The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-15
OHIO Steel Ranses
M ARE THE BEST.
I. {. Miles Co. ' to ~. ,' w..' .... way
ARE THE BEST.

tne. ana the Ogden gateway has been
opened 10 It's competitors. the Denver IL
no Grande and the Colorado Midland
The Union Pacific woeld naturally make
every enort TO regain this Quite. 10 the
oesdn ana close IL 10 It's competitors
Inus battle royal for control between
tne Great Northern and Northern Pa
enc may be the outcome of the present
situation.
An Illustration OF the prevailing har-
mony among the Great Northern. North
ern Pacific and o. r. Il ~ manaxernsnts
ID found In the recent arrangements for
sending monthly steamers Of the North
erh racine Steamship Company and the
NIPPON fusen kaisha 10 Portland under
traiiic contracts with the o. r.. n.
Inc latter lire thus secures the traffic.
az lar as Spokane, and there turns over
that OF the Northern Pacific steamers to
the Northern Pacific railroad and that
OF the ~. Y. X. to the Great Northern.
This seems to indicate that the G. Nm.
alliance has no fear OF losing control
OF the .. X. 4 ", when II has paid the
required % per cent. dividends. for the
oriental business will aid materially in
the earning OF such diyldensiz
recent investigation OF titles TO the
right-of-way OF the haif-tfnished PORT
land 4 Puget Sound rafroad has excited
speculation a. 10 whether the work on
sh@t toaH - ADg0t 10 De resumed The
general belief at the time when this road
was under construction in 1850 was that
II was Jointly owned by the Union Pa
cine and the Great Northern. The fact
- that II Is owned by the Oregon Short
Line. the Great Northern agreeing to
contribute half the cost and take half
the stock. Al the time when construc-
ton was suspended in the fall OF 1880.
the Great Northern had only contributed
a oI he Ell f.ue
10 $z0.W0 out OF the $20oo.O00 expended
The resumption OF work upon II depends
largely on the fate Of the Short Line and
the @. II. X n. If these roads should
fall under the control OF the Union Pa
chic and that company. as reorganized.
should begin strong competition with
the two combined Northern lines. il
might invade the Puget sound country
by completing the Portland & Puget
Sound lire. especially In view Of the
great development anticipated as a re-
suit OF the Alaska boom. On the other
hand. the present railroad policy Is to
make any reasonable concession In or
DER 10 prevent the construction OF a
parallel line. and the Northern Pacific
might grant the oft-refused traffic priv
leges as an !uducement to the Union Pa
CHIC 10 keep quiet. Should the Great
Northern secure control OF the o. r. &
N. and the Short Line there need he no
thought OF the completion OF the Port
land K Puget Sound, In view OF the reIa-
tons subsissing between the Great North
ern and Northern Pacific. In fact. there
Is small chance Of railroad construction
anywhere In this state. so long as the
Popuiist administration lasts.
valuable counterblast to the alliance
OF the Great Northern and Northern Pa
csdc was the entrance of the Canadian Pa
cihc railway into Seattle under a traffic
contract with the Seattle International.
The loss or control OF the latter road was
serious blow TO the Northern Pacific
for II meant over 8. 200 600 sunk without
any return. The bondhoiders seized the
opportunity to carry out the original plan
by buying in the road and making a traf-
fic contract TO secure the Canadian Pa
cific admission to the Puget sound coun-
try. They. however ara not bind them
selves to that road alone. but made the
Seattle & International perform a func-
ton for which It's position admirably
adapts it-that Of an independent line. ex-
changing business with all transcontinen-
tai lines with which II connects but not
being bound exclusively TO any one OF
them.
In the general railroad CONFUSION. one
branch line has been left an orphan,
stretching out into the Big Bend country
with small hope OF extension TO connect
with any other road In the West. This is
the Central Washington. built BY the
Northern Pacific from Cheney TO CouIee
City. distance OF ie5 miles 10 kill of the
Seattle. Lake Shore e. Eastern. since re-
named the Seattle & International. which
was being built from both ends 10 connect
Seattle and Spokane by an independent
line which should meet the Union Pa
cif'c system at the latter point Running
through a sparsely settled country, IL has
not been seif-sustaining and is not likely
10 become so, Its security holders were
not willing to accept the terms offered by
the Northern Pacific reorganization com
mission, and therefore IL has remained In
the hands OF a receiver. but cannot hope to
maintain separate existence. In view OF
the community OF interest existing among
the Great Northern. Northern Pacific and
oregon Railroad & Navigation II Is not
likely TO find q market with any but It's
parent road, the Northern Pacific