Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-04-06
LEWISTON M1TTERS.


in railroad matters appears to hav
aroused the o. r. & N. Co., to a real
izing sense of its duties to this lon,
neglected section. Since the date of my
last epistle matters have crystalized to
point where it is almost an absolute
certainty that Lewiston is to have rail
road connection, uia Snake river, with
Riparia. All through the week the sit
uation has been growing more and more
exciting as successive events tended tc
confirm the gladful news. The visit o
the right-of-way people was followed by
the arrival of the chiefs Of construction
to look over the fietd as point for
securing the lumber required in build
ing the bridges across Snake and Clear
water rivers, ties, trestle work and other
matters, and it is understood that con-
tracts for the furnishing of 100000 feet
Of lumber have been contracted for by
mill-men on Elk creek. on the north
fork Of Clearwater. The last steamer
also brought up several contractors from
Portland who are now looking over the
route of the proposed railroad and
making arrangements to sub-let several
portions of the distance. 1t seems also
assured that the citizens of Lewiston
will raise enough money by subscription
to purchase right-of-way from Riparia
to Lewiston, and possibly handsome
sum will be donated for the purchase of
depot grounds. At Riparia, as am ad-
vised, great preparations are going on in
the interest of speedy railroad construc-
ton. Among other things scows are
being built to transport material to be
used in bridging the rivers, and engi-
neers are busily engaged in taking
soundings at that point for the bridge,
and it seems to be an understood thing
that construction will be CONNIE need as
soon as possible.
Meanwhile, on the hills north of Lew
iston the Spokane and Palouse railroad
is being pushed ahead, and the cars are
already running into Uniontown and
will be in Genesee in two weeks. The
surveyors of this road are reported to be !
hunting for an easy grade to the Clear !
water, and as far as l can learn, it is a
race between this company and the O.
r. & N, to see which shall get here |
first. 1t is confidently predicted for
both roads that their ultimate destina-
ion is Camas prairie, but while l have
made it point to see all the railroad |
men who have visited Lewiston since
my stay here, l can get no straightfor-
ward answer as to whether they intend |
going to the prairie or not. The most
specific information l can get is that
hey fully realize the value and produc-
i've capacity of Camas prairie and that
t is the ultimate destination of their
respective roads. This ultimate" is an
elastic word, which may be construed to
mean tomorrow, or next year, or the
year after, or next centennial, and is far
rom satisfying to my mind. They all
want to tap Camas prairie, but they are
lfraid to come and get it., and content
with watching each others
The situation to my mind
esolves itself into a game of bluff be-
ween the respective corporations-each
rying to keep the other out until they
,et ready to build themselves. There
re those here who assert that all this
snake river railroad talk by the .. r. &
T., is "buncombe" and that the road
will not be built, and that it is only a
cheme to divert the attention of the
Manitoba people away from the Bitter
Root and Clearwater countries, and in
upport of this position argument is
made that if the company build this
Dad they will be running opposition to
md freezing out their own steamboats,
which now control this country. 1 give
his statement for what it is worth.
The one plain fact shines out with all
he brilliancy of an electric light that
he people all over the northwest regard
he possible advent of the Manitoba
ompany as a means of salvation from
be exactions and extortions of those
which now control us.
Powerful interests are at work in our
'ehalf representing in influential quar-
ers the easy grades. the directness of
he route and the great extent of rich
erritory which the Manitoba will
ecure for itself by adopting the Clear
rater route, and of the ultimate"
esult of these efforts time alone can
ell. 1t is an unfortunate fact that we
re all growing old, otherwise we might
yell afford to await developments.
II J,