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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.