The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-24
NEWS OF THE RAILROADS
Rumorsd Split Between the N.
p, q. N. and the O. r. a N.
A STRUGGLE FOR TRADE
Tho Tra@c OF IN Immense Inland EN-
piro L. It 6taks-Ths N. p. Cut
on Pians Precipitated
ne Trouble.

The rumored split between the North
ern Pacinc and Great Northern rail-
road companies and the Oregon Rail-
way & Navigation company is the SUBJ
feet OF much discussion and speculation
among railroad men. The Spokesman
Review of Spokane has the following on
the subject:
THE vast and enormously rich ter
ritory on the Inland Empire a be-
come Of such Importance to the three
railroads holding the carrying trade In
their hands that no longer will the lines
be content to divide the profits. 1t IL
q struggle for supremacy. for a mo-
nopoly of the carrying trade that has
caused the dark spot in the heretofore
cIoudless sky Of railroad operations in
the Northwest between the Oregon
Railway & Navigation company. back
ed by its friend, the Great Northern,
on the one side, and the Northern Pa
ci1c on the other.
There has existed between these
roads an agreement as to territory
h carrying trade along the line OF
the Northern Pacific n its feeders
has heretofore been allotted to that
road. The O.. r.. & N. has been secure
from invasion by rival lines. While the
Great Northern has had Its territory all
TO itself, and the three Ia worked
as a unit in matters of rates and fares.
in securing legislative immunity from
a depreciation of their earning capacity
and in other ways peculiar to the oper-
alton OF railroad systems.
Saturday mornings Spokesman-Re-
view that the break was
threatened. but the telegraphic advices
failed to state the causes Trouble has
arisen, IL seems, over the announce
ment of the Northern Pacific that 1t
would shorten its line. starting at the
Missoula cutoff. taking in the Snake
river valley Inc the territory which is
a feeder of that section. and striking
across to Wallula or Pasco to connec
with the main line.
mo railroad denies the right of an
other railroad to shorten its line. pro-
vided II carries out its intention In full.
but the o. r.. & N. Tin which the Great
Northern owns a third interest. the 9TH
err two-thirds being controlled by the
Northern Pacific and Uuio1 Pacific
stockholders,) Is not satisfied that the
Northern Pacific is in earnest about the
eastern portion of the cutoff.
AT present the O. II. q N. has a
monopoly Of the carrying trade south
of the Spokane & Palouse branch. More
wheat is carried to Portland from the
Palouse and Snake river countries than
reaches Tacoma and other sound points
by the two other roads A branch line
OF the Northern Pacific from wailula
or Pasco to a point on the Snake river
would seriously cut into the carrying
business of the o. r. e. N, would be
directly contrary to the spirit of the
territory agreement which has long ex-
listed between the rival roads, and would
give the Northern Pacific almost a mo-
nopoly of the carrying trade in all the
section which is the main wealth-pro-
Queer of the Inland Empire. 1t would
take from Portland a source of revenue
which has for years made fortunes for
the merchants there. which has enabled
that city to become the metropolis of
the Northwest.
Not since he big transcontineltal
lines put their rails across the state of
Washington have surveying parties
been SO numerous or so active as this
year. Surveyors ave been spying out
routes to waterville, they have gone
up the Snake river to Lewiston, have
cut across country from Colfax to the
junction of the Northern Pacific and
Washington e. Columbia river. The
Missoula CUTOFF contemplated by the
pioneer line. the Northern Pacific, has
again been surveyed for a more FEAST
BILE and shorter line to a point in WASH
ington more central, n there have
been feelers thrown out by the Great
Northern for a way INTO British CO.
lumbia from Bonner's Ferry.
On the completion OF the Northern
Pacific to Lewiston the o. X. & N.
began to stir itself. This summer has
witnessed a survey of a line from Ri
paria up the Snake to Lewiston, and
the letting of a contract to a firm of
builders whose reputation for swift
work Is established The Snake river
territory will not be tamely surrend-
cred to the northern rival. Now that
the Northern Pacific is suspected of
designs upon all the territory in the
Inland empire, the o. r. & N. begins to
object seriously. I'M has enlisted the
sympathies of the Great Northern. II
the Northern Pacific invades the terri
tory of the o. r. & N. II Is an easy
matter to put on feeders north of the
Northern Pacific and get into Great
Northern territory. 1t o then be
the only big thing in the state OF Wash
ington.
zone mistake was made In the an
nouncement from Seattle. The North
ern Pacific will In no way meet with
interferences there. All the rights II
now possesses on tracks. right-of-way.
docking and other facilities in the
Queen City will be undisturbed- The
Great Northern will not interfere with
the present arrangements there. and