The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1895-03-02
THE O. r. & N. co.
An Interview With Major McNeil-
Plans and Purposes of the
Company.

, Msjor McNiel. receiver of the o. R. & N
Co., was in town today on tour OF inspec.
tiou OF the road. A reporter of the TINES
Mountaineer met the Major at the Una.
rilla House, mud found him in taikative
mood. Very agreeable and Rentlemanly in
conversation. of large business experience
regarding the operation of railroads, he is In
sympathy with the development CT the
state. He says the increase of business In
Oregon means an increase in the traffic over
the line OF the o. R. & n. Co., and the
company is directly interested in building
up all industries that may be warranted by
the natural resources. This Line is differ
emily managed from what it was few
years ago. and inste ID of everything being
dictated by trans-contirental road whose
headquarters were thousand miles distant.
it is now distinctly an Oregon company. be-
ing directly concerned in every thing that
tends to the welfare of the state. Major
! Mcneil desires to meet any who have com
plants to make, and the Portland office
uOiuS itSci IcSpOusIoio iOi uAislohcS'
The Maj ,r said the company is In favor OF
| an open rIyer, and the sooner this Is accom-
! plished the better 1t will suit the railroad.
He said the completion Of the chip. railway
between this point and Cello will be the
best advertisement the state ever mad, and
will sttract population. Where there are
FIVE hundred people now there will be
thousands then, and each one will be a con- |
sumer. This increase in trade will more |
than make up for any reduction in freight |
rates rendered necessary by water compe-
tltion.
In regard to the Smith bill. which has
passed the legislature and has now become
a law, MIR. Mcneil did not think it would
save much to the farmer and might antsg-
on zs large appropriation for the early
completion of the boat railway. If con-
gress believes the state of Org'n has given
relief to the producers of the l. land En-
from The Dalles to Celllo to the minimum,
the appr, prfation in the river and harbor
will be cut to the lowest figure. When 1t
is taken into consideration that the same
handling of gram is necessary as now, the
use If the o. R. & N. Cos track " i'll be of
little material advantage. Ii the cost of
wheat from the boat to the
cars at CeliIo and from the cars to the boat
at this point is Is cents q ton each time.
til ere will be 30 cents added to the 40 cents
allowed for transpoi tltion. To this must
be added living rate for the boat on the
upper river, and the cost of carrisg, from
this city to Portland. Freight rates have
been largely reduced during the past few
years. and there will be another cut by the
railroad company the coming summer. The
desires to deal fairly with shippers '
IN regard to freight charges, and the direct
ors conaider those now prevailing reason
able. In comparison with eastern roads the {
greater volume OF business done, cheap s
wages and less cost OF constructing and keep I
ng the road.bed in repair must be consd-
cred as advantages in their favor. Perhaps Q
more freighting is done in a month in MIN. t
1esota by local roads than by the o R. & b
\. Co. 10 year, and the cost of keeping the
Dad in repair is not nearly as much as in the '
northwest. especially down the gorge OF the
Columbia. From the days when the O. 8 q
Y. Co. was the only railroad line there have b
,een frequent reductions, and there will be
till more when business and development i
f the country make it advisable. The I
company realizes that times are hard and C
n ouey scarce. and expect to make their a
barges to suit these.
Farmers and producers are the great
~ Ilders of every country, and MIR. Mcneil
ays the o, R. & N. Co, as tar as possible. S
rill make the cost of carrnge bearable to
hem. He is a thorough BUSINESS man, and C
n he discussion CT the question Of trans ;
ortation uses those arguments which q
ppeal to me who haye had practical ex. a
erience. II
Fro n the conversation with the receiver Il
'e believe the company will treat with the e
eople on fair and business principles, 1t il
not q ftreign corporation, but one which n
directly interested In everything that e
ill attract population and increase trAde in n
regon. Its plans for the future are such a
nat are in harmony with the best interests e
tLis region, and every factor that will fl
npel growth and developm ent will be to C
8 peeuniary advantage.