THE . OREGON SUNDAY. JOURNAL, PORTLAND. SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 24, 1SC5.
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C STEEL ASMS PEACH OIT FOR ODECON'S TDASE
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IN the Columbia river basin the
heaviest railroad building of the
western hemisphere, save that by
the Grand Trunk Faclfla and tha
Canadian Pacific, in Canada, will be
under way nait year.. Contract hava
baen lat and work has begun ' on mora
than 1,200 mUea of railroad to aid In
development .of. tbla Immanaely- rlcb
northwestern regloa. Tha outlay for
thir work will aggregate mora than 150,.
00,000, moat of which will ba put Into
circulation between January 1 and De
comber II, 11)01. - i
Never lit tha history of tha' north
west baa there been auch railroad, con-
- atruotlon, i Transcontinental llnea vie
.with companies constructing- branches.
With a dash that dasxlee tha country,
heavy operations have ' begun with an
earnest of permanency. . "
' For years .Oregon and the northwest ,
languished for woatiof railways. Com
plaints of the people Isolated far from
transportation, were heard front a multi
tude of districts. National students
-pointed to the vast Industrial vacuum
and said that nowhere else In the coun
try was , so" much (valuable land to be
found so far from the .'steel . bands - of
'..modern traffic. 'fj : , -'. '
Qoidssk trrlgatlom, - - -' - v-
' In one year the lnnctlon.'of years was
broken and was succeeded by a veri
table turmoil of building energy. Port
land, Oregon and the northwest had
found place- on .Wall, street, and. the
coffers of capital were opened. This
fructifying stream -of wealth Is flowing
- throughout "the northwest, 'and early
spring will sea scores of grant grading
craws plowing tha channels for ,lta
-thorough distribution. ,
In Oregon alone, last year there was
actually constructed 87 miles of rail-.
way llnea. all of which la being oper
ated. In Oregon alone contracts hava
Ubeen let and work Is under way for
the construction-of more than 100 miles
of railway. Including the JOS miles of
, line being built- on the north bank "of
- tha Columbia and Snake rivers, which
constitute the state's northern boun
dary. In Oregon alone, one railway sys
tem that managed by E. H. Uarrlman
has let contracts, appropriated tha
money and commenced construction of
SOS miles of railway, all of which Is ex
pected to be finished by December II,
180. This same railway system 'Is
Jointly constructing 71 additional miles
"on the north bank of the Snake river,
In conjunction with the Great North
ern Interests. On tha north bank of the
Columbia and opening Oregon more than
any other state, another single railway
system,, that managed by James J. Hill,
-Is Crushing to completion 214 miles of
railway, which will ba operated by the
Close of the ensuing year.
Benefit- Twenty-Poor Districts.
This total railway mileage In ' the
northwest which Is assured so far a
financial strength and fixed purpose of
development can attain, la divide, be
tween 24 dlstrlots of the basin of the
Columbia. Tha effect of this distribu
tion of work will ba to benefit tha great
est possible acreage of undeveloped
lund. In addition to trunk llnea cross
ing the untouched regions, branch lines
will penetrate contiguous territory to
established systems,, acting as feeders
to open tha richest and choicest subdi
visions of the country.' ..
' Development the, Columbia basin,
tha mighty empire which Is shaped and
bounded by the greatest river In thn
west.' and which Is brought In touch
with the outside, world along a natural
channel of commerce made by nature,
wUl b quickened by the railway work
of tha coming year more than by any
6thr single annual achievement. The
Immense sums of money that will be
spent In construction, M per cent of
whloh will go directly into the com
mercial life of the northwest will be
followed by' the immeasurable' stim
ulation of .more effective transporta
tion. 'With 'all modesty, eltisens of tm
Inland Empire and Oregon believe that
a period f prosperity Is dawning which
will in a half decade eclipse a genera
tion of, the past.
XarVlmaa System
' First in the heavy construction work
Of next year, as It lsfWst-in all Ore
gon improvement, stands' the Harrlraan
railway system, controlling the Oregon
Railroad Navigation company ' and
the - Oregon California '- line; - This
system owns nearly all of Oregon's
railway, mileage. Its trunk and branch
llnea- tap the richest and greatest parts
of the state and .transport the only
through- freight that, touches Oregon
soil. In gathering the products of. .the
soil . and mine for' the marts of the
world, and in distributing to the pop
ulace 'of -Oregon "their Imports, the
Harriinan 'railways are closest' of all
industrial mediums .to. the. vttal inter
ests Of the people. -Tne authoritative
announcement ' that the system's - com
panies would expend In the state next
year 124,000,000 for railway .construc
tion " has had a profoundly Inspiring
effect throughout the state -and -nation.
Perhaps of equal ultimate Influence on
state prosperity la the policy- expounded
by A. lb Craig, general passenger agent
of tha system's companies ' in Ore
gon: :'
"We are seeking to bring farmers, ar
tisan and laborers to Oregon. Our
highest effort Is to populate the un
developed sections and intensify indus
trial work. When we . persuade the
farmer ' to locate her we establish a
self-perpetuating unit, of society, who
will, with the aid of tha artisan and
common laborer, bring factories and the
long train of industries which, mean, the
highest prosperity.'
, The Uarrlman system' work Is Ho
b distributed next year a follows:
Elgin to Joseph, !.! miles;' Drain to
Marshf leld. II miles; Natron to Klanv
ath, 152" miles; Springfield-Henderson
cut-off. 1.126 miles; Lafayette-St. Jo
seph cut-oft till miles; St. John ex
tension, l.tl miles, and Joint work with
the Northern Pacifio in the. Rlparla
Lewtstoa extension, 71 miles. .
Tha latter line will oped the, rich
Clearwater basin of Idaho for direct
connection with Portland, tha Columbia
basin seaport, tapping one of the rich
est wheat and fruit district of the
northwest. The Una to Joseph will
penetrate tha Wallowa 'county country,
prosperous in agriculture, livestock,
timber and fruits. The axtenaton to
Drain will b'pen the great timber- re-,
serves of coast counties, the coal fields
of Coo and dairying and agricultural
district that occupy the western loie
of the coast range. Of greater signlf l
cance to tha state la the Natron-Klam-ath
work, which Is destined ultimately
to press onward through central Ore
gon and touch the main Una of the Har
riman line about Ontario. At present
the management gives assurance of only
162mlles of work, but no doubt remains
that central Oregon - will be belted by
this project, opening the great lake dis
trict and plateau land, where irrigation
la reclaiming 'one of the most prom
ising parts of tha entire stats.
Next to the .work of the Harrlman
system of railways Ja Oregon this year
is that undertaken by the Great North
ern and Northern Pacific companies,
which will give Portland another trunk
line, following the only natural pass
through the great Cascade range. Work
is being rushed on this line at present
between Kennewlck and Vancouver,
Washington. The appropriation of $10.
000,000 has been made for the track, two
great steel bridges acroas the Columbia
and Willamette rivers and terminal
grounds In the heart of Portland. When
finished this road will give the Hill
system of railways a direct and short
route to Portland, and place the syo
tem in easy position to branch Into any
part of the state that may be desired as
feeding territory. With this work came
the assurance that when the channel
across, the Colombia river bar and up
the Columbia and Willamette rivers to
Portland were of sufficient depth, the
HU1 companies would operate a great
steamer, line from this port.
- Not so much In .local development,
but ' in advancing the positive assur
ance that ultimately the entire Inland
Empire would find a market by this
route., the, project of Mr. H1U has given
Portland and Oregon" the-feverish sul
fation of wonderful progress. Accept
ing the pledge, capitalists . are com
mencing the Important work of prepar
ing this city for an Immense export
business. Great ' buildings are going
up, arrangement -ire-' complete - for
larger and better docks, and every prop
erty bolder -Is confident In Ills anticipa
tion: of tha future. . ..
Opening another section of the rich
coast country, and bringing- It Into close
relationship with the exporting metrop
olis, the Paciflo Railway Navigation
company haa undertaken construction
of a branch from the Southern Paciflo at
Hlllsboro to Tillamook, and later from
Hlllsboro to Portland, a total distance
of 10 miles. Seven miles of this work
Is finished, about 10 will ba completed
the coming- year, and other work will
follow quickly. A branch , from this
line to Astoria, having a length of 10
' miles, 1 also promised. ' ?
Tha Spokane. Columbia " Railway5'
Navigation company proposes 10 con
struct a line from Spokane to boat nav
igation on the Columbia river; below
Priest rapids, and tha management says
that arrangements have been completed
for constructing the first ! mile of
the line from the river.
The Great Southern Railway company
built SO miles of track and has been
operating tt for the last months of the
year, connecting The Dalle with the
rich fruit and agricultural section of
Wasco county immediately to the south.
The management gives assurances of
further work the coming year, probably
as much as haa already been completed.
The Willamette Valley Traction com
pany, 'which Is believed to have the
backing of some great transcontinental
concern, has commenced building a Si
mile standard gauge alectrlo line from
Salem to Portland, passing through
part of the lower Willamette, valley
that are not traversed by Southern Pa
ciflo llnea
The Mount Hood road, which starts
from Hood River, on the O. R i N.
line, taps Hood River valley, famous
the1 world over for Its fruits. Seven
teen mtles of this line was built this
year, and an extension of 11 mlleV-rs-to
bo made next eaon.";. .
. The Washington, Idaho at ' Montana
line, from Palouse. in Washington., to
Princeton, Idaho,- a dlxtance of 45 miles.
Is being built by the Weyerhauser lum
ber Interests, and may be extended fur
ther than the indicated -terminus. . .
An independent branch line connects
with the Southern Pacific at Med ford,
being owned by the Medford a Crater
Lake company. Eleven miles of track
was built this year, and next season It
Is the purpose to continue on toward
Crater Lake, and possibly tap soma of
tha eastern Cascade country.
' ' Tha Vortage stead. "'.-"..'
Of moment rh the general transpor
tation system of the state waa the com
pletion this year , of nine and a half
miles of portage railroad between Celilo
and Big Eddy, near The Dalles, to
facilitate steamboat traffic on the Co
lumbia river. ,
A company, known as the Spokane A
Inland company, has announced Its par
pose of constructing an electric line
from Spokane to the -Snake river, . in
Asotin, county, Washington. Prelimi
naries have taken serious form. -
In Grant county the Sumpter Valley
railway has completed nine' miles of
new-track, giving it a total trackage of
2Vs miles, and tapping to that extent
the timber, mineral, agricultural and
livestock interests of Baker and Grant
counties.- Assurance has been-given by
the management that the extension next
year will be to the main fork of the
John Day, an additional distance of If
to 20 miles.
A short line,' 17 miles In length, has
been promised for the district between
Ontario and Vale, of Malheur county,
and tha statement has been- jnada that
contracts are being let for grading.
- In the immediate vicinity of Portland
tha Oregon'- Water Power at Railway
oompany has completed seven and a
half miles of new standard gauge track.
and is letting contracts for eight and
a half miles more track next year, to
connect the present Una 1 with the Co
lumbia river,
These come under tha head of tha
more positive achievements. In most of
which contracts are being let and "work
Is under way. The work by the larger
companies is absolutely sure, and nearly
all of it completed within . one year.
Several of the smaller afld independent
lines have strong financial backing, and
are moved by the urgent entreaties of
residents who offer good tonnage.
.. ' ' And JTow Kumors.
Less defined rumors' credit the state
with far heavier railroad work than
the above. Surveying parties have
traversed, -the state for other large lines.
and many people of the state believe
that soma of this will result in many
mile of track the coming year. The
Central railway of Oregon has been
financed to construct a belt line In the
Grand Ronde valley. The Lewlston
Southwestern company began construc
tion on an 80-mile electric line from
Lewlston to Grangevllle, but may defer
In favor of tha combined work or the
O. R. 4 N. and tha Northern Pacific
into tha same territory. The Chicago,
Milwaukee A St. Paul has authorised
extension of it line to the Paciflo coast,
the diverging point for tha extreme
western end being Wallulu, on the Co
lumbia. . A branch to Portland and an
other to Seattle are ststed as certain
ties of tha near future.'-"The Portland,
Oregon, Seacoast Hallway company Is
also estimating on a second line into
the Tillamook country from Hlllsboro
or Portland. The Publto Service com
pany has been organised to build a
loop line from Castle Rock, on the
Northern Paciflo, in the state of Wash-
Manufacturers and Wholesale Jobbers of
STOWS ARID MNGES
V
Factory and Salesrooms S. L Corner
Thirteen!!, and Irving Streets
Portland, Oregon
ington, through tha rich timber and
mining belt of St.' Helens, and down
through the timber and agricultural eeo
tlon of Clarke county, to the Columbia
river, delivering thi trafflo ta Port
land. '..'
PETTY THEFTS ANNOY: -
CITIZENS OF MILTON
s11 rjtanatefe a Tba looroat.) .
Milton. Or, Dec. 21. Tha cltlsen of
Milton at becoming somewhat alarmed
over the disappearance of numerous
valuable articles f rom - different home
in the city and nearby farmers are
also being pea tared. Among other things
meat haa baen stolen in large quanti
ties from various - people, canned fruit
has been taken from cellars, chickens
and other fowl have been missing.. Coal
to the amount of abdut a ton has baen
hauled away from tb Fern dale and
Sunnyslds school hfnses, A close watch
is being kept and II tha perpetrators are
found they will ba severely punished.
" T ' WW. Xxplolt xattteufc
-- (Special Dispatch to The Joarmal.)
Vale. Or, Dec 2 J. A new weekly
newspsper Issued lta first. Dumber
Thursday evening. The paper is siyiea
the Weekly Oriano and is owned and
published by O. A. Hurley, recently
from Independence.
The Oriano will be devoted chiefly to
the exploitation of tha natural resource
of Malheur county and to general new.
WltfcV some people ovary lawyer la
"Judge." " '
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vjSnfeBXv
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Yellowstone National Park
' OPENS' JUNE . 1st . '? ' ' J
CLOSES SEPT. 20th - :
-;. A Glorious Wonderland
Include the Park ini Your Trip to or From the East
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC ' '
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Special Low Excursion Rates
FROM FEBRUARY IS TO APRIL 7 -
From All Eastern Points to Portland
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CHICAGO to PORTLAND .i.:.?33.00
STr LOUIS to PORTLAND... 30.00
ST. PAUL to PORTLAND. . . . .... . .."..V. i 25,00"
KANSAS CITY to PORTLAND. ..... . . ... 2500
OMAHA to PORTLAND . ' . . . ... ......... 25.00,'
Corresponding low rates from all other points.
- Remember the dates and write your eastern friends
; tri take advantage of these, rates and come via the
Northern Pacific . "'
All particulars at the Ticket Office, 255 Morrison Street, Cor, Third, Portland, Oregon
' . 1 . l .. . ..'.".,..... .-...-,.-.....-..'
. A. D. CHARLafTON,' AssGEN L Passenger Agent
Wonderland, 1905, can be had for the asking and six cents ,f or pos tage. Address, A. M. Cleland, O. P. A4 St PauL Mlmw f A. D.
- . 't. - Charlton, A. 0. P. A., 2SS Morrison Street, Portland, Or. V .