, 1874-12-10
Our Railroad Connections.


to Fort Hall, distance of about $50
miles, where the two propose to form
junction. the latter Company to contin-
ne the road from that point. to the Co.
lumbia river as soon as practicable after
the expected Congressional aid is Sc
cured. When that road strikes the Co.
lunbia river. the choice ofroutes to the
ocean will be between Seattle and the
Columbia river by the way of Portland,
with q difference of 120 miles and the
advantage of vastly superior seaport
in favor of the former. The road will
never be built by home capital or man
aged in favor of local interests. against
the monied interests of the capitalists
engaged therein; it is therefore absurd
to suppose that men of sense will invest
their money in building railroad 10
make correction with an inland town
100 miles from the ocean, when for less
money they could make connection with
the safest and best seaport upon the
Pacific ocean, with all the advantage Of
interchange of trade in favor Of the lat
ter. 81 s25s-' +i -s.ti 9-i-i'
Mr.. Thatcher, the General Superin-
tendent of the Utah Northern Railroad,
writes to'the President of the Portland,
Dalles and Salt Lake Railroad: sfTss
.t UTAH NORTHERN RAILROAD, sf9s2
SECRETARY AND TREAsUREE's OFFICE,
a LOGAN CITY. U. T., Ncv.2, 1874.
Hon. W. W. CHAPMAN, President Port
land, Dalles and Salt Lake Railroad: :
DEAR SIR-In company with our Vice
President, VIM. B. Preston, expect to
visit Boise City, Idaho, about the 25th
inst. and will probably remain there
ten days or two weeks, during which
time I propose advocating among the
citizens there railroad enterprises, and
with your approval should be pleased
to urge the importance of the early con-
struction of your road to and through
Idaho Territory, with the view of form
ing q junction with our Utlh Northern
Railroad at some convenient po mt on
Snake River, say at or near Fort Hall,
to which place We expect to have our
road completed early in the summer of
1875. We will then be able to control
all the Montana freight and we believe
much of that of Idaho Territory. With
the resources of the latter Territory
am not familiar, but am seeking inform
alton, and would be pleased to receive
such from you. vi esare AZ
Your description, given me in May,
1873. of the timber lands of and adja-
cent to the Blue Mountains, I remember
well, and they, I am fully satisfied, af-
ford ample induceme ents, regardless of
other facilities, which are no doubt
abundant, for the early construction,
equipment and running of first class
railroad through that country. I find
that some of the best paying roads in
the United States are made SO alone by
their immense lumber traffic. And, SO
far as I am acquainted with the Oregon
timbers, especially your white pines,
they are certainly superior, indeed, tine
best | have ever seen. The interior
demand for such lumber would in
short time, with fair rates for transport
alton, become immense. Yet this vast
source of wealth can only be utilized
through he agency of railroad and
consequent cheap transportation.
l should be glad indeed. if you could
make it convenient to meet me in Boise
in November. for lam confident few
days together would mutually benefit
the company which you represent and
that to which ! belong. 3
A connection OF the two roads at some
convenient point in Idaho, am satis-
fed wouli be very favorably looked up
on by the Union Pacific Railroad Com
pany. = = ~ SAe 1e5
Subsequently to the publication of
the foregoing letter, Col. Chapman has
issued the following address:
,CITIzENs OF OREGON AND V1csNITY:--
Judging from the anxiety everywhere
manifested, and nowhere more than
among yourselves, for the success of
the Portland and Salt Lake Railroad.
and with the closing campaign upon MS,
it is but reasonable to presume that you
desile to know what is 10 be done and
can be done to further this great enter
prise. This session of Congress will
determine in all human probability its
future, at least as far as Congressional
aid is concerned. Asyoa know our bill
has been reported favorably by the
committees of both Houses. and
stands high on the calender of the. SEN
ate, and may be reached in ten days of
the session. Other important enterpri-
zes of the kind, none of which is more
important, nationally or locally, than
this, must yet be worked upon before
committees, and such is the popularity
of this that they cannot afford to ignore
it, and except they do we have no rea-
son to do aught against them. We can
well afford to trust to the superiority Of
our line against all odds. 1t is natures
line, it is the true commercial line, able
to defend itself when CONSTRUCTED
against any other possible one. Foreign
capitalists have investigated it, and pro-