The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-19
MIR. M'NAUGHT TALKS.
Plans and Policy of the North
ern Pacific Outlined.
WILL HOLD TO THE RAMS HORN.
No Hope of Onion Depot at Present
Harbor Line Complexities Matters
New Roads to Be Built.

James Mcknight. general counsel Of the
Northern Pacific railroad. arrived in the
city late on Saturday night. He was
accompanied in his private car by Il. w
Clay, president of the Solicitors Trust
Company, of Philadelphia. and j. II. Nc
Murran, st. Paul capitalist. He is max
ing tour of the entire road and will re-
main in the West until the middle of
February. In an interview with a
PosT-lNrELIIGEScER reporter he said:
The consideration of the question of
erecting union depot has been suspended,
In view of the condition of the Union Pa
chic and until the dispute in regard TO the
rams horn right-of-way is settled. 1t
Will be impossible for the Northern Pacific
and the Great Northern 10 agree on union
depot grounds and tracks until the present
litigation with the city is settled.
"Our policy will be to continue the fight
until we have equal rights along the
water front with any other company, or
until we have as good a position as We
had at the time of the lire on our old
right-of-way We are only asking the city
to give us what we owned and occupied
before the fire.
Shortly after left Seattle last August,
the union depot question was settled be-
tween the Northern Pacific, Union Pacific,
Oregon Improvement Company and Lake
Shore & Eastern, and the terms were prac-
tically agreed upon. The location for the
depot was practically agreed on, but not
definitely. The consummation of that
agreement was prevented by the financial
crisis, which caused Il change in
the administration of the Union Pa
clfic, and since then the question has
not been taken up again. 1t will not be
possible for the Northern Pacific and Great
Northern to agree on the subject until the
rights OF the two companies along the
water front have been dennitely settled
and / don't think it probable now
that union depot will be con-
structed until such settlement
Is made. In the meantime the Northern
Pacific will do the best ii can. The bust
ness is not now handled satisfactorily
either to the railroad company or the city,
and cannot be as long as litigation con-
tinues"
How does the harbor line controversy
affect the position of your company"
ut puts substantially new face on the
situation on Railroad avenue, and renders
It impossible for the Northern Pacific and
the Oregon Improvement Company to
surrender their rights to the rams horn
right-ot-way prior to the settlement of
the harbor line question, for the simple
reason that We might therefore lind our
selves without any right-of-way whatever.
as the harbor line covers q large part OF
Railroad avenue"
lis your company willing to comprom-
Use the rams horn dispute by accepting
some other franchise in place of that right
of-way?"
Before the franchise was granted to
the Great Northern" Mr.. Mcknight re-
lad Ia Had s,,Y.
with the mayor and the members of the
city council, and we informed them at
that time, and have not changed our minds
since, that we were ready and willing to
surrender the ram S horn and take another
right-of-way on Railroad avenue whenever
the city was in a position 10 locate us in the
avenue with advantages equal to those We
already possess on the rams horn. The city
council, when it granted the Great Northern
sixty feet, very materially impaired its
ability to comply with those conditions
and, if the location made by the harbor
line commission should he sustained. it
will be utterly impossible for the city to
give us rights equal to those heretofore
granted along the old right-ot-way."
What is your position in regard to the
harbor line?"
The Northern Pacific opposes the har-
Dor line. | have advised our counsel that
the riparian. or shore, owner has a right
To wharf out TO deep water, and that
neither the state nor the city can deprive
the shore owner of that right without COM
pensation. ] understand that the other
railroads all hold the same view"
Are You going 10 make any arrange
ments in regard to the Lake Shore during
your VISIT"
Il am going over the Lake Shore road
with Mr.. Dickinson our assistant general
manager, andsMr. HUson, our principal as
sistant engineer, leaving here promptly on
Tuesday, if that date should be satisfactory
to Mr. Durham, the president of the Lake
Shore. We shall arrange the date to-
morrow"
us any new construction contemplated
for this year,
"All the work now under construction
will be completed and new roads will be
arranged for before leave the state.''
do you think the new railroad agree
ment will be carried out?"
The Northern Pacific has favored the
presidents agreement from the beginning
and Mr. Cakes and Mr.. Willard took part
in all the meetings of the presidents.
The agreement was submitted TO the
Northern Pacinc board of directors
at its last meeting and ratified. | don't
think that the few roads new holding out
Will have any material influence on the
practical carrying out of the agreement. :"
There is an impression that this agree
nent " III prevent the construction oil new
roads until the country has developed
sufficiently TO require them. VIII it have
that effeet?"
THE agreement viii certainly not inter
fere with the construction of new roads by
the Northern Pacinc; on the contrary. the
Northern Pacific viii undertake the con
structlon of new branches which it would
not construct were it not for the existence
of that agreement. We have found it
necessary to build new roads in order to
develop the country, and our policy will
not he changed on account of the agree
ment.
LAS to the excursion to Anacortes, the
date fixed Is February >. and an order for
excursion rates has been issued and Will
be made public in a few days. Mr.. Charl-
ton, the assistant general passenger agent,
will name the rates
Mr. Mcknight viii remain ON the Sound
about ten days and then go to Portland,
Walla Walla and Spokane. After trip
over the Spokane & Palouse railroad he
will go TO Winnipeg, then TO st. Paul for
about ten days and then return to New
York.