Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-04-08

panies. In fact. the contract was
intended to and does make it DOS
tive advantage to the Northern pa
clfic to do business over the Oregon
Hallway and Navigation lines ms, cad
of constructing lines of its own.
For under its terms, the Northern
Pacific will enjoy the same running
facilities over the Oregon Railway
and Navigation line along the Co.
lumbia as though the road belonged
to It, will save the cost of construc-
ton involved in buildinga line of its
own and will participate in the Joint
profits of the business to almost the
same extend as the Oregon Railway
and Navigation Company itself.
Now the Oregon Railway and
Navigation Interests do not propose
that the Northern Pacific shall for
ever abandon the construction of q
line on the north bank of the Co.
| lumbia river, and OF the direct line
to Puget Sound over the Cascade
mountains. All they propose is that
the Northern Pacific shall not build
these lines until the growth of the
country shall Justify multiplication
of existing transportation facilities,
or at least until after the completion
of the Northern Pacific main line to
the mouth f e. Sake river. They
hesitate ,'' :. 5 to make this pro-
position lnasmuch as, under the
decisions of the courts. the action of
Congress, and the rulings of the
Interior Department, there can be no
longer any doubt that delay in the
construction of any part of the
Northern Pacific cannot in any man.
ner affect the validity of it's land
! grant or any other of its chartered
rights. Moreover, the Oregon Rail
way and Navigation interests are
willing to still further demonstrate
their readiness, already shown in the
traffic contract referred to, to make
it more profitable to the Northern
Pacific to use the Oregon Railway
and Navigation lines than to build
lines of their own, by giving the Nor
thern Pacific as large share of pro-
fit out of the Puget Sound business
done over the Oregon hallway and
Navigation lines as they could pos
sibly get out of lines of their own.
In this connection it may not be
improper to refer to the new element
that has recently entered into the
relations of the two companies, that
is, the fact that the Oregon Railway
and Navigation interests have ac-
CURED a sufficient amount of North
crn Pacific stock to entitle them to a
potent voice in its councils.
This acquisition was not made for
the purpose of paralyzing, hampering
or diverting the great national enter
/ prise represented by the Northern
Pacific. On the contrary, the parties
in interest most emphatically deny
any such intent, and wish TO put
themselves on record as fully desr-
GUS of assuring and even accelerating
the full growth of the enterprise Just
rs fast as such growth will be justified
and required, having due regard, in
carrying on construction, to the fin
anclal circumstances of the company.
Their motive in acquiring Leading
proprietary interest in the Northern
Pacific was the firm conviction that
the two concerns are dependent up
on each other for prosperity; that
their harmony and even identity is
desirable and entirely practicable;
and that the relations between them
thus established by union, SO to
speak, of ownership, cannot fail to
guarantee to both an eminentlv pros
porous future. But, while thus de-
termined to jealousy guard the inter
ests of the Northern Pacific in every
respect, they wish to declare at the
same time that they viii! consider it
their right and duty to oppose, to
the extend of their power, as stock
holders, every useless expenditure
in the way of premature construction,
"r otherwise, not actual called for
by the development OF tho country
and the requirements of traffic.
To state now in definite terms, rs
clearly as possible, the relations that
the Oregon Railway and Navigation
interests desire to see established
between the two companies, as far
as they are not already fixed by the
existing traffic agreements
The Northern Pacific to POSTPONE
all now construction west Of Wallula
until the main line shall be finished
to Ainsworth, with the exception of
Il short extension from Ainsworth
for the purpose of opening the So
calling Yakima country, along the
Yakima river.
After the completion of the main
line to Wallula, the Northern Pacific
to be entirely at liberty to build over
the Cascade range or along the Co.
lumbia or both, as the best interests
of the company may require.
That in order to create Immediate
ly an allrail line from Wallula to
Puget Sound, either the Northern
Pacific or the Oregon Railway and