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About The Sumpter miner. (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905 | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1905)
BaaVBVMnaaHBaVBWBlBVBVBaVBaVHHHaaaavaaM VOL. VI. THAT SUMPTER-BOURNE It la now up to the people of S'loipter aud cf the Sumpter mining district to say wbehter or no a rail way shall be built from thin city to Bourne. David L Killen, presldeut of the Killeu, Warner, Stewart compauy, promoters of the Sumpter-Hourne railway eutorprise, has presented the proposition to the publio in the fol lowing coherent shape: "To Messrs. Cato Johns, William il. Gleaion and Frod D. Fuller, Cemmittee: "Geutletneu: We are preparod to take up the proposition of building a railroad from Sumpter to the Craker Greek district. Our estimates of cost are that it will require $250,000 to finance the project. This money we propose to raise by subsariptious to the capital stock of the company, and by an issue of first mortgage boudu amounting to $200,000, won red on the railroad, ita rolling stock aud equipment. "We are prepared to go ahead with the projeot if the people of Sumpter aud vicinity will, as an evidence of faith iu the projeot, subscribe aud pay for oue-teutb of theBe bouds. 'if you will within tho next ten daya secure subscriptions to the amount of 920,000 for this enter prise, for which tho subscriber will receive the bouds above nientinued at par, dollar for dollar for their sub suriptlous, we will raise the balance of the money and proceed with the buildiug of the road during the pres ent season. The bonds above men tioned to be 0-20 bonds, to bear interest at six per cent per auuum. 'Respectfully submitted, "Killen, Warner, Stewart Co., "Per, D. L. Killeu, "President." When Mr. Killen arrived iu Sump ter last week from the Chicago offloo of bis company, and aunouuoed that be was prepared to consummate the loug-staudiug project, he dis covered that opposition to the euter ptise bad developed iu certaiu quar ters. He considered the advisabil ity of calling a masB mooting of Sumpter's citizens to sound public seutimeut, but decided to person ally interview the recalaitrauts aud present privately a few arguments in favor of the enterprise. This policy was successfully followed, with the result that the hammers of the knockers begau gradually to disappear from publio view. Suu day evening a number of representa tive oitizeus met with Messrs. Killeu and Warner iu the law ofiice of N. C. Richards and a committee, consisting of Cato J. Johns, the big merchant; William H. Gleason, the mayor, and Fred D. Fuller, the general manager of the smelter, was appoluted to carry SUMPTER, OREGON, MARCH irrx out the terms of the K., W , S. com pany's offer. The above communi cation from Presldeut Killeu to the committee was a result of that con feronco, 11 ud tho committee tit once began an aotivo campaign. The fol lowing subscription paper is Doing circulated by the cemmittee: "We, tho uuderslgued, hereby sub scribe for the amounts Hot opposite our respective unities, to be used Iu tho coustruutiou of 11 railroad from Sumpter to the Cracker Creek dis trict, iu accordance with the propor tion submitted by the Killeu, War ner, Stewart Uo., hereto attauhed. "We to reoeive for subscriptions first mortgage bonds secured on the road, Its rolling stock and equip meut, payable Iu five or twenty years from the date thereof aud to bear in terest at the rate of six per cent per annum. "We hereby agree to pay the sev eral amounts subscribed by us Iu in stallments as follews: "Twenty-five per ceut of the amuuut subscribed when tho road bed is graded to what is knowu as tho Half Way House; "Tweuty-fivo por cont of said sub scriptions when tho road is giaded tu tho town of Heurne: "Twenty-five per cent of said sub scription wheu the bill of lading for the rails is received at Sumpter, Ore gou. "The balance of said subscription, 25 per cent, to be paid wueu said railroad Is completed. "Said bouds 1obe delivered to us whenever the full amount Is paid." It developed in the course of Mr. Killeu'h conference with thoBe fow citizens who opposed the buildiug of the railway, that the main opposition was based upon the estimate of cost made by the eugiuoers. This opposi tion assumed that the road could be built aud equipped for about $75,000 aud that the 9250,000 estimate uf tho pronoteri whb for tho purpose of pro viding a basis for private graft. It is a mutter of congratulation tliut thin idea was entertained by only a fow peoplo in Sumpter. The report of the eugiuoers is the busts on whioh the cost of the road is esti mated. Tho past and presout operations of tho Killen, Warner, Stewart comnuny iu thin camp certainly affords no shadow of basis for u suspicion of graft. Iu punning, it mighi bo pointed out that the K., W., S, compuuy is ropousihle fur tho building ot the Sumpter smelter, for the successful promotion of the Standard mine, for the iuitial promotion of the California, Cracker Summit, Oregon Mouarob, Blaok Jack aud other miuiug com panies iu this camp aud the firm was also largely instrumental iu a I10S " RAILWAY WILL BE BUILT successful reorganization of the Hod i Boy. It Is a fact not generally known, but a fact, nevertheless, that Mr. Killen, president of the compauy, hHa on more than one occadou heavily iuvestod his own private fuuds In miuiug oompauies of his firm's pro motion, aud that so far he and his associates havo dovoted thomsoives solely to the Important work of building up the camp, iu pursuit of the purely busluess policy that iu developing their promotions to m dividend-paying basis they will the more surely enohauce their own pri vate holdings and reap due and proper profits. No promotiou firm iu the northwest stauds higher iu the estimation of investors than the Killeu, Warner, Stewart compauy, and uo firm operating Id Oregon boasts such a record of successful promotions. The suspicion, there fore, that the K., W., S. company has, at this late day, descended from this high position to ono of graft Is a reflection mote on the lutelllgouoe of the people of Sumpter than upon tho honesty of Mr. Killeu and his hhso elates. As a matter of legitimate fact, tho projected Sumptor-Hourue railway, while of short length, presoutH some engineering difficulties of uo moan magnitude. A drive up tho canyon from Sumpter to Hourue gives no idea to the uninitiated of the actual cost of buildiug a railway along uich a route. At first glancn the Powdoi river canyon presents the appearance of a natural waterliue grade This presumptlou is shattered by making a trip down the cauyou from Hourue, especially on bobsleds during the wluter time, when It will be seen that the descent is remarkably rapid, a faot eaBy to escape notbe In making the up-trip. A close examination of tho route will also reveal the fact that the canyon is decidedly tor tuous; that a steam railway, limited to a certaiu degree of curvature, aud to a certaiu gradient, would require many bridges aoio.sa tho sor poutine Powdor river, particuiarly abovo tho Halfway houso, where tho canyon narrows iu placs to the width of a street, with solid rock uuIIh on cither hand. Furthermore, atlor Halfway is passod, tho grade ii re markably stoop, with a still greater iucroaso from Hanover to Hourue, necessitating a projection of tho grade high above the stream iu order lo ovrocomo tho rapidly-inoreuHiiig olo vatiou. All these feature conspire to maku tho lino costly iu grading aud, furthermore, necessitates many precautious for muiuteuauco during the rather rigorous winters iu this regiou. it is not improbable that anowsbeds will b requited at certain NO. 29 places aud along the entlro lino safeguards are necessary against snow slides aud washoutH. From all of which may be deduced tho correct conclusion that the $250,000 esti mate of tho promote is most con servative, especially ho when tho matter of future branches la con sidered. It Is the aim of the pro moters to ultimately construct 11 branch Hue up Swill Hollow and Sliver Creek to Cable Cove, Tho Initial bond Issue must be uiadu to provide funds of this contingency. The matter of equipment enters hIho into a dlsonsslou of probable cost. Owing to the rather heavy gradlout D'MMMwary of adoptinu to reach the aufMMr termlual, powerful locomo tives must he purchased, and rails aud ties must be of such a character aa to uooetetully withstand auch weight aud the extra-ordinary weight of ore trains. Iu brief, $25,000 per mile la a decidedly low estimate of coat for a lallway through such a mountainous region aa intervenes be tween this city aud Hourne, Not since the orlgiual inception of tho Suniptor-Hoii'iiu railway project has anyone advanced the assertion that the enterprise lacked feasibility from a profit-paying point uf view. it Is uuanlmously conceded ,011 the other baud, that such a road would be profitable from the moment of actual operation. The freight aud pas longer traffic existent, exclusive of the new traffic certain to be opened up by the provision of a cheap aud rapid means of transportation, la of suttialeiit tonnage to pay interest 011 a bonded indebtedness Iu the sum decided upon, provide a suitable sinking fuud, cover all costs uf main tenance, aud iu addition distribute satisfactory sum In dlvideuds. Aside from the profit assured local investors In the proposed bond issue, the in creased comiiiiiierclal activity of Sumpter, guaranteed by tho count ruc tion of such a road, appeals to tho wise business men, As a matter of fact, Sumpter buyers of bonds will reap a ihrco-fnid profit - interest 011 bouds, JividouilH from Htock Iioiiuhoi aud increuHod profit from sales of merchandise to now minus to lie opened up by this rninJ, aud to an luuroased population of Humpter and Hourue. It has been an irrefutable presen tation of those profitable featuroH which has resulted iu overcoming all opposition to tho project, aud which has assured the building of tho road this summer. The committee which is circulat ing the Hubsoriptiou paper autici- j pates no difficulty iu securing the requisite number of pledges withiu the specified time limit. The "Bump tor spirit" la woikiug.