Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-08-05
N. P. and O. R. & N. RVS

Ii Is only few days since Presi-
dent Mellrn OF the Northern Pacific
Railway. accompanied by other Off
GERS Of the same road, was in this
city and vicinity. However, they
have made another visit and are
gone again.
Thursday morning A Northern
Pacific special arrived at the depot.
The train was composed OF the cars
Yellowstone and Glacier, President
Arllen' cars. The OIL President Moh-
lerS car OF the O. K. * ~, and a
tourist car for trainmen and en-
ployeS, and was in charge OF Con,
ductor Baxter. Presidents Mellen
and MOhler were not on the train,
having left II At Spalding, where
private conveVanceS were in wait
ing to take them over a portion OF
the reservation and on to Craig 5
mountain, towards CamaS Prairie.
The party returned yesterday alter
noon and took their train at Spald-
ing. for where That's the ques.
ton. From Thursdays OregOnian
we clip the following:
Northern Pacific officials, head
men of the o. r. & n, and the
chairmen of the Union Pacific d.
rect0ry, are now in conference over
the ultimatum OF the Northern Pa
cific to the o r. < ~, namely, that
the 0. K. x n. must promise
to keep out OF the Nez Perces coun-
try and must give the Northern Pa
.cific full trackage rights down the
Columbia from Lewiston to Port
land, or have its line paraleled
down the Columbia. The situate n
may be set down as tense.
The accidental simultaneous pres.
.ence OF c. S. MelIen, president OF
the Northern Pacific. and Z H. Har.
riman. chairman of the Union Pa
clflc board of directors, who re-
turned Tuesday from Alaska with
his party of scientists, seems to
have precipitated matters, and the
main fight, which, under ordinary
circumstances would have been car.
ried out in New York, is now IN
progress in Portland. Mr.. Mellen
and party, who were at Seattle
ready to return east, hurried tC
Portland yesterday for conference
with Mr.. Hartman and with Presi.
dent A. L. Mohler of the o. r. & n
No hint of whattran3pred among
them has been allowed to escape
but one result &C the meeting is
that SPECIAL train was made up
hastily yesterday afternoon and
left at ) o'clock over the O. r. &
y. for Lewiston. In edition to the
heads of the three roads interested
were: B. Campbell, general traffic
manager, and w. H. Kennedy, chief
engineer of the O. r. & N, and j.
h. kendrick, general manager; J,
M, Hannaford, general traffic man.
ager; t. H. MtHenry, chief engi,
neer, and N. c. Kimberly, general
superintendent of the Northern Pa
cific.
Evidently the object of the trip
rs to go over the physical aspects
rot the situation. 1t is given out
that the party will be absent four
or five days.
Sentiment in Portland is
UNANIMOUS against the o. r. & n.
agreeing to withdraw from any
part of the Columbia river basin,
or of promising to keep out in flu
ture. II the o. R. & n. were an
independent concern, it certainly
would would refuse to entertain
the Northern Pacific'S claim that
Idaho, east of Lewiston, is natural
Northern Pacific territory; but the
0. r, N. is controlled by the
Oregon Short Line and Union
Pacific and what action these roads
will take must be awaited with
patience. As to the matter of
of trackage rights, best opinion
holds that the O. r. & n. will give
them, provided terms can be ar.
ranged, the natural assumption
being that the Northern Pacific will
hold out for the lowest reasonable
charge. and that the 0. r. & n.
will demand the highest it thinks
the Northern Pacific will pay in
preference to building down the
Columbia.
1t looks as if a crisis must be
reached very soon. Portland will
view with delight a failure of the
two roads to come to terms and the
Northern Pacific putting into effect
its threat to build a short, down
grade line to Portland.