Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-11-16
OREGON smORT LIVE PEOPLE.

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and wife, of Kansas, and Robert T..
Strahorn and wife, of the Union Pacific
Railway company, arrived here yester-
day morning, and left for up-Sound last
evening. By appointment these gentle
men met H. l.. Yesler, H. q. Strive,
Thos. Burke, and John Leary, promi-
nent citizens of this city, on board the
Dakota, and held a conference and in
terview with them, for the purpose of
learning some material and important
facts concerning Seattle and its sur
roundings. They listened very atten-
lively to the statements made by these
gentlemen, and seemed particularly IN
terested in that portion relating to the
lumber. coal, iron, and other mineral
resources of this section.
They expressed themselves as highly
pleased with the Sound in general and
Seattle in particular, and said that our
reputation abroad was good, and that It
was generally conceded in the East that
Seattle was to be the great city of the
West, and undoubtedly the ultimate
terminus of the Oregon Short Line sys-
tenn of railroad. Mr.. Strahorn stated
that he would return to Seattle In the
spring, and remain for a month or SIX
weeks in the interests of the railroad
company in which he is interested.
They have come along the route of the
Oregon Short Line, all the way from
Pocatello in eastern Idaho, camping out
on the grades, and making occasional
stops, to secure an idea of the resources
of the region the trip to Walla Walla
BY private conveyances and stages occu.
pying over a month. The iron is laid
on the Oregon Short Line to within
forty ailes of Shoshone, Wood river
crossing) total distance Of nearly 800
miles west of Granger, where the track
leaves the main line. From the end of
the track to Shoshone the grading is
practically completed, and for fifty
miles west, or to Bennett creek, a point
fifty miles southeast of Boise, the LIND
is covered with men and the heaviest
work well under way. Track will be
laid to Shoshone by Christmas, to Ben
nett creek by March LIST, and if the win
ter remains mild, to point
near Boise by the 18th of June
or July LIST. From Shoshone
north along Little Wood River grading
is almost finished on the Wood River
branch to HALEY, distance of sixty
miles. Track laying will be pushed on
this branch as rapidly as possible, and
HALEY will be reached early in 1888.
Haley is to DO the terminus of this
branch, and as the railroad company
is taking hold to make it the metropolis
of the entire Wood River, Salmon River
and SawtOOth region, a great future
seems assured it. The party visited the
leading mines of those regions and ex-
press great establishment at their num-
Der, extent and richness. The bullion
product for this year, of the country
tributary to HALEY, will be about g., &c.,
600, and thousands of tons of ore are
held by mine owners for the cheap
freight rates promised when the railroad
arrives few months hence. From
Granger to American Falls, distance
of some DO miles, the main line passes
through a region rich in coal and other
minerals, and having good timber,
grazing and agricultural resources.
From American Falls to Shoshone, IS
miles. is the worst lava field in America
"a country presenting almost insuper-
able obstacles to railroad building.
From ShoshOne north to Haley and
west to Baker City there is good agri-
cultural and stock country, with vast
mineral belt days drive to the north.
The new mineral discoveries along the
Weiser and near the mouth of Burnt
river, along the Snake, are showing up
splendidly. 1t is confidently believe d
the Short Line will reach the mouth OF
Burnt river next season. As to its inten
tiOns this side of the Snake, Mr.. S;ra-
horn could not say. 1t is his own be-
lief, however, that the company will in
sist on carrying out its original contract
Of meeting the U. Il. d N. at Baker City.
There is room in Burnt river canyen,
and all the way to Walla Walla, in fact,
for both lines, and it is Just possible
that both lines will use the same general
route If the U. Il. & N. company refuses
to carry out its agreement covering the
connection at Baker City. One thing is
certain, the Oregon Short Line has over
come its greatest natural obstacles in the
lava beds, and will progress this way
hereafter with greater speed than our
people have even hoped.
Mr.. Caldwell, as president of the Kan
sas manufacturing company, which
turns out some 5000 wagons a year, and
also as president of the Idaho and Ore
gon Land improvement company, which
is pushing large development enterprises
along the Oregon Short Line, is gen.
tleman whose close observation of our
resources and needs cannot fail to do us
good. Mr.. Strahorn is treasurer of the
last named company, but better known
In these parts az the organizer and pres
emit chief of the Union Pacific Literary
Bureau-a department whose gigantic,
practical and honest advertising schemes
have been Of incaloulable benefit to this
northwest. As usual, he is after bottom
facts on our resources and Developments.
The ladies are both experienced travel
ers; MIS-: Strahorn. especially, having
completed over 10000 miles of stage
travel with her husband in the last five
years.