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About The Evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 1925)
Pngo Two EVENING HERALD. KLAMATH FALLS. OREGON Saturday, October ft, 1925 People of Klamath vs. Southern Pacific Three years ago the Southern Pacific staged a violent campaign to keep the Union Pacific out of Klamath. They promised lower freight rates to every body, better service passenger and freight, and the building of the Modoc Northern. Did they keep any one of their promises? Not one, but they punished Klamath by taking away its Pullman service and threatening to take away the division point. Thei.- promises were made THEN by the same men who are making their promises NOW and are no more worthy of credit. If they lied then, can any sane person believe them now? Klamath has worked and waited sixteen long years for fulfillment of Southern Pacific promises. We now DEMAND our right to normal de velopment, only to be had by entrance of com peting rail lines, namely: the Oregon Trunk railway. The Morning Sheet, assuming to speak for that harassed Corporation, puts its foot in it as follows: It assures us The high officials of the Southern Pacific are misrepresenting the Klamath country to the Interstate Commerce Commission and are brazenly claiming that our country has little agricultural value and that WE have tied about our timber resources. The Southern Pacific informs the Interstate Commerce Commission that to extend the Northern Lines to Klamath, at a cost of $7, 000,000, is criminal waste, but, if the Southern Pacific is granted permission to build a hog tight fence around Klamath, that it will spend $21 ,000,000 additional. No comment is neces sary. And the Southern Pacific has fool friends. First- Third That the Northern Lines extension to Klamath Falls will 'be used only to haul Klamath logs to Bend. GOSH What about the official announcement by Sheviin-Hlxon and Weyerhaeuser that they will immediately build immense miiis at Klam ath Falls that will bring 10,000 additional population, only if the Nor thern Lines come to Klamath, but not otherwise? Second That the Northern Lines have announced they will go no further than Klamath Falls. FOOL STATEMENT NUMBER TWO. The Northern Lines never made any such announcement. On the contrary, they have demanded to be heard, when the Southern Paci fic application to build to Cornell comes before the Interstate Commerce Commission. They will demand construction of the Modoc Northern on tile Harriman survey to West wood, California, with right of common user. The Northern Lines are on the march to California and San Francisco, and Klamath is on the main line. The Southern Pacific cannot stop them. That the Southern Pacific is going to spend an ocean of money to make a real railroad out of the Strahorn, otherwise known as the "Tin Horn" Railroad. Quit your kidding. Nobody cares what they do with it, providing the In terstate Commerce Commission compels them to disgorge the $300,000 paid by the City of Klamath Falls, in good faith, on the solemn promise that they were getting an independent line, competing with the South ern Pacific. Also the return of tha t $60,000 subscribed for the Strahorn terminal, which Strahorn promise d should be for Common Use of the lines he proposed to bring to Klamath Falls, including the Oregon Trunk and Union Pacific. Fourth That the Southern Pacific has anno unced that it will build terminals at Klamath Falls, with annual payroll of $1,200,000. BUNK. The Southern Pacific has s idestepped the whole terminal issue. We demand to know when and where those terminals are to be built. ' Fifth We are told that, if the Southern Pacific cannot have the whole Klam ath pie, that it will be a real nasty, sulky kid, and won't build terminals or nothin'. DON'T BE ALARMED. When the Northern Lines enter Klamath, the Southern Pacific will get very busy building and thereafter will have to conduct itself as a human business institution, doing its duty to the community and not like a 19th century hog monopoly, trying to do "stone age" railroading in the 20th century. We suggest to the responsible officials of the Southern Pacific that the outrages upon the people of Klamath cannot safely be continued with out seriously compromising the future and the interests of its stock holders. Remember "Mussel Slough" and don't get too fresh. Don't Be Misled by Lying Promises If you are a member of the Chamber of Commerce, vote f'NO" to the vicious and milseading proposition submitted to you by a part only of the Board of Direc tors. Insist that the Board adopt the report of your Transportation Committee, and so notify the Interstate Commerce Commission. Remember that you have no guarantee of any railroad development unless the Oregon Trunk comes to Klamath Falls. R E M EMBER That the Southern Pacific has made no promise during this Controversy EXCEPT upon compulsion of the Northern Lines, and then only with conditions and joker attached. We seek no injury to the Southern Pacific, but the Southern Pacific must respect our rights in our personal liberties and our country. The coming of the Northern Lines to Klamath Falls will injure no one, but will benefit everyone greatly, including the Southern Pacific. Klamath League for Better Transportation
