Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1884-02-07
THE OREGON SHORT LINE.

Huntington which it did not publish till
one month after its date, stating that en-.
gineer Eccleson, formerly of the Northern
Pacific, with party of surveyors, were
there organizing to survey a road along
the Malhcur river, and whcreupon the
editor Of the Statesman seems to antici-
pate railroad that would be of great i'm
portance to the Boise valley. Brother
+. r. Burk, formerly Of Dayton, W. T.,
has gone to Weiser City and from there
writes to the Chronicle his belief that
the Short Line will not be built down
Snake river. Other parties have given
expression through the newspapers to the
same intent. On the other hand the
Caldwell Tribune expresses Itself boldly
that the O. s. l.. will build down Snake
nver. The Walla Walla journal ex-
presses faith in the construction down
Snake river and so do several other papers
including the TELLER. Now who can
tell when opinions so clash and conflict.
As We have always said, the managers
have never made public their purpose in
this respect, and hence opinions are
formed from general movements Of the
company and from the views entertained
by each writer of the advantages the COM
pany would have by coming down Snake
or in going some other way. The Walla
Walla Statesman has the latest para
graph published squirting in this dircc-
tDD, published Feb. 2, 1884, which reads
- follows: "By private letters from
Omaha we learn that the surveyors who
made the survey of Snake river for the
Oregon Short Line, have been ordered
to continue the survey from Lewiston
down the river" The public don't know
from whom these private letters were
received or for what purpose the survey
Is to be made. The statement, il not
manufactured to induce belief that the
Statesman is posted on o. s. l.. move
menss, Is in keeping with other letters
received in Lewiston and 90 to swell the
probabilities that the company are dispos-
ID to test the feasibility Of the Snake
river route towards tide water. Many
think that the late dispatches declaring
that Gould and Sage have bought largely
into the Northern Pacific system and are
soon to go into the direction Of that sys-
tenn, are sure indications that the Short
Line will 60 no further than to make
connection with the Baker City branch
Of the q. II. & N. Co. We lock upon
th1 purchase as nothing more than that
these men have made this purchase as an
investmcnt, believing it to be a good one
for the money they paid for the stocks
purchased, and to sustain the credit OF
the properties these stocks represent,
which they, as they have long since de-
clased openly, deemed valuable. We
cannot see how or in what manner this
purchase can affect the building Of the
Short Line. There may be other devel-
opments soon, that will place different
phase upon this purchase. We under
Stand that this purchase has been made
from the surplus funds which this new
sysdicate had outside of any fund con-
nected with the Union Pacific or Oregon
Short Line, and wholly disconnected with
the Union Pacific or Oregon Short Line
management. In the matter of the Short
Lines forming pool connection with the
Baker City branch we have always said
that in case the o. r. l. N. completed
the Baker City branch to the mouth 81
Burnt river, the Oregon Short Line would
be likely to pool rates with them, on
through freights, but that this arrange
ment would not delay or prevent the fur
Their building Of the Short Line. We
notice paragraph in the report Of a CON-
mittee of the House on the subject Of for
fixture Of land grants, which intimates
that the great transcontinental roads have
entered into an agreement to divide terri
tory in the northwest. This was asserted
in one of Wizards dispatches to the Ore,
gonian about one year ago. This has
been repeatedly denied, and so far no
proof has ever been given to substantiate
the existance of any such agreement, and
SO far all the movements of the o. s. l..
managers in making surveys have contra
dicted the existance Of any such agree
ment on the part Of the Union Pacific
and 0. s. L. and if any such agreement
should be made, it will be an event to
take place long after this time. 1t is
great MIST, rtine to the speculative por-
tion of the people living on this coast.
that the managers of the o. s. i. do not