Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-08-20
DAILY PoST-INTEluGENcER.
.o1esT UAIIRoAD BUILDING.

within three years Il therefore IL IN
favor of giving that company land
worth double what the road viii cosl
II ia our belief, that if the Northern "a
cific executes the proposed lease OF TIE
DRAGON Railway and Navigation Com
pany's property. it will not build q road
across the Cascade mountains until
compelled to do 30 by the construction
Of a competing line. The Northern
Pacific. owning the lease referred to-
has an open roadway to the Paeihc
OCEAN. via the Lower Columbia, or Pu-
eet Sound. Il already controls all
through travel and traffic from the East
70 this region, save only that which
comes via San Francisco, and which the
construction of the Cascade branch
could in nowise affect. Ii will when ifs
branch line-nov slowly buildings
extended west from Ainsvorth aboni 20
miles. control ali transportation 10 ana
from the section Of country penetrated
thereby. What more can it get by ex-
tending that branch over the noun
tains? We do not contend, neither have
We claimed that railroad from Puget
Sound over thsCascade mountains would
not be a paying investment; that the
local traffic, together with sven half the
shipments that will naturally come this
way from the country east of the noun
tains would not pay good interest upon
the cost Of such railroad. Bat we say
there is no good business reason Why the
Northern Pacific should build a railroad
to divert traffic from q portion of road
already constructed and from its leased
line. for rental of which il agrees 10 pay
a very large sum annually. Suppose,
yor instance, that in Port Townsend q
company owned sawmill and con
trolled the lumber trade of that city.
suppose that the mill was Of sufficient
capacity for all present and prospective
needs, for, say Eve years to come.
Would the owners of that mill build
another to divide che trade, to compete
with themselves? Yet this is parallel
case and il exactly what the Argus. and
for that matter, Mr. Bradshaw, think
Will be the policy Of the Northern Pa
cific Railroad Company. That Compa-
ny has done many absurd things, il has
been very foolish in many important
matters, bat its managers are not such
idiots as 10 enter into composition with
themselves. When some one slse begins
20 build q railroad 10 divert their basi-
ness this way. then in self defense, that
COMPANY will complete its line over the
mountains.
How shall such competition is only
by projected or actual competition that
We shall get line of railroad over the
Cascade mountains-be induced? In
bat one way can il BE- done. 10 wit; by
returning the land grant 10 the public
domain, and thus putting others who
might take hold OF such an enterprise
upon an equal footing with the North
srn Pacific. Then the natural and val
liable resources Of the region 20 be trav-
srsed will speedily solve the problem.
They viii do 30 soon enough, and until
railroad can be constructed over the
Cascade mountains upon business ba-
she. without subsidy or pledge OF public
credit, IL Ia vastly better for the whole
people of this Territory that il should
remain unbuilt. There 10 plenty Of ear
ital in the United States and In Europe
seeking safe investment Confidence
In the financial situation is swiftly be-
coming restored. Already strong men
representing ample capital are seriously
considering the project of transmon-
tame railroad. They are railroad build
ers too. They have built twice as many
miles Of road az the Northern Pacific
owns In this Territory and can swing
funds enough to construct the projected
line.
80 aAn&44t w tAoN 1ay EAk1OtA tA6
only obstacle which today bars railroad
building In this Territory, Is this enor-
NOUS land grant TO favored and I'M
worthy corporation. We have shown
indispuiabiy that il hinders settlement,
and b q foe 10 liberal immigration.
This, Of itself, retards railroad build
ina. But its direct effects upon pro-
jscted enterprises are still more dam
aging. Not only does il hold one of
the best passes, with It's approaches.
but the right Of way through its land
grant muss be obtained before any
other road can be constructed. Does
any person believe that l, will freely
Surrender this to aid construction of q
rival road ? Thus far this land grant
has not only had the effect Of prevent
ing the commencement of another rail-
road, but Il has moreover rendered il
very difficult 10 interest representatives
of capital Sufficiently 10 induce invcs.i-
Cation into the merits and paying prop
critics Of such road. They hesitate to
build railroad 10 compete with an.
other which slsims ownership OF half
she region Through which their lire
must be eocstrucfed.
We have no faith in Northern PaciHc
promises We have unlimited confi.
denes in the capacity Of the ooaniry
which win BE- hissesed by lire OF rail-
road eastward from Psses Soand. 10
support such road IL economically
constructed and operAsed- That il the
sors Of railroad ve need. We do nos
care 10 zee any nore railroads huils in
tAs Territory. Walsh. xhea soupasse ed.
are capitalized sna beaded fer ahou,
sarscs tseir acssal or necsssary eoss. 70
pay zssrs=k aid dzudenis upoe waieA
vs al mzst eoctrie1se, for srue-s.
eo4 10 eozae. in che forn of sxsarssoa-
sss fare and freisei rates Ths whole
cocntry 10 to-day suffering from los,
that sort Of plundering. The railroads
Of the United States are stocked ana
bonded Al an average Of Aheas xsOooo |.
mia Tkax rs.ss an = A. -.