Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-02-25
The Railroad Situation.

A corps of o. r. & engineers have
established a camp on the north bank of
Snake river one mile below this city.
They have taken up the work on the
Snake River Valley line where the con
nection was recently made with the
Clearwater line by Engineer Mccullough
and they are continuing location work
westward from the state line.
All the energies of the construction
department of the O. r. & N. are just
now devoted to the Snake. Lewiston is
more an objective point than ever before
with the o. r. & n. Company. The
is the gateway seems to be permitted to
take care of itself at present. A gateway
connection seems to be the all-important
consideration with the o. r. & N. at
present.
The rapid development of the mining
districts i'll the interior has made the
gateway city commercial center of
such Importance that this point is Of first
| consideration
As soon as definite locations are com
pleted a large force will be distributed
| all along the line between Riparia and
| Lewiston. The order has gone forth that
the cars must be running to Lewiston on
this road before the low water season in
terriers with navigation which will not
be later than July.
| The advance of the mining interests
have i'll measure diverted railroad in
terests from the reservation and Camas
prairie. 1t is we'll settled that the
Northern has no present intention OF
occupying the Lapwai route beyond the
Phinny ranch at present and if this road
goes to the prairie this year it will be a
new route up Cottonwood creek from a
point above Stuart. The survey of this
route has not been completed but it i:
believed to be practical. 1t does no,
seem from common expression or present
movements to be contemplated for this
year.
| Everything now points to the present
abandonment of the Big Canyon route tc
the reservation wheat lands by the o. r
i& n. Engineer Kennedy put some kinf
of sedative i'll force to counteract the Ell
ergy that was exerted in that direction
Just after he made that tour in the snow
without a sleigh and in a blizzard with
out blanket. The rights of way tht
road people bought outright will not holt
good for all time against other claimants
, for public use, but their records affort
) security in this time of repose. Thi
road, however, is more alive than eve
to the Burlington connection scheme
Every possible effort is being exerted t,
+ extend location work into the Bite
Roots. 1t is believed in railroad circle
lewiston first through line will be b,
E this connection, and within this year.
The temporary abandonment of tn
Big Canyon route has aroused interest il
Northern circles in the reservation whea
belt. The o. R. & N. line on the sout
! side of the Clearwater gives this CON
lpany an advantage in the traffic of th
Preservation. By building the Lapws
Ispur this advantage is overcome to som
extent. By building up Cottonwood an
then circling back to Nez Perce prairi
+ the Northern will secure great victor
: instead of the defeat that was bulletine
when the Big Canyon route was said
,, have been decided upon 1t now al
. pears to the observer that the war Of Il
. winter resulted in even honors. I'll
Northern seems to have won in the hgl
is for pass to the prairie, and lost in Il
fight for the cutoff over the Bitter Root
# Lewiston has not lost in either ever
n and she will still attend to the busine
of the gateway.
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