Omaha daily bee., 1883-02-13
WESTERN RArIRoAD PROG
HEa4

HESS-
If reports from the east are to 90
believed, the Union Pacific Is pre-
pairing itself for a lively competition
IN through raft, to the coast, which
Is threatened by the combination of
the Burlington and Rio Grande sys-
tom, the opening of the southern
route from New Orleans and the ap-
preaching completion of the Northern
Pacific. The Central Pacific has long
been anxious to secure other eastern
outls ats, and, it 10 claimed, will throw
"a much OF their eastern bound traffic
ss possible into the hands of the Den.
YER & Rio CRADLE as soon as
a connection Is made at
Ogden. The avowal of this intention
starts afresh the old rumor Of an *.
tension of the Union Pacific to the
coast, independent Of their Oregon
short line, which has already reached
the Wood river country. The mana
gers of Mr.. Wizards railroads claim
that their lines are not likely to be
seriously affected in their control of
the transportation business of Oregon
and Washington by the Union Pacifc's
Oregon extension. They have been
recently Successful In their purpose to
locate the junction of their Blue
Mountain branch, running down from
the Columbia river, which the short
line, at the crossing of Snake river,
on tie western border of Idaho, In
stead of at Baker City, fifty miles
further west, as was at first proposed.
This gives them a better command of
the field, and since they have con.
ceded to the Union Pacific extension,
when it is built, q share In the eastern
Oregon business, they are not partic-
ularly apprehensive of competition
from this source. This through CON
neotion with Oregon from the Union
Pacific will hardly be completed be-
fore late in 1884. The Northern Pa
cifc, it is now hoped, will be done by
September Of this year, but 1t is i'm.
probable that 1t will be open for busi-
ness before December or Janu-
airy. The gap between the eastern
and western divisions has been re
duoed to 200 miles. At present track
laying is, of course, impossible,
although the work of preparing the
road bed goes on without interruption.
In crossing the Rocky Mountains the
highest point reached by the track ia
$500 feet, and the shsrpest grade lie
116 feet, but it extends over a short
distance only, as the road approaches
tho long tunnels near Helena and
Bozaman. The branch from the main
line to the borders of the Yellowstone
park is to be finished by August. The
managers of this new line to the Pacl
fc coast are making extensive prepar.
ations for the accommodation of travel
in accordance with most approved
modern standards, aud the ease al
the spsed of the journey ACROSS the
continent will be vastly increased BY
the influence of this competition or
the other lines. There Is no reason
why the trip from New York to Sar
Francisco should not be made inside
of five days, by the ordinary traveller
as well as by a Vanderbilt, and with {
high degree of comfort at that. The
Willard steamers, plying between
Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco
will enable the Northern Pacific tt
become at once a competitor for ths
freight business of San Francisco ant
California, and the monopoly of thu
Central Pacific should In this way b,
greatly weakened Il not broken.