The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1893-09-23
Local Forecast Official.
Railroad SurYoY.

Messrs. r. w. Crandall and d. W. But
Ter arrived IN the city from an extended
survey of the country in Eastern Oregon
on Monday, after being absent seven
weeks. A telegram informed Mr.. Gran
dali of the serious illness of his wife, and
this hastened his return but when he ar
rived she was much improved In their
| tour they passed through Wasco, Crook,
Grant, Lake, Harney, Malheur, Baker
and Union counties. The object was to
ascertain feasible route for railroad
from this city through the interior to the
line of the Oregon Pacific in Lake county,
| and this was under direction of the head
| office of a transcontinental company that
| has abundant capital and the necessary
enterprise to complete the project. These
| gentlemen took with them the requisite
instruments to ascertain levels and meas
ure attitudes, and from The Dalles they
followed the Lieut.. Norton survey to the
Deschutes. This was found to be the
most difficult part of the proposed road,
but the average grade will not exceed
fifty feet to the mile. Striking that river
at the agency ferry, they followed up the
stream to the mouth of crooked river, a
distance of twenty miles, the altitude OF
the former place being 1000 feet and OF
the latter l125 feet, making an average of
about seven feet to the mile. There would
be no difficult work in following this
stream, and the road bed could be easily
made From this point they went to
Prineyille IN Crook county. 40 miles dis
tant The first twenty miles there is no
grade to exceed fifty feet, and from that
distance to the town mentioned the land
is comparatively level. After leaving
Prinevllle they found the ground much
more feasible for railroad, the streams
flowing over level country, and only
passing through canyons where they
empty their waters into lakes or larger
rivers At the head of Silver creek, l25
miles from Prineville, they reached the
surveyed route of the Oregon Psclfic, and
for the entire distnnce the grade would be
very light. This creek spreads out, and
down it would be natural roadbed. At
this point their work was completed and
they started on the return trip. About IL
years ago Mr.. Crandall surveyed ro te
from Snake river to Silver creek, and is
thoroughly acquainted with the region.
The route, If adopted, will open fine
agricultural belt of land, which is well
watered, and the soil is very fertile. There
are settlements nearly the whole distance
of this proposed road, and after a railroad
is built to furnish an available market for
produce, the region will contai n ten times
the population 1t now does. The CON
struction of the line of road would not
be expensive, and would not cost nearly
so much as many now in operation.
There is a probability that work on this
projected road will be begun at an early
date, and pushed to completion. Two or
more transcontinental roads are looking
towards Eastern Oregon, and the one who
reaches the interior first will secure the
larger portion of the trade. The open
Columbia river from this city to the |
ocean, makes this the objective point |
from which the lines will branch to the |
interior.