Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1886-01-14
WHAT IS TIL RAILR DAD PROS
PECT IN THE WEST?


eut communities in the west, in regard to
railroad construction in the west the en-
suing year The Northern Pacific has
its programme announced, which pre-
gramme is constantly being changed in
several particulars, and what to the pub.
lie appears almost certain of fuIdIlment
at any early date is soon changed to some
thing else not 50 certain. The o. Il. 4
N. company have made several demon.
strations of late which show purpose to
do considerable construction work the en-
suing year, but precisely where, beyond
the roads already begun, no one seems to
know definitely, outside the managers Of
the company, and We are Informed tina,
even they are hesitating, and that their
movements will in some measure be de-
pendent upon the prospective program OF
the lines Of other corporations. The
Chicago North Western has been strik-
ing westward and seems determined to vie
with others for the western traffic by
roads Of their own extending to the Pa
cific. The Canadian Pacific, which now
has connection with the Pacific, is not
content, but threatens to connect their
toad with other localities outside of thu
dominion, latcrally down the Pacific
Coast country, and cater for the traffic
from the people of the U. s. on the shores
Ofthc Pacific. The Union Pacific having
found out that their lease of the q. II. &
N. so confidently proclaimed as a fixed
and certain project, and one that was to
give them such advantages in having a
through line, is about to be a failure, ii
not total failure, and promises no ad-
vantage to them, have at this late day re-
solved to extend the construction O.!
their Short Line further west aud into
the productive eastern country of Oregon
the Pine creek mines and to several 9TH
Ct rich localities of the west the ensuin.
year, which purpose they should have
continued progressing at the time of the
construction Of their line at or near
Huntington, instead of expecting to get
advantage Of the 0. Il 4 n. company
by colluding with them and abandoning
work on their own line. The financial
condition Of the Union Pacific was OF.
Tered as an excuse for stopping work at
shat time. But to any one who has been
an observer of events here in the west,
the Union Paci6e has lost prestige in the
northwest BY this suspension of work
westward, and contenting themselves
with the Baker City route to Portland
owned by the Q. Il. & N. 1t has given
the 0. X. l. N. time and opportunity to
cover by their own roads, country which
otherwise would have been provided for
BY the Union Pacific with their Short
Line. The Northern Pacific is now
pushing branch from its main line to
the same country to compete with
the o. r. N. company for the traffic OF
This cosHfry, which would have been the
field Of the Oregon Short Line could they
have acted with promptn,ss after they
had finished their survey down Snake
river from Huntington. Both the press
and people here urged expedition in the
work, forseeiug the result. of delay.
The Union Pacific have been too slow
for the emergencies of eastern Washing
ton and North idaho, aud the Oregon
Short Line managers will find their mis-
take, if they have not already found it
out. They have not yet lost all by
delay if they move with dispatch.
Again there are now three organ
nations for the purpose of building ship
railways around the DAlles of the Colum
bia, so as to give us with the canal and
locks at the Cascades, open steamboat
transit from the upper Snake as far as
the mouth of the Grand Ronde to the
SEA, and from Priest Rapids on the Co
lumbia. This project has of late as
sumed a formidable character, ard
bids faiF to be completed as soon as
the locks at the Cascades are Completed
The Standards Dalcs correspondent of
Jan. 4, says:
"Thereis all kinlsof stories affoa. about
the ship railway portage from Rocklaud
70 Cello. Three parties of engineers are
10 the field surveying the route from low
sr navigation to the upper river. The
D. r. < N. Co. have already employed
Cinnamon who are now grading the road
bed. Should they be able to get the
ight-of-way, We may say farewell to the
Fall river project However, the Walla
Wa!la company are putting ir the same
'ig ticks, and we hope for their success"
Henry Mccartney. engineer, tells the
Union that, che has surveyed a rou:e on
be Washington side around the obs,ruc-
ion at The Dalles, which is thirteen
,iles long. Mr.. MeCar'ncy says the