The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-12


System of Importance TO Log
gers and Lurubernncn.
That some sort OF railroad proposition
A. on that the people living on the wess
s4e OF Puget sound are interested N.
CT viii be interested IN during the present
year. many conservative persons engaged
sn numbering and timber interests are con-
WINGED. Matters have rot shaped them
selves 30 that anything definite can be
given out but operations BY either the
oregon Improvement Company Or tns
Peninsular Railroad Company are among
the possibilities There would be nothing
surprising should each OF the above named
corporations engage Ia building during the
coming spring and summer.
The railroad situation On the west side
Of the Sound has fer q number OF years
been ar interesting thing 20 contemplate
railroad men claiming that the only ser
fossly contemplated road up TO the present
time would prove q failure. The stand
taken In the discussion By those opposed
to the scheme OF q tide water connection
for another fraEscontiuental road that
might seek some other terminus than one
Of The larger cities, might have been all
right AZ one time but the subsequent de-
velopmeut Of some OF the industries of
western Washington. particularly the log
glng and fltTqber interests, JUS stiles the be-
lief that the changed conditions warrant
ihe building of certain roads for speei-
nc purposes. A well-known out-of-town
Logger who attended the meetings held
IN Seattle last Saturday, has furnished
certain Information OF the possibilities for
this year that is not In general eiTcula-
tlon.
the suggestion contained In the infor-
sas,F ri fh4e -
lon Improvement Company may Interest
Itself II IS logically the completion or
the Port Townsend Southern road, six
teen miles Of which are already built out
from Olympia. and twenty -seven miles
from Port Townsend. The road was com
menced. It was believed. and the belief is
admitted now as a fact. that the Union
Pacific could 20 10 the Key city The heavy
Investments made by those close TO ths
management OF both the Union Pacific and
the Oregon Short Line, and the promises
made al the time the line was commenced.
jusdaed believing anything in connection
with the ultimate purchase OF the Port
Townsend Southern by the pioneer trans
continental roaG. Then tire Barring Broth
ers failed IL London and railroad matters.
IS well AZ every other financial scheme.
were knocked topsy-turvy. Construction
stepped on the Port Townsend Southern.
and the rest Is history.
Every day the wires bring news from
washington city relative 70 the dlsmem-
bermeut OF the u. r. system which ma
turaliy reyives the subject OF railroad
building on the west side OF Puget sound.
The above rs A page out OF the railroad
history OF western Washington. and wl&ia
81 has no bearing on the present situation
a. re-tells the story why the =. 7. s
was never completed. While the o. ].
conpanys charter and It's incorporation
fss14f tad "a "A = geH A <
OF road, the purposes Of the organization
were riuclpally those OF projecting build
Ing. equipplng and selling railroad prop
critics 20 other corporations. When the
l. r. failed the Port Townsend Southern
construction stopped.
1t Is doubtful II the filing In the of gap
between Olympia and Port Townsend
would be made unless there were some
other big interests involved than those OF
running a railroad. the brief ends of
which are not now paying operating ex-
penses. According 20 the Post-intelligen-
Gers informant the Port Townsend South
ern's completion would be incidental 10
putting in a road that would tap those
three very important mill towns-Hadlock.
Port Gamble and Port Blakeley. Any
road that would touch those towns would
be assured Of almost unlimited business.
as Il would make them heavy competitors
with mills on the east side OF the Sound.
as direct shippers East. Any transcond-
mental road that hauled cars from any one
OF the mill towns named above could alb
sorb the local rate. as is now being done
on tho Seattle & international. the Seattle
& Northern. Everett & Monte Cristo and
other roads tributary 20 any one OF the
shree great transcontinentd systems en-
fering Seattle.
The lumber business OF the three mill
ports mentioned would be the excuse for
80 - h
ern, and the scheme Of development Of
sae proposed reorganization OF the Ore
gon Improvement Company. The equip
n1ent OF the Port Townsend southern Is
four locomotives and thirty-si1 ears. and
:nc road is standard 4-Siz.
In connection with the possible devel-
opinent in railway systems on the other
lie OF Puget sound are protected extern
ti0ns of the Peninsular railway. the oper-
atoms % which in the past have been con
fned 70 logging. The official Railway
Equipment Guide OF last year credits the
iiae with thir;y-six miles OF track. three
locomotives and los ears. The lire 50
standard gauge. s-Sis No dCuial Is made
on the part of the officials that extensions
are 10 10 made - the systems during tho
present year. The road IS now operating
much more territory than the Guide cred
SIS g. with. there being nov sixty niles or
tfackage owned by the Penirsu.ar road
MRtatt4 tttift WIN &tlNtAt Atkktt NHlffk
ing IN order 90 connect the Pcniusuiar sys-
tom with that az tee Port Townsend road
should such a measure Ne deemed % tAe
advantage on both which - Is claimed Il
world
The tearing M OF the American Lake
line from Tacoma % American Lake a
cogple OF weeks ago. after the sale % the
railroad iron 20 :. @. simpson. OF this city.
8 suggestive OF extensions. when The bus
iress relationship chat exists between NJ.
simpson ana A. u. Anderson. the pres
6srf ~ the PeEinsular road. Is understood
both being heavily interested n logging IS
Partners. The tearing ZIP o. the road com
Fner>ed a. midnight between Saturday and
saoday. December - and -. and before
Noneay. when m Injunction might have
STOPPED the work, the rails had hcen re-
moved. There have been . number OF
heavy purchases ~ timber lands IN the
wet s.3e - fhe Sound where. Il - said
fhe ev-ers{0ns ~ she Pcntnsular road VII
4 nfa2e
Tse Va,a-s are either disposed % dodge
dscassfan of tteir intentions. or % de-
~ ass tNte1-.se improvements % fha
svstcFn. est loer.nE men who are IN = NJ
sltscn that entities thv-n 70 an opinion saw