Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1881-01-14
The Railroad Boom.

During the week we have gathered
from the various sources, principally
official, such information as leads us
to conclude that this is the last Win
ter that the freezing of the Columbia
river will shut the people of Eastern
Washington and Oregon off from the
rest of the world. We understand
that Mr. Willard has recently pur
chased 90, 800 tons of heavy steel rail,
enough for 225 miles..of road, that part
of these rails are now on the way to
Portland and the rest will be on the
way inside of three months. In adj
dition to this the o. r. e. N. Co,
have between Walla Walla and Port
land, rails enough for 100 miles of
road. 1t is further reported that the
company have obtained all the money,
some 100000, necessary to pay
for the speedy construction of their
proposed system of roads in this coun
try. If there is no bad luck, in one
year from to-day the 0. r. Il N. Co.,
will have in running order a broad
gauge railroad from Walla Walla to
Portland, pa miles, from Walla Walla
to Colfax via Grange City, ll2 miles,
with branch to Dayton IA miles,
while the road over the Blue noun
tains to Baker City will be well under
way, and possibly a great part of it
in operation. Between Walla Walla
and The Dallcs, 1873 miles, there is
about 80 miles of track to be laid, on
bed already prepared, to make through
rail connection with that point. When
the connection is made the gauge of
the track between Umatilla and this
city will be changed to the standard,
feet, 81 inches gauge. From The
Dalles to Portland there is only sc
miles railroad to be built, and it is SO
located that a large force of men can
be employed III constructing each mile
of it, if necessary. There are a mum
Der of short tunnels on this route, but
work can be prosecuted on both ends
of them. The difficulties of building
this portion of the road are all com
paratively small. From Walla Walla
to Grange City the grade is nearly
completed, while the work Of grading
the branch to Dayton has been fin,
ished. The road to Colfax will start
from some suitable point opposite
Grange City, about four miles below
Taxsas Ferry. The road over the
Blue mountains will start from Una
tilla and cross the mountains at an
elevation of over 1920 feet. Some
five miles of the road over the Blue
mountains will have grade of 10
feet to the mile. The distance to
Baker City from Umatilla is ITO
miles. 1t is confidently predicted that
that road will be completed by July
1882, and that Baker City will be
reached by road two years from to-
day. Then 60 East, our citizens can
take the cars in this city, and after
travelling via Umatilla distance of
nearly 100 miles, reach Pendleton, 40
miles from home, whore they will com.
mence to cross the Blue mountains
and thence on through Boise City to
Ogden. So far as we are able to as
certain there is no probability of an
extension of the road from Blue Noun
tain Station towards Weston or Cen
terville. When tho road over the
mountains is built it will run nea,
Pendleton and thus leave the rich por
ton Of Umatilla county lying between
that place and Blue Mountain Station
with railroad on each side of it
Then no part of that prosperous region
will be more than Is or 90 miles from
railroad facilities. Contracts hav.
been let to Daniel Chaplin to furnish
100000, and TO Mr. Cavanaugh tt
furnish 10000 ties on the line of tn.
road between Umatilla and Bake,
City. These ties are to be delivered
before August next at such points as
required by the company. Take it al
in all the outlook for 1881 is, so fa
rs railroad operations are concerned
such az make it possible to endure
with some considerable equanimity
the present severe Winter weather
Union.