Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1886-03-25
TIE OREGON SHORT LINE

olesUU GhOrt Line IN matter OF c. DstTuc
ton. Detail. Of the operation. asd
business Of the road are OCCASIONAL,
found in some Of the Southeastern jour
nal. Since the joint lease VA, reported
of there has been much .peculatios in
the public nind about What the Union
Pacific would do for N outlet 10 the
Pacific, and 1t vould appear that the
managers have been in quand.ry stou,
their prospective policy. The associated
press send. the following to the oregon
ian:
"WAsHINGroN, March 1s.-Hon. D.
p. Thompson, Of Portland, one of the
veslihiest men in Oregon, j. in thi. city.
He said to day tina: the Oregon Sh 1T
Lise would survey road through south
esstern Oregon to the Willamette valley,
and thence to Portland, or to junction
with the Oregos X CaliforuiA road
This road would BE- built q. .oon ~ posi-.
bic, aod open up great stretch OF fine
country which now has no convesien,
Pad e. market, and Is back ward 10 de-
velopmen'."
Just how much Of this dispatch can
b believed in full confidence, is yet to
be made apparent. If Mr.. Thompson
authorized this dispatch 10 the posi,iv.
language As published, it is entitled to
come credit, for We believe he il the Ore
90 director and vice president of the
0. s L., and ought to know if such 4
policy has bees determined upon. Blu,
II this dispatch has not the authority Of
Mr.. Thompso,, but IL only published As
. feeler Of the public pulse, and made to
esver up from the public the real object
Of the company, it is DOT entitled to much
credit. We have never had any faith in
the Oregonpurpose Of willingly con.entius
20 the Short Line extension down Snake
fsves il to Washington Territory. If
BY either fair or foul means, it could be
induced TO keep away. Hence, the e.
forts to induce the company to purchase
the Baker City branch OF the o. r. 1
n, and to capture the survey of the
Short Line 10 the Burnt river canyon.
then the effort to permanently lease to
The 0. ). L., thea the joint lease to
Union Pacific and Northern Pacific.
The object Of this joint lease was, first
TO prevent the Short Line building down
Snake river, aud second TO prevent the
Northern Pacific building the Cascade
branch, aud thus force all transportation
via Portland. Having as the Portland
people thought secured all this, they
gloried and triumphed in their active.
mcnts, and bossted of their advantages
gained and we're very cranky in their
v,cws in regard to the terms of the Joint
lease, aud manifested quite al indifTer-
epce in regard to a strict fulflment of
the terms thereof Meantime the
Northern Pacific forsesing that they
were to obtain no lasting advantage from
the lease, resolved to build the Cascade
branch a. fast as monty could do the
work, AMI this made the o. r 4 MI
still lsss ds,irous to continue the lease
beyond . very limited period. They
Rousd they could not hood wink the
Northern Pacific any longer into the
belief that there was 10 practicable pass
Tor rail road over the Csecads noun.
lsias, they ceased their efforts in that
direction and have renewed efforts to
aivert the U. s. L. towards southeastern
Oregon and Yaquina Bay, through
What they admit to be an undeyeloped
'ountry, and We add mostly sterile and
comparatively barren country, only ct
or settlement IN patches, q large por.
ion Of which, has not Been regarded fl,
o be surveyed BY the general govern
nsat, though the lands in Oregon w,re
lrss ordered 20 be surveyed in 1850,
hifty six years ago, aud have been !
sfveyed as last As the people have shown ;
desire to have it surveyed, 60 tina, they t
ouid be settled upon. These land. !
re- net and never will be inviting for
ettlers, and what is to furnish local sup. i,
'ort for railroad will be found out l
'hee it is too late Again Yaquina Bay 4
not harbor for ships which are to do Z
ae bushes Of great trauscoutinental =
'isroad. and every Oresonian knows the :
'ct. Astoria has ten times the adysn.
gees that Ya4uina Bay has, and every '
a-faring mas who knows both, knows
lat fact full weh But if the Oregon
rectory Of the Oregon Short Line can C
duce the company to accept this route, $.
ey will divert the line of the road 10
detriment, and for the benefit of :.
otland. Ii the Union Pacific thus
rrender their chances for profit in the "
orth West, for the mess of pottage to
found in this line through the bad eli
IDS Of south eastern Oregon and the 81
'qu'na Bay, they will be more foolish 81
m "ThoDpse MS colt which swan the u,
CT to get drink of water nj
-. - - pt
It is said that the recently deveIoped bl