The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-01
Line From Weiser, idaho, to the
Seven Devils Region.
SHELBY GENERAL MANAGER.


The newspapers have been strangely ST.
lent about a new and important railway
line now under construction from Weiser.
Idaho extending norshward into the Seven
Devils copper region. and projected fur
ther into the Buffalo Hump country and
the white pine region Of Idaho
The name Of the company is the Pacific
& Idaho Northern. Its general manager is
r. p Shelby, whose long experience as
general manager of the Montana Central
and afterward as vice president and gen.
eras manager Of the Coast lines of the
Great Northern with headquarters In this
city, has thoroughly equipped him for his
present position
Since Mr. Shelby's retirement from the
Great Northern he has been living on an
extensive ranch at Parma. some thirty
miles from Weiser. where he has probably
the most diversified crop in the state Of
Idaho. He has one field OF alfalfa mile
long, and in his possessions he Includes
both a hop ranch and a fruit ranch. The
free, outdoor Efe OF the ranch seems to
have agreed with him, and as he. sat in
the lobby OF the Butler yesterday he was
looking better by far than when he LEFT
the combining Office work and railroad
cares that used to tie him Gown in the
Burke block.
What am doing now?' said ne. s'Why,
/ am going back TO railroadsng again. I
am general manager of the Pacific &
Idaho Northern road which is now build
ing from Weiser. Idaho, northward to the
Seven Devils copper region, a distance OF
something more than 100 miles
Another road will go from Huntington
to the same region by following down the
Snake river, while our road goes up the
Weiser. The starting points of the two
roads are within twenty miles OF each
other. 1t Is a strange thing in the anat-
omy of nature. and one to which think
attention has never been called in the
newspapers. 10 find two streams flowing
parallel to each other for a hundred miles,
yet flowing IN opposite directions.
From the Seven Devils region it Is our
purpose to carry the road on into the Buff
falo Hump country and the white pine re-
gion OF Idaho. We shall have agrcul-
tural anti timber traffic enough to support
the road. in addition to the mining tom
mage.
1.-THE object of my visit? Well. 1t IS a
very practical one. I am here looking for
men to work on the road. We want 500.
we have now noN about 400 to 600 at work, but '
standard gauge, with sixty-five-pound steel
rails and steel bridges. The construction
and equipment will be frst class. The To-
comotives and rolling stock Will be entirely
new. We are building now about one mile
OF track per day.
Our railway connects at Weiser with
the Oregon Short Line. No. the people OF
that company are not interested In our
company. though they have treated us well
as to facilities. ETC.. and will naturally look
upon our line as an important feeder 1t
state OF Ohio. with magnificent timber.
agricultural and mineral resources. now
lying dormant on account of the lack OF
railway transportation.
ut g particularly well suited to home
seekers. II Is well watered and fertile. and
as good wheat can be raised there as in
the Pa.ouse country and that. too. with
out irrigation. We figure that II one-half
of what Is told of the copper mines IS true
they will afford a great tonnage. and
the demand for copper is now 80 great as
TO amply Justify the opening up of new
copper district.
THE men back OF the new company in
clude Lewis A. Hall. OF New York. He Is
president of the Export Lumber. Company,
one of the larges: lumber comnan.es in
the worlG. with headquarters at 50 Broad
way, New York with him are associated
several other New York and Boston capt.
taIiSts'