Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-04-06

ihe rest OF Ry experience in takin
washington IN by gasligb; | will relat
Ia another letter F.HS
RAILROAD PROGNO.rrGAvuoN.
Walia Walla Watchman.1
Some time since application was mad
10 Congress for a ch ,rter and right q
way for 4 raliro III from some point O,
the Northern Pacific Oh the west side o
| the tEur q A,en.s TO the new mines. I
is now announced that articles of in
corporation have been flied with tn.
Secretary Of Montana to inco-porat,
the Ihompso Falls d Eagle City Rail
road. The route of the road is to b.
from the town of South Thompson Fall,
up Prospect creek, and by the usual,
Travelled read, via Raven City auC
fritchard creek, to EagS City. Thes.
projects are not altogether on paper
but are said by those in position e
know to be In pursuance of purpose ol
the Union Pacific to compete for the
trade Of the valley of the Columbia
The Union Pacific has already branct
to the heart Of Montana, aid has the
ability to take advantage of the mis-
takes of the Northern Pacific in the To-
cation OF its main line. Through GER
tam Influences the Northern Pacific va.
located Ong the northern portion OF
Montana, and the Union Pacific has the
best OF Montana's transportation bust
ness. After leaving NJ soula the North.
| ern Pacific turns northward into an In
dian reservation, and afterward into a
wilderness until it reaches the ag.ieal-
tural lands of this Territory.
The mistakes made by the Northern
Pacific In not running its line over the
Mullen road, or through Lo Lo pass
have long been recognized by the sa.
gaclous managers Of the Union Pacific,
who have had men in the field to spy
| out and occupy the land as soon as tn
business requirements of this region of
country would seem to Justify addi-
| tlOnal railroad construction. That
emergency appears to have presented
itself In the discovery of the new mines.
II is stated and confidently believed
that the leading feature of the new
mines will be the quartz interest; aud,
If this prediction is justified by subse-
quent development. that entire mining
region will be an important railroad
supporter. 1t is stated az a matter of
history that the entire construction of
the Utah aud Northern, the Union Pa
clfic's branch into Mont ,na. 4l6 miles
In length. was entirely paid for in two
years bu.Iness, the bulk of which came
from the silver and copper mines of
Butte.
Narrow gauge railroads are less ex-
pensively built aud operated in noun
famous countries. The Utah and North
erh runs over the SUM init of the X cky
Mountains in two places, without tun-
nels or snow sheds, and it's failures to
make regular trips are less than occnrs
even in the States.
Ii it should transpire that these new
mines are good enough to justify the
building of these projected roads. 1t will
be to the people of this region al indi-
cation that Providence IL working in
their interest. II these frsgmentary
roads are built. and under the auspices
of the Union Pacific, as now indicated.
1t IL an absolute Certainty that the .line
will be extended down the Palouse,
crossing somewhere near its mouth.
and on to Walla Wall,. Tais is the
route nature intended for the Northern
Pacific, but the imbeciles that had
charge Of the location of the main line
diverted 1t to the northern " "scab'
lands, and kept AZ far away AS possible
from any land that would sustain hu-
manity.
The statistics of the Union Pacific
railroad show that 81 per cent. of It's en-
tire revenues come from local business,
and thlt only ) per cent. come from
through traffic The dream of the
Northern Pacific mana gers, of "A great
transcont,nental line that should alb
sorb the China and Japan trade. and
blaze out new highways for commerce.,
was but nightmare of minds overload
ed with ignorance of railroad matters.
The policy of the Union Pacific in rail-
road building Is not III the construction
of straight lines. with heavy cuts and
fills end steep grades, where the operat-
ing expenses and loss of time make the
road costly one for Nil time, but along
water courses and along the highways
left by nature, where people live and
business is assured. As matter of fact.
the construction of the Northern Pa
citic from Spokane Falls acros to the
headwators of the Palouse, and down
that stream and across Snake river bv
way of Walla Walla to Wallula, would
have made a less expensive line of roads
between Spokaue Falls aud Wallula, one
upou which better time could have been
made. one less expen-iv to operate and
keep in repair. and one through region
of country that would furnish tributary
business.
The prospects are encouraging for
competitive lines tn points IN Columbia
Valley at no distant day. The business
of this regi II of country is thing tn It
cannot long be surrendered to anv single
corporation. The Oregon Pasitic is
pushing eastward from Yaquina Bay as
rapidly as judicious railroad constfuc-
tion permits. The avowed purpose of
it's managers is to make Il connection
with the Oregon Short Line at hunting
ton, ON Snake River. Here We will have
line running within l5O miles to the
south of US. and We cannot persuade
ourselves that they will omit to throw
out feeders to tap the trade of this re-
gion of country. Ii is possible that the
time is not far distant when the wheat
of this section will find the seaboard
over this route. We have bat ia con-
trast the prices of wheat IN San Fran
cisco and this place to see that 81 there's
millions in it," We have bat To pos
sess our souls with patience to initiate
the example of Denver and other cities
that have been built up through the
energy and public spirit of its citizens,
and TO be a live. wide-awake people to
make Walla Walla one Of the foremost
cities of the Pacific Northwest
The UNEARNED LASps.-Ihs Dalles
Times Noustainecr says: The voice of
the Northwest is undoubtedly in favor