The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-10
OREGON'S RAILROAD AFFAIRS.
MIR. Hammond Is EnIarging His Interests
in That state.

Missoula, Jan. 9.-The following from
the Portland Oregonian will be of in
| terest to Montana people:
There are indications of a new move
| in Oregon railroad affairs. The o. G..
& F., successor to the oregon Pacific,
is likely to undergo another change. A
new corporation was launched at AL
bany the other day and named the Cor
Wallis K Eastern. MIR. Hammond,
who is the head and front of the o. C.
& e. and the Astoria & Columbia
River roads, is at the head of the new
concern, and it is given out that 1T is
the intention to take up the o. G. &
e. property, being the railroad now op-
Grated from Yaquna bay to Detroit in
the Cascade mountains, entering the
Willamette at the headwaters of st.
Mary's river, west of Corvallis, and,
passing that town and Albany, passes
on by way of the forks of the Santiam
to the mountains, and to extend it on
to the Desohutes and thence across
Crook, Harvey and Malheur counties to
an eastern connection at Ontario. The
present owners know that in order TO
make the present property pay, 1t VIII
be necessary to extend the road into
new fields. These can be found in the
northeastern counties, and there ap-
pears no reason why the bunch grass
soil of that section should not yield as
good a crop of cereals as the country
IafIneT SouOuiu ploNt tit
case, a large and thrifty population will
follow up the building of the road.
Some profess to see in this move the
fine Italian hand of the Southern Pa
cific and say that II is the purpose of
that company to secure an eastern con-
nection, tap all the important wheat
sections with branches and haul the
products via the Corvallis & Eastern
to Shelburne. thence over the Southern
Pacific lines to Portland and on to deep
water at Astoria via the Astoria d
Columbia River road. Very early in
the year Astoria and Portland will be
connected by rail. But little of the
grading remains to be done. when the
work of track-laying will begin at both
ends. and by March ! the road will be
ready for traffic. A lease of the road
bed of the Northern Pacific from Port
land to Goble has been made for the
term of 80 years. This will make con-
tinuous rail connections between Port
land and Clatsop beach, so that next
season the business men of the metrop-
oils, whose families are at the seaside,
may take a Saturday afternoon train
be with their families for supper. and,
returning on Monday morning after an
early breakfast, be back in time for
business. Much speculation is in
dulged in as to the probable effect of
the building of this road on Portland
and Astoria's future. The result Will
be that there Will be two large cities
instead of one. Portland will continue
to grow and be the jobbing center of
the Pacific Northwest. The tall masts
of the ocean going craft will always be
visible from her streets. and large
steam freighters will exchange at her
wharves the merchandise of the Orient
| for our grain, flour and lumber. Port
| lands position is secure. and every
movement and enterprise calculated to
improve the wealth and producing ca
pacity of this region will contribute to
the business and growth of this city.