The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-07

lumbia and willamette rivers, afterward
became the Oregon Railway and Naviga-
sion company. and now. under stfll an
other name. owns railroad lines which
command the entire fertile length OF the
Columbia river river which 10 relatively
Of more Importance to the West than 10
tho Hudson or the Potomac or the Sus-
ouehAnna TO the East.
vicissitudes have dealt strangely with
this company. From the beginning 4:
MAS what its historians call a money
maker" Out OF the splendid profits OF
river shipping. Ii accumulated q fortune
for the founding Of railroad system In
country OF almost uniform richness
and yielding dividends which. for so COM
parativeiy short road. were well-nigh
phenomenal. But the excellence OF the
company's position carried II into the
field OF heavy capitalization and specuia-
ton. and. frst In the hands OF the restless
Henry Willard and his famous blind pool. 4"
and afterward In the mixed fortunes of
the LEASED lines" Of tho Union Pacific.
II fell into circumstances none too good
for It's welfare. When the Union Pacific
vent into chancery. however II was re-
stored To i,s original Independence. be-
came the Oregon Railway and Naviga-
ton company. and, as such. stands to-
day the envy OF railroad operators.
4 glance at the map with show why the
oregon Railway and Navigation company
Is coveted Laying aside for the moment
The consideration Of San Francisco har-
hor. where the giant grip Of the South
ern Pacific stiil holds other roads aloef
save the Santa Fe. and ccnsering the at
tensson upon the Northwest. where alone
the active competition OF reads reaching
the same destination prevails. one may
easily perceive the critical position OF the
Oregon company. The Northern Pacific
which touches at Portland and at Ta-
coma. and the Great Northern. which
touches AZ Seattle and at the Canadian
line run only through the territory Of the
border states, They neither touch nor
feed upon the great heart Of Western
America lying south u tho ismi,s OF Ida
no ansi Montana They fail to rvarh the
irrigated gardens and the iron and gold
and coai os Utah. or the gold silver. coal
iron ana fruit ~ Colorado. Between them,
end tho western ccuntry's heart lies The
isolated Oregon Railway and Navigation
company The Oregon Shers Line with
10 rails extending up into Montana from
Salt Lake. aiso lies between the north
e-n lines and this central AREA bur the
short line has passed irrevoeAhiy into
the hands 81 the Union Pacific ara IL
tevorsd the realm az controversy
VITA rs separate ownership It's igd.-
pendent financial condition the Oregon
Railway ard Navigation comrany's line
stretched like a wtshseona srusn hunting
son, i'm or~rra. so Spokane. In washing
ton ana from Huntington 20 Portland IL
. property for whsea three railroads must
naturally eorsNnd Nv its command az
tire passage ~ the Columbia river n con-
trals the easiest ard meet inc~a,i.. route
to the haresors At tas noN.- 81 that great
river Ey It's extension through the fer
tie faiHase ceu1tFs re whsa. h.sis ~
Nestera Washington e secures Arxt priv
/ Nese ta section y htra psss~ rrs5s a.
sire 20 penetrate. nat IN which they Al.
sisln sraf:s competition Until assured that
| the read which nsw PASSES through Il -
ret within sAesg grasp Furthermore the
| products 90 tie paleuse country "a
| nsNer Dc carried exws she Cascade noun
| tasns ta Seattle and Tacoma Win tha
/ same economy tsat skeS ran hss taken
| down tAs Columbia - Pay,lsui FgnaaIy
| n ,hn Northern Pacific ~ tha g,rea.
/ SartseTa could ceasnol she 0rexan Rail.
way aass Na<Egattan Company thag wssis,
sseusralsr~ sse advantages s-sSseSasss ~
| ths ysaa" TacfAs "A :fa@ eenfwas ~ sss
/ csrsxon Short f&s~ TEE ntfsa Z. W.. ;
/ sseYssnx .os Wa = - srtunaua remains
So SGT anknoxn
Tn say snytaang eauesva3ns ~stfvsss Z
/ rscss-s~~. ~stes hss ras Trarssss. essrsssn,-
| raasaen ssesas - - Nesea4 sss gaas~ a