Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1886-10-14
Northern Faoiao.


From the Tacoma Ledger: "Here
is the case and they cannot truthfully
deny it: More than score Of years
ago congress chartered the Northern
Pacific Railroad company and endowed
it with land grant to build its main
road by tho way Of Yakima valley direct
over the mountains to Puget Sound,
with provision for branch down the
Columbia river to Portland. Oregon
influences procured an amendment to the
charter so as to call the Yakima valley
route branch, and the river route
part of the main line--just reversing the
matter. This, Of course, was only nomi-
nal, piece Of folly, contrary to nature,
but it shows the interest and animus.
While the Northern Pacific was attend
ing to its own business aud building
westward as fast as it could on its legally
acquired right Of way, Oregon Railway
and Navigation company organized to
invade the territory Of the Northern
Pacific and appropriate and occupy the
right of way of the latter along the south
bank of the Columbia river-and the
nature Of tho ground rendered such
|
occupancy exclusive as against the
Northern Pacific. The object was tc
intercept the construction force Of tho
Northern Pacific on its march west ward
capture control Of the Northern Pacific
so az to defeat the Cascade division and
thus have command of the only route
between the Pacific OCEAN and tho west
ern end of the Northern Pacific track,
so as to take tho lions share of tho
receipts from through freight and pas
senger traffic. Success attended tbs
effort, but ultimate defeat follows hare
upon its heels. Through Willard til,
o. II. & NJ, practically gained control o
the Northern Pacific aud suspended
work on the Cascade division, stoppin:
the main line at the Columbia river il
Eastern Washington, two hundred ans
fifty miles from tho ocean, to connection
at which point the 0. r. d NJ, bull
from Portland up the south bank Of tn,
river.
But the O. r. & n, interest when i
lost control of the Northern Pacif,
through the fall of Willard, became fool
ish itself, like its great factor, though il
a different way, for while he in spasn
of weakness threw upon his hands an,
wept, his creature, the o. r. g. N, tool
an opposite course and instead Of adopt
ing cautious policy and exercising ihs
moderation which is the wisost econom
under defeat, continued to flourish with
high hand, stcrnly debating and exact
ing hard terms against the Norther
Pacific railroad and expressing tn
people Of Eastern Wa hington. Thi
high handed ard indiscreet course or tn
part of the O. II. & n, has been due +
the incompetency of its management +
its inability to fully realize the radica
dist t:.Tbance OF its relations with th
Northern Pacific that was brought abou
by the down fall of Mr.. Willard, and t
the blind faith Of its president, NJ,
Elijah Smith, in his ability to execute
coup d etat and recapture control of th
} Northern Pacific. When it bccam
clearly apparent to him, as it did Ion
before the showing of hands at the las
meeting of the N. p. stockholders
, when his 0. r. l. N. representative WI
thrown out OF the board of directors
that his efforts were hopeless and that b
was irretrie-ably defeated, he allowed th
f mere chasrin and anger Of defeat to carr
the o. II. & N into fight against tn
Northern Pacific having no defnil
business object-having only the pu
pose of revenge and retaliation. And
this he is seeking to embroil the peop
/, Of Portland by endeavoing to convin'
C them through the colums of the Oregol
ian that the Northern Pacific Railros
G company is an enemy to that city and
!, seeking to injure it. Under such circuu
!. stances We can not, Of course, expect tn
d he will respond to the challenge Of Il
2 Ledger to show the division OF receip
by the o. H.. & n, from through bu
# ness over the Northern Pacific. But
o may get fair idea when We know d
, rates.
d A breakwater is being constructed