The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-24
WILBUR NOT A TERMINUS.
SAN POLL LINE WILL ne ny WAY
OF DAVENPORT.
Great Northern VIII prob.hlx Co
FROM ds Matn Line. Through
davenport. Down Hawk Creek
and Thence Into Republic Camp.

News comes from Spokane that Great
northern engineers are surveying a route
tor the San Poll valley hne making Dav-
export the southern base OF operations
The Spokesman Review takes the position
that the line viii extend from Davenport
20 SPOKANE over the old route % the
Seattle. Lake Shore * Eastern. hu. i,
cannot understand how the Grea, North,
ern viii be permitted TO do this. when
the grade Is the property OF the Northern
Pacific.
Ihere - every reason 30 believe that the
davenport matter is correct aud thai fhs.
Great Northern line will touch at that
point; but IL is also probably correct that
the southern terminus viii be Edwati or
MOSCOW, on the main line OF the Great
Northern. instead of at Davenport. which
Is on the Northern Pacific property II
has been said that The Northern Pacific
might build the line. and go from Wilbur
70 the Columbia. and thence Up the San
foii' but careful examination of the
Typographical conditions OF that country
shows that to be impossible.
The elevation of Wilbur In e.lse fee,
above the sea level. Within three or saar
miles 10 the north there is ar ascent OF
40 feet more. and there must he a ,.escen,
from the top az this hill TO the Columbia
of l.ts" feet The distance OF Wilbur from
the Columbia is fifteen miles This shows
that no railroad on earth. except a cog
wheel line. could cover this enormous
grade. and il will, therefore be impossible
for any road to huild into the Republic
straight from Wilbur
The most feasible route. and the one
that viii in all likelihood be chosen by
The Great Northern, Will be from a point
on its main line, probably Edwail or Mos
COW; thence north the six miles tn Daven-
port or near there: down Hawk creek.
which makes gradual descent by easy
grade To the Columbia: across the river
and thence through Hell Gate. the only
feasible pass. into the San Poll valley
From there on is easy going. The eieva.
ton OF the vicinity where the line would
strike Hawk creek is 200 feet. but the
incline down the 90 feet to the Column
bia Is gradual. and there is twenty miles
to make IL In.
1t is true that the Northern Pacific could
build in from Davenport a. well az the
Great Northern: but Il was said yester.
day by man who knows the situation
we'll that there was little question of the
Great NoribeFn's ownership of the char
ter OF the Washington Improvement and
Development Company. which gives rail-
road rights through the Colviile reserva-
ton. in which the Republic district lies.
This charter the Spokesman Review
says. corroboratng the statement. was
sold by A. A. Newberry In New York to
James j. Hill interests" Without this
charter or another. the Northern Pacific
could go no farther than the Columbia,
which bounds the reservation on the south.
Possessing the charter. the Great North
ON has. therefore. control of the situa-
iicn.
The statement that the Great Northern
intended 10 go over the Seattle LAX.
Shore & Eastern grade into Spokane
seems to have little reason basis.
Why should the Great Northern pay trib-
ute 10 the Northern Pacific 10 the extent
of forty-one miles of line from paycn-
port. when by going six miles To the
south IL can strike its own main linee
Another thing is that the maximum grades
Of the Great Northern in that vicinity are
1 per cent: whereas. the Lake Shore for
ten miles out of Spokane. has a grade Of
IL per cent, which would cut OF the
hauling nower Of a locomotive by five
cars. The Great Northern engineers ard
surveyors are making Davenport the basis
for their operatio IL seems; but they are
probably doing SO because that IA the
nearest station 20 where the work begins
in earnest.