The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-01

sraiIroad from Portland 70 seattis. vas Or
rznszed by gessrx. Fitzpatrick Broshers
and Collins, railroad contractors. a foufs
was Surveyed ard preparations for con-
styuctioB quietly begun In lsA0 The CON
troll Of the corporation passed INTO the
hands Of the Union Pacific, and the Officers
OF the latter road came 20 Ssasfls arsd
asked franchise On Railroad avenue. The
Great Northern railroad had already &C
CURED franchise, and doubtless the
operations Of that corporation had the
effect Of Fastening action By others. The
Northern Pacific wes also knocking at the
doors Of the city, and Seattle was there
fore the objective point Of three transcon-
tinenfaI lines, all Of which we're repre-
scented here by ofhcers-in-chief. and al o.
which we're anxious evidently 20 secure
the privilege Of entrance into city whose
traffic was already enormous. The re-
guests Of these roads precpitated long
dispute. In which corporations when
bad privileges already secured
or owned property on the WAFER
front. and those which wanted fascrs
from the city we're involved. Amongst
those concerned were the Portland @
Puget Sound, on whose behalf the contest
was begun, the Union Psciac, the Seattle,
Lake Shore Il Eastern, the Seattle q MOI
fans, and with II the Great Northern. the
Northern Pacinc, the Oregon improve
rpent, the Columbia q Puget Sound, the
Canadian PsciBc, Anac0Ttss & soTtnern'
Fairfayeu d Southern, Seattle Southern
and Western Terminal. Finally. on june
Z, the Union Pacinc secured its franchise,
and. having been guaranteed also large
bonus Of property for terminals % the side
fats, the officials announced that constrrc-
ton 70 Seattle would begin Immediately.
The Portland & Puget Sound had likewise
secured right-of-say and depot and ware
house facilities az Tacoma. which II pro-
posed TO take In Oh its way to Seattle. The
stipulation of the franchise and bonus was
that the Union Pacific be completed TO
Seattle by January /, is92. & contract was
let in Portland in July and construction
was actually begun. II has been carried
on nnintermittently during the year. The
route lies from Portland TO Vancouver
Wash. crossing the Columbia at that point
on steel bridge that viii cost 81 5000.
Thence Il skirts the north branch Of the
Columbia 20 KaIana, where Il strikes the
Northern Pacific. From that point II
parallels the Northern Pacific 20 Chehalis,
whence il goes TO Olympia, then 70 Tacoma
and thence 70 Seattle The grade is prsc-
fically complete from Vancouver 70
Kalama. and great deal Of work has been
done between KalaEna and Olympia and
Olympia and Tacoma. The Columbia
river bridge Is weli under way. The work
done during the season represents total
outlay Of 81 ,90.0oO 70 si.sG0,OD1
Recent Developments IN the railroad
a
naent Of the Union Pacific railroad by the
retirement Of President Adams, and the
accession Of an interest represented by Jay
Gould. At the same time, the RockefelleTs,
allies Of Gould. have acquired large hold
fngs in the Northern Pacific Before Mr..
Adams retired from the presidency Of the
Union Pacific an agreement was made be-
tween himself and Mr.. Hill. president Of
the Great Northern. that the two roads
should own and operate jointly the Port
land Puget Sound railroad. The con-
tract involves an independent organization
that will do the business Of each corpora
ton, giving each equal rights and facilities
for handling freight and passenger traffic.
The compact was made By Mr. Adams, az
representative Of the Union Pacinc, and
Mr.. Hill, representing the Great Northern.
During the month Of December work on
the extension was suspended. IL 10 posi-
lively asserted. however. By officials Of the
road IN charge Of construction, that work
is 70 be resumed actively In the spring.
There Is certainty. IN any event. that an
independent railroad viii be built TO Port
land in the early future If the suspension
should, for any cause. be permanent The
announcement Of Mr.. Hill. last summer,
that he proposed 20 build . road of his
Own from Seattle 70 Portland, led to the
compromise between himself and the
Union Pacific, by which both were to
operate the Portland & Puget Sound.
Doubtless. If the Union Pacific does not
fulfil lis part Of the agreement, Mr. HiIl
VIII construct the line alone.