The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-04
ROSS, NEW RAILROAD.
PART OF A LINE FROM SEATTLE TO
PORTLAND.
To Carry oas the Sleeping Union Pa
cif7c Extension and Use Its Right
of the shooting-Civil Service
Beard ut Last Ready for Business.

Special Dfspatch to the Post-Tntslligeneer.
TACOMA, Sept 3-Maycr Fawceft to-
day signed the ordnance granting right-of-
way 10 Col. Frank c. Ross sor railroad
over the tide fats and out Twsnty-first
street past the Indian reservation. and On
TO the old Union Pacific survey.
Now that the city has sanctioned the ex-
tension OF the proposed line ever the tide
fats people are wondering where Col.
Ross will secure the backing for the enter
prise Any one who has watched the rail-
road situation in the Northwest during the
past few years will readily call 10 mind the
anxiety of the Union Pacific TO extend its
line from Portland 10 Tacoma and Seattle,
the greatest barrier being the rlght-of-way
into the two cities mentioned Had the
road. by one or more of its officials. en-
deayored 10 secure the right-of-way in
Vulnerable barriers would undoubtedly
have been thrown in it's way by people who
are chronically opposed 10 corporations
To enter Tacoma and pass out over the
old survey 10 Portland. the Indians owning
the lands about the reservation had to be
consulted and their permission secured
and franchises had TO be secured In King
and Pierce counties Who was better quail
fled TO attend TO these matters than Col
Frank Ross. who for a number OF years
has been the champion OF the Indians In
Col. Ross returned from the East sew
eral months ago and at once set to work
by placing before the council a petition
asking for a right-of-way over the tide
fats. out Twenty-frst street. and on past
the reservation school to the old Union
Pacific survey TO Portland, which was
made some years ago In an interview
at the time with the Post-Inteliigencer
correspondent Col. Ross stated that he
had secured franchise from King county
TO run a line from the city along the
shores of Puget sound as far as the county
extended; that he had the right-of-way
along the biuff north of the city, and that
IL he could secure right-of-way over the
tide flats and on out over the route men
toned above he would guarantee that a
road would be built. If permission we've
not granted. the road would run along the
blum and connect with the Union Pacific
survey without entering the city In
other words. the road would run by the
city and ON to Portland. which would be
detriment TO the city. AT first he met
considerable opposition. but after study
ing the proposition the city fathers evil
IDENTIFY concluded there was something in
the scheme after all, as last nights action
shows.
Should the Union Pacific extend its line,
Seattle would be the terminus instead of
Portland. and great deal of good would
corresponoingly accrue to the Puget sound
country. The route between the city and
Seattle. which would follow the shores OF
the Sound, is ten miles nearer than the
Northern Pacific. After leaving the bluff
this side of Brown point II would run
across the fats and cross the Northern
Pacific tracks just above the draw bridge
The depot site is In close proximity to
the Eleventh street drawbridge, and. ac-
cording to Col. Ross, ii is the intention to
build fine station, sheds. etc The
colonel claims that there are immense
possibilities for building up portions of
both cities By the construction of the road.
he leaves in a few days for San Fran
cisco on business connected with the
proposition, after which he will visit
Portland and the Sound country and then
continue East