The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-21
Fight Between the Canadian Pacific
and Kettle River.
RENEWAL OF HOSTILITIES
THE CORBIN SYNDICATE HAS
THE UPPER HAND.
Such Is the Situation at Present, AL
Though the Canadian May Secure
the Balance-Heavy Advance In
Value of Central Pacific Shares
Southern Pacific Earnings-Notes.

New York, Jan. 20-A dispatch TO the
Tribune from Ottawa says: The meet
ing of parliament will see the renewal
of hostilities between the Canadian IA
cific railroad and its most formidable
rival in the rich mining districts of
southern British Columbia An aDDh-
cation is pending, on behalf OF the het-
tie River Valley Railroad company, In
terms similar TO the measure which last
session was defeated through the lnliu-
ence of the Canadian Pacific.
The promoters Of the Kettle River
proposition are AmericanS-the ID. Z.
Corbin syndicate, which WAS the pio-
neer of railway building in this part OF
British Columbia, and controls the only
means OF access to and from the koo-
tenais until the Crows Nest line is
completed Mr.. Corbin's road, the Spo-
kane Fails & Northern, runs north from
Spokane. Wash. 1t connects with the
Great Northern, Northern Pacific. I'm
ion Pacific and generally with the rail-
road systems of the United States IT'S
connections into Canada are known as
the Nelson a Fort Shepard, which
opens up a rich part Of West Kootenai,
and the Red Mountain, from Northport
across the boundary to Rossiand.
The proposed new line to Kettle river
will make a southern outlet 10 the
Boundary Greek district, whose rich
deposits of copper, gold and silver have
attracted the eyes of shrewd capitalists
as showing mineral wealth equal TO, If
not exceeding, the famous country sur
rounding Butte, Mont For the mastery
OF the situation in this country the
Canadian Pacific is gtraining every in
fiuence that an Influential corooratioIl
knows SO well how 20 command and
apply. The applicants have shown
themselves capable of putting up an
exceedingly strong case, which all but
won for them last session against the
Canadian Pacific railroad in parlia-
ment, where for many years the intiu-
erce of the latter was invariably para
mount. Even the ministry itself gave,
or The whole, support 10 the Kettle
River BILL although the matter not be-
ing one of government policy, the min
is,ry IVES not called upon to give its
unanimous influence as a body either
way.
Mr.. Corbin's syndicate asks no sub
sidy and has received none on any of
the roads which it has constructed IN
Canadian territory, and offers the
means OF carrying the ores of the
Boundary Greek country across the
boundary for treatment at reasonable
rates and with all due guarantee for
the protection of Canadian interests.
But il is Just here that the Canadian
Pacific railroad steps in with the argu-
ment that it is prepared and. indeed,
engaged in this very same undertaking,
and that the people of British Columbia
want no trespassing on Canadian terri
tory by American companies, and that,
in short the interests of Canada VIII
be best served by keeping trade within
her own borders, instead of diverting II
into American channels. The argument
is one that carries some weight, al
though the minister. of railways has
expressed himself as satisfied that the
fullest provision may be made for
Canadian protection and to guard
against handing valuable franchises
to American capitalists to the hurt and
prejudice of Canadian trade. Minister
Blair, however, is fully convinced or
the wisdom of securing to the Grand
Trunk system means of access to Brit
ish Columbia, with an opportunity of
its thereby affOrding competition
against the Canadian Pacific road to
the cities of eastern Canada. The
Canadian Pacific railroad is alive to
the Importance of the interests which
the contest involves for it, and prom
ises, should the application be sus-
tanned through the influence Of the
American transcontinental lines, to
make il hot for the latter by invading
their own territory.
The gold discoveries in the Yukon
were the cause of a host of applications
last year for the chartering of railways
from points on the coast and from Brit
ish Columbia to Dawson Through the
special provision which the administra-
ton had made for the building of a line
by way of the Stickeen river, these
We're all ordered to stand over last ses- /
sion, but since the defeat of the govern
nant in the senate and the droDDing of
the scheme, other concerns are coming
forward with offers to build, if allowed
by the federal authorities to do SO. In
all, some five or six charters are sought !
understood 10 be promoted by
American concerns.