Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1879-06-20
he Railroads Again.

As new developments of the railroad
situation come to our knowledge which
can in any manner affect the veal of the
people We propose to chronicle them.
As yet VIC do not consider that the
grea. railroad magnates have definitely
determined what aud how much they
will DO for this section Of country this
year. That something is seriously con
templated by them is apparent. from
the fact that they are sending SO many
meu through aad over the country.
making examinations aud preliminary
surveys, all Of which augurs that there
is some fire behind all this smoke. Some
few things are nearly certain. Jay
Gould ind the Union Pacific are de
termincd I, have an outlet to the Paci
ic Independent of the Central and
Southern Pacific, and that outlet will
be via the Columbia river. The North
ern Pacific will nsv.r build down on
the south side Of the Columbia river.
and probably will never build through
the Columbia river pass Of the Cascade
mountains, but will reach the Sound
via the Cowli,z pass Of said mountains.
These two companies will be rivals for
the business Of eastern Washington and
northern Idaho. That rivalry is nov
manifesting itself in no small degree
BY the activity aud seal lately shown in
the announced plans Of the two CON
panies. Each Of these companies has
four distinct parties of surveyors in the
field in eastern Washington, examining
aud testing ,utes. The late determi
nation Of the Northern Pacific board at
New York, TO adhere to the Pen d'Ori
lie pass Of the Bitter Root range, has
given new hopes to the Gould company
that they, by rapid movement, can so
set their stakes a. to secure the business
or the greater portion Of that south Of
the Spokane river which includes ali
the great Palouse country, tho Walla
Walla and Columbia COUNTIES country
and that Of Idaho county and Shoshone
and the greater and best part Of Nez
Perez county 10 IDAHO. Having
bought ths o. s. N. Company's prop
erty, d thus having their a ct Of
steamers plying these upper waters,
they propose Immediately to construct
narrow guage roads to oil the principal
settlements that can easily become trib.
utary to the Snake and Columbia rivers,
and that before they complete their
main line through from the Utah
Northern and before the Northern Pa.
cidc can possibly construct an Quito,
either east or west for the products OIL
eastern Washington or northern Idaho
This will force the Northern Pacific t.
rely solely Tor local trade, upon the
sparcely settled and sterile country Dor
derin. The British line. or else tina
company must come into direct ant
violent competition with powerf.
company who have furnished an cutie
for our people befor, the Northern Pa
ci6c has either crossed the Cascades o
the Bitter root and the Rocky noun
tains. Such is the present aspect 0
affairs il Jay Gould carries out wha
his representatives say that he will. an,
what The movement Of his surveyor
aud examiners now fairly indicate
Had the Northern Pacific aba adoncd
the Pen d'Orille pass for its main lin
aud adopted the middle fork Clcarwate
pass, and commenced their road direct
~ up the Snake aud Clearwater rivers
and gone west from the Columbi
through the Cowlits pass to the Sound
Jay Gould would never have ionnd tn
inducements 70 extend his entsrpris
north Of Umatilla county Oregon
Now Gould has both the Central Pac
4, and tho Northern Pacific to gres
disadvantage, aud will have an ind,
pendent through line FROM Omaha I
the Pacific with feeders such as 10 max
it prosperous and successful, and 4
situated as to defy any strong aud dis
asterous competition 70 years in til
local traffic of Oregon, Washington an
Idaho.