Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-12-31
President Mellen'S Visit.


make this visit significant. The Northern,
is forcing the railroad issues with a strong
hand in this vicinity and pending
litigation and enminent strategic moves
gives interest to this occasion
| Upon arrival here the president with
Chief Engineer McIIenry and Traffic
Manager Hannaford looked over the
company's property and possessions here,
giving particular attention to the track
around the west city river front. They
inspected the bridge construction work
and mentioned the fact that the construc-
ton of a railroad bridge at that point
was at one time considered and that the
project even now was not one of the most
remote possibilities. line down Snake
river had loug been considered by the
Northern. Yes, and they would soon
have an outlet that way, if not over their
own road, over another in which they
had an interest. In any event one road
would be built down snake river, and if
that road was not for joint use there
would be another at no distant day.
President Millen said the Clearwater
cutoff was an assured fact. He dilated,
however, upon the question of feeders for
Lewiston. These local extensions; he
SAID, were to make us great. When
asked if he considered the projected work
of his road would have the effect of
system of feeders for Lewiston he said
emphatically that they would. The
siXtymile section of the Clearwater, he
said, was already contracted, as was the
Lapwai spur, and both of them were
great feeders for Lewiston which would
be the distributing center for the far,n-
ing, mining and numbering interests this
system would develop, and he said that
it was probable that the cut off line would
be extended without delay 20 miles from
the Potlatch junction, and that the
I Lapwai spur would be extended thirty
miles. instead of fifteen, if the timber
and farming interests i'll that direction
demand transportation facilities in the
immediate future.
The presidents talk was all based upon
the gateway policy. The contention of
the two systems for territory seemed to
be too small matter for him to consider
seriously. Even while here OH the
ground with physical facts of fight be-
fore him he talked as he did in New
York about the peaceful relation of the
Northern Pacific and the o. R. & N.
roads. He said the o. r. & N. was
clustering to satisfy the ambition of
local officers who were possessed of brief
authority; and the news papers were
exaggerating the facts in the case. The
high officials of both systems he said
were working harmoniously for the best
interests of their company and the
various communities which depended
upon them for transportation.
This railroad magnate referred to the
gradient system of transportation in
cldentally as though his company
realized its advantage and was working
to promote this reform. He seemed to
consider the Snake River valley ex-
tension with as much interest as he did
the work on the Clearwater which is
directly under his supervision. In fact
all of his talk was in line with his pre-
tensions of a comfy if between the rival
companies to complete one great system
| for the Clearwater basin with one outlet
down the river. This fact in view of the
legal contests in local and i'll Washing
ton courts does not seem to be consistent.
When Mr.. Mellen's attention was
called to the activity of the o. r. & N.
i'll this section he smiled and said those
preliminaries have very little signif-
canoe. Rights-of-way do not cost much.
Railroads are not built that way. When
the people want to build roads the
graders follow the locators like the
Northern forces are moving up the Clear
water. 1t is self-evident chat the Northern
will build Lewiston's feeders. The o. R.
& N. will not build any disconnected
roads one hundred miles from connec-
tions. This buster here had a local
origin and it will not be far-reaching in
its effects.
The magnate whose jurisdiction is in
Wall Street New York and Lombardy
Street London is i'll railroad zone be-
yond or above legal questions, engineer
| ing questions and local demands
for transportation. His calmness
and assurances are bluntly contradicted
by local conditions. He can't realize,
even in the din of battle, that a war is on
between these companies. However, he
may hold i'll his hands the power to har-
monte all interests as he implies by his
assurance. Even his scheme of unity will
be good enough for Lewiston.
| Mr.. Mellen remarked that he believed
now, as he had expressed himself often,
that great future was in store for Lewis
ton. Only the people themselves could
forestall the building of good city here,
by these beautiful rivers, atsthe gateway
Of the richest district in the United
States.
| President Mellen and his associates held
earnest consultations for two hours while
here, over plats and maps of the immedi-
ate vicinity of Lewiston and of the in
terror of the Clearwater. basin This is