The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-16
THE FINISHED ROAD.
How the Fairhaven 4 Southern
Came Into Existence.
PART OF jim HILLS BIG RAKE.
Tho Work Entirely Of Warrington and
Britain Columbia Men-Its Inn
portance TO Seattle.

HC pcOpiC Vi VdSulu6lOn dHO DlIt1oh
Columbia have reason to be proud OF the
completion of the Fairhaven & Southern
and New Westminster. for the work was
inaugurated and carried through entirely
by citizens Of the now united state and
province.
The honor of originating the idea Of
building the road originated with several
citizens of New Westminster, who early in
1883 obtained charter for a company to
build road to the boundary, hoping that
some Americans would take similar action
for the construction Of road to meet
them, but little construction was done at
that time. Their hopes were soon realized,
for in November, 1888, the Fairhaven &
Southern Railroad Company was organ
lied by Nelson Bennett, G. X. Larrabee, s.
+. Larrabee, e. NJ. Wilson and Z. L. Cow
gill, with capital stock of $500, 900, its
headquarters being at Tacoma. In Au-
gust, 1889, the articles were amended IN
creasing the capital stock to $4,000, 600,
and changing the headquarters to Fair
haven.
Construction began in March, 1889. The
original plan was to build q north and
south line from the boundary to Portland,
and with that end in view the first section
was constructed from Fairhaven to Sedro.
Track was completed to the latter place, a
distance of twenty miles, on December "a,
1850. During that year a line was located
east Of Sedro, up the Skagit river, over the
Cascade pass and through the Okanogan
country to point north of Spokane Falls,
on the state line.
In March, 1890, construction began on
the northern division to the boundary at
blsane' Instance OF tWenty-iour mites,
ana was completed IN November, 1889.
The New Westminster Southern Rail-
road Company was chartered by the pro-
yincial parliament of British Columbia
about the hac;rn;no If 1899 With head-
nnar,ars =. Nm Wes.,n;rs.or psn 49,
luai se.S ~ New Mes'ln.ns.er, pen LONG T,
las oeinS the ieadlng stocKholder. Inc
capital stock was $6OO,O0O Work was soon
begun under contract with Sheafe y Co.
and small amount OF work was done.
construction was then suspended until
July, 1889, when the Fairhaven d South
ern company bought the entire capital
stock. Work was then resumed and has
continued until the completion ofthe road,
on Saturday. The original board of direct
ors Is retained in office, as it is necessary
to have an organization in British Column
bia.
In March, 1880, the Fairhaven & South
ern company made contract with the
Great Northern company, by which, on
the completion of the whole road, it was
to be turned over to the latter company
and become part of its system. This
transfer will be made in a week or two,
vice-President Clough and Chief Engineer
Becker being on their way here to arrange
it, As soon as the road has been turned
over, it will be put in regular operation, a
v<,f
way out from the East. The road from
Fairhaven to Sedro has already been in
operation since its completion, but the
northward line has been operated only
for a few months and regular trains will
probably not run beyond Blaine until the
transfer is made to the Great Northern.
The newly-completed road is sixty-four
miles long. It runs from Liverpool, on the
south side of the Fraser river, opposite
New Westminster, crosses the boundary,
fourteen miles distant, at Blaine, runs
around the shore of Bellingham bay, by
Whatcom and Sehome, to Fairhaven, and
then strikes inland past Samish lake to
Sedro. The northern end Of it traverses
rich land, as level as billiard table, which
is in places rather swampy, but, properly
drained, would yield a rich reward to
farmers. The line south from Fairhayen
passes through stretch of some of the
thickest and densest timber in Washing
ton. The agricultural produce and lumber
combined will give it good local bust
ness, and the transcontinental business
which will come over the Canadian Pacific
will yield good revenue.
But this road is destined to form part
of the Great Northern system, which will
have its Puget sound terminus at Seattle.
1t is a part of one end of the rake which
James j. Hill is making to gather up the
riches of the Sound country. The Seattle
& Montana road will in two or three
months join the Fairhayen & Southern a
few miles north of Sedro, and thus COM
plete one end of the rake. The road from
Portland to Seattle will be the other end,
and the main line, which is fast approach
ing the state line, will form
the handle. AS soon as the
Seattle d Montana road is opened, it will
give Seattle the advantage of competing
line, and place all points between here and
New Westminster on a through trans
continental road by means of the Canadian
Pacircr The passengers and freight now
cross the Fraser on the ferry steamer
Delaware, but bridge will be built before
long, enabling cars to go through without
transfer.
The New Westminster people also re-
gard the new road ms means of deliver
ance. When the Canadian Pacific was
built 1t left that town on one side through
some quarrel with the town council. and
went straight down the south shore of
English bay to Vancouver. In order to
reach Vancouver the New Westminster
people have to go on branch road some
distance up the Fraser to reach the main
line, travelling twenty-seven miles along