The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-11-16
THE TRIBUNE.
CALDWELL, IDAHO, NOV. 10, 1859
THE RAILROAD OUTLOOK.

That Idaho needs more railroads
is apparent to all. That she has
vast tracts of as fine timber that
grows, no one not a croaker will
deny; that within her mountain
ribbed bosom are untold millions
of mineral wealth is a fact that has
been demonstrated time after time;
that almost Immediately adjacent
to these pent-up resources, this I'M
developed wealth, lie stretches of
as beautiful agricultural land as
the sun of heaven shines upon.
What is needed to fell these forests,
to market this lumber, to make the
mountains give up their precious
trusts, to make the earth yield forth
fruit, are cheaper, more rapid, more
numerous transportation facilities.
In the light of these needs the
the movements of the railroads
| now in Idaho and those headed
this way are peculiarly interesting
The late traffic arrangement for
ten years between those two great
corporations, the Union Pacific and
the Northwestern, is regarded by
many as serious blow to Southern
Idaho. 1t has long been supposed
that the Northwestern was backing
the Oregon Pacific to a connection
with it (the N. W. somewhere in
Idaho. In this view they were
sustained by the fact that the
Northwestern was pushing west
ward through Central Wyoming,
while the Oregon Pacific was push
ing eastward through the Cascades,
while Idaho lay between. That |
this Connection will now be
made with the Union Pacific on
the part of the Oregon Pacific some
where in Eastern Oregon, in the
light of the recent traffic arrange
ment, would be unreasonable to
doubt. If this view of the case
holds Southern Idaho may have to
look elsewhere for another trans
continental road; and may it not
find it in the Union Pacifc's old
Nebraska rival, the c. B. & Q. =?
Almost unnoticed has the latter
road pushed westward in Wyoming,
and now covers that Territory al
most as completely as does the
Northwestern. Cut off from it's
share of transcontinental trade as
it now is, the C. B. & @. will have
to push on to the coast.
If a. railroad boom for Southern
Idaho has been nipped in the bud
by the late traffic arrangement,
it may inauguratc one in the north;
for by this arrangement that great,
energetic system now having it's
western terminus in Butte, Mon
tana, the Manitoba, is without an
outlet to the coast. The ultimate
point of the Manitoba has been the
coast, and now that it is driven to
it, it will push on with vigor. 1t
will hardly parallel its rival, the
Northern Pacific; it is more likely
to cross the Bitter Root range into
Idaho, and open up the wonderful
resources of the great Clearwater
country.
A party of engineers recently
passed through Idaho entering near
American Falls, going on over to
the headwaters of Salmon River,
down the river to the Clearwater
and on to Lewiston. They speak
enthusiastically of the route and
resources of the country. {
A railroad from some point in
Nevada, running thence north into
Idaho, taking in the mining camps
Of Owyhee, and thence into Long
Valley, via Caldwell, is receiving {
newspaper comment
"a sure indication that there is !
in it. 1t will be ia
nous line for Idaho, tapping as it i
Ices the great mineral deposits of
Owyhee, the center of the great ag-
'icultural districts of the Boise
Valley, and the vast timber and
mineral regions of the Payette.