, 1882-05-06
No Machine shops Here

DIR. B.alock and Major TruAH, delegates
sent 10 Portland by the Wslla WAia Board
Of Trade TO consult with the managers OF the
O.R.dN. Co., in regard to the erection Of
workshops IN this city. succeeded IN otfa'h-
ing = positive answer To the petition OF our
citizens, and further talk about machine
shops at this place ~ill only he waste oil
words. The managers Of the company IN
formed our delegates that Prescott offered
better inducements for the erection Of ma
chine shops, and that there they would lie
built. We are net surprised at the result OF
the conference Since it is a settled fact
that the shops are not TO be located here,
We have 30 hesitancy IN stating our reasons
for not being in any degree surprised at the
decision Of the O. T. & \. Co. Several
weeks ago . contractor on the o. L. K \.
Co q lines was passing over the road from
Portland to Texas Ferry on tram on which
were several prominent officers OF the y. H.
& n. Co. The officers were discussing with
in hearing Of the contractor, referred TO. the
future Of the various towns along the road,
and especially Walla Walla. Among other
things they SAID that the citizens OF Waiia
Walla had never exhibited friendly feeling
toward the o. r. & n. Co., which they
seemed to regard as a grinding monopoly IN
stead Of company which was doing all in
its power to develop the country, and which
had ever been willing to cooperate with our
citizens in any enterprise which would FUR
ther our interests; our citizens had shown no
disposition to encourage them in their ell
forts to make our city a prominent railway
centre; they remembered quite distinctly
that not long since when the company de-
sired to secure water to be used for machine
shop purposes. the favor Of the grant OF such
water was denied by leading citizen; that
they had met with similar opposition on var
ious occasions They now proposed to re-
ward our enterprising q community by
making Walla Walla a way station; they
would build a mammoth hotel on the banks
of the Columbia, and erect their machine
shops in an up country town. These facts
we're stated to friend of the writer by the
gentleman who overheard the conversation:
we made no mention OF the information at
the time, but awaited developments. How
well the managers Of the company are car
rying out their determination Is painfully
evident. The action of the Board of Trade
in sending delegates to confer with the mar
ayers Of the company showed a disposition
TO do all that was possible to secure the lOea-
ton of the shops at Walla Walla. The on
ly mistake our citizens made was In not TAX
ing active measures in that direction long
ago The location of the shops at Prescott
was no doubt agreed upon by the managers
Of the company long before the Board Of
Trade thought of sending an embassy to
confer with then in regard to the matter.
The proposed machine shops would have
been great advantage to our city, and 1t Is
a matter Of deep regret that our ambassadors
were unsuccessful. However, Waila Walla
has other advantages which vii! ALWAYS rem
der it the leading city of this section, and
the action of the o. K. & n. Co, in deelin-
ing to favor It with the proposed ma chime
shops will have little to do with its cOntln-
ued prosperity and ultimate greatness.