over the present line.
Though not .possessing a foot or tracK
in the state, the ' Columbia - River ft
Northern railroad Is a state : product, .
counts its leading backers, among . Its.
Portland cltisens and contributes di
rectly to the prosperity of the city by
bringing in the trade of a. new terri
tory. " - ' ' : ', '
-The Columbia River1 ft NortherfTwas :
opened for traffic the past season and
already has done a business that speaks ,
well for the future success of the enter-,
prise. The road runs from Lyle 6fi the
upper Columbia riear the Cascades to
Goldendale, a town 4dwmllea up the
Klickitat Valley in Washington. Prior
to the construction of the line up the
valley all the produce and products of
the fertile valley was teamed across
many miles of rough roads to some Co
lumbia river point and the settlement
of the region was considerably retarded.
-Wtth the advent of - theColumbia-"
River, road the Interior mills, farmers
and stockmen and sheepmen were given -an
opportunity to secure easy transpor
tation to the river and having compet
itive rates from river points to Port
land, their shipments were cheaply lalil '
down on the city docks and freight plat
forms. This material advantage has so
enhanced the value of the territory ad
jacent to the -new line that many new
settlements have been started and the
farm lands are no longer , seeking for
buyers at enhanced prices. Portland ,
remains the mistress of this territory
as in the old days of mule train and
small steamer and ' haa gained in the
same proportion that the entire valle
has. - !
-.. V n m,
"Strength and vigor come of good
food, duly digested. 'Force. a ready-to-serve
wheat and barley food, adds no
burden, but sustains,' nourishes, invlgor
ates.' '
SEVENTEEN - pce,0
. D
G
TY
&
SUBURBAN RAILWAY
COMPANY
Sight-Seeing Excursions all over Portland for 25 Cents
A SUMMER PLEASURE JAUNT ON A PALATIAL TROLLEY CAR
.1.? Seeing Portland" is one of
the Summer Pastimes of visit
ors to Portland, especially those
from the Eastern Qties. The
City.. and SuburbanRatf way
Company runs a special car .
over all its 60 miles of track,
reaching the Cemeteries and
Parks, Schools and Colleges,
Hospitals, River Bank Drive
ways, Suburban Retreats, the
Altitudinous Sections, from
r which grand views of the city
may be had, and all other places
of interest : If Is the tourists'
pleasure ride while in the west
Special Cars for Trolley Parties
Furnished at Reasonable
' , , Rates.
mxrr4ii' - . ' -W'1 rl
kM U llSSv - '- - :- -ih i til
-Mi Ur If -rl wV - r
Mil i i f ' t -" - -
Iff slill 'ti tmM&d&i i
i t V 1 1 P h ' I r ! i i ir SU.'i ",r,nn?7 tvv - - . - . fM;
la. - (f if i & a ft s . v-.x
'WMiyniiwi' . ;mm sn; mmmMt mmm ,,.
--"""" ' - i -- ii ',' ,' " ' ' ' '"' ,mi'.iiiirfiiir,1 W, ii i- i I ii til, ii.miJ'L
. . - - . " v ' ".. iii ii, ..I,,
7"'l';'' ' 1 I " II ' " I ' ' ' K ' ' " ' ' ' f ' ' ' ' V ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' - 1 H., I I I II1 I I
in. V."
v-"t'
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I K t pmm nasi
SC 1 , -r i
The City C& Suburban Rail-.,,
way lines are as perfect in con
struction as any in the country. ;
Its track is well ballasted, its
coaches commodious and com
fortable, and its speed equal to
that of any road that has con
sideration for- the safety of the
community: It operates nearly
100 cars, built at its own shops
in this city, and except some of
those constructed in the early
days are up to the standard of
the very best
This Charming City is Seen at
its Best From the "Obser
vation Car..
GENERAL, OFFICE : k
K -
Room 4 Mohawk Building. Third aid Morrison Sts.
. PHONE, MAIN 39. '
' , Obtirvatlon Car, City and Suburban Railway. '
Cat-Rate and School Children's Tickets on Sale at 1
Skidmore Drug Store, Third and Morrison Streets
For Information Relative to
Operation or Hire of Car. Lost Artlclei. ntc.
'PHONB MAIN 3079. Dtepatcher'a Office.
Room aio Mohawk Bid j., Third and Morrison Sts.