The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-14
THE PASSING THRONG.

W. H. Ho.comb, formerly vice president and
general manager of the Union Pacific system,
accompanied by his daughter and Mr.. and Mrs.
{. H. Rathbun, of Streator, Ill, was in the city
few hours yesterday, registered at the Rainier.
He Left Chicago couple OF weeks ago and mas
been sojourning at different points in the West
and along the coast. He LEFT last night for the
East. At the time Jay Gould obtained control
OF the Union Pacific Mr.. Holcomb was let out
along with all the other princ pal officials under
the Adams regime. Since then he has made
his home IN Chicago, where he manages some
coal mining companies operating in Illinois ana
Iowa He is also general manager OF the bu-
reau OF transportation OF the World s fair. my
duties in that connection" said he. "are to
superintend the handling OF all the exhibits
from the time they are brought to the fair until
they are finally placed in position; to
supervise the handling OF passengers from the
railway trains and steamboats, at the grounds,
and to regulate the operation Of the intra-mural
railway, which transports passengers about the
grounds. have charge OF the railway stations
and steamboat piers at the fair grounds and OF
the movement OF exhibits, supplies and people
brought TO the fair. The Union Pacifc2
don't know anything about it, Or what effect the
death OF Gould will have on the control or man
agement OF that system. 1 am not in touch
with its affairs and have no more means OF
knowing anything about it than you have. AS
is certain to be built In fact, it is half built
already. The completion OF the Great Northern
road to Seattle ought to be great thing for
your city. No, don't know anything about
Hills getting Chicago connection. There are
rumors that he has bought the Stickney roads,
called the Great Western system. It is also
said he has got control of the Iowa Central,
which has line to Joliet, aud which would
give him an Eastern outlet, but it does not give
him an entrance into Chicago l don't know
anything about the troubles of the Northern
Pacific. We don't hear much about that road in
Chicago. have great faith in the future o. the
Puget sound country, and believe it will soon
experience great development"
G. A. Kiefer, of Victoria, and D. A. Mcfarland,
OF Vancouver, B. c.. are stopping at the Rainier
on their way home from the Kootenay country,
where they have been inspecting great enter
prise of which Mr.. kiefer is one OF the eng-
neers. "The enterprise consists" said he, ''of
the reclamation of some 5000 acres of the most
fertile agricultural lands lying along the Koo-
tenay river, which are more or less submerged
for two or three months in the year. The lands
are the only available agricultural lands in that
section, and. should the mining districts of
Toad mountain, SLOGAN and Lardeaux realize the
expectations of the miners who are pouring into
that region, the lands will become extremely
valuable. The lands lie between the interna-
tional boundary and the south end OF Kootenay
lake. The scheme is an old one and has been dis.
cussed for great many years, but no work was
ever undertaken in tho matter until the past
year, when the kootsnay Reclamation Com
pany was organized. The enterprise, however,
is in reality being prosecuted by the Alberta and
British Columbia Exploration Company, OF
which George Alexander, OF Calgary, is the
manager, and the firm, Of which am a men,
Der, are the engineers The company is an
ha head haxp in
and the capital all comes from ths old country
There will be some 100 miles of dyke to be built
in all. The dykes will extend for thirty miles
up the Kootenay river on each side, and there
will also be several smaller streams dyked
which empty into the kootenay. The cost OF the
work will be in the neighbornood of S500, 000
and the company expect that the lands will be
made worth from $50 to 500 per acre, or about
100000 altogether. The company have had
only one dredger or steam shovel at work the
past season, but next year more will be put on.
The time required to do the work win depend
upon the vigor with which it is pushed, but 1t
is expected that 1t viii be completed in about
three years."