The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-03-03


sufferers.
"The opposition engendered by the
o. H. & n. 60. is easily understood
as being purely Of mercenary ma
ture once we have our road In opera
tion. We win be practically In posi-
iion 10 dictate terms TO that road.
According 10 the annual statement Of
tho OR. a. r.. The price Of transpotta-
tion II Il ton Of wheat from Lewiston,
Idaho. 10 Portland. oregon, was $50.
We can carry a ton Of wheat from the
same point for less than one-third Of
that amount and still nakemore money
OF the amount invested II is fact,
substantiaiel by figures that have
been thoroughly authenticated. that
our company can carry wheat from
the Inland Empire 20 Astoria at a
rate fully one-third less than that OF
the o. H. q ~. and. at the same
time, make more money on the amount
Invested"
What win be the terminal points OF
your company" was asked.
That Is hard question to ans
wer,' replied Mr. Mohr. "inasmuch as
there are at least three or four termi-
nal points on the other end OF the
line"
is II correct TO infer that Astoria
will be the terminal point nearest the
mouth Of the Columbia?" he was
questioned.
Yes" he replied, somewhat vaguely.
I'VE will bring our freight to the
mouth OF the Columbia"
What is the status OF the construc-
tlOn work on the railroad line between
The Dalles and Cello False
The contractors have reported a
completion OF ninety per cent OF this
work. and II everything works favor
ably we will have the road in opera
tion nos later than the first OF July.
next We have purchased all of our
rolling stock, rails. ties. etc. from the
East. and ere expecting the last con-
signment 10 reach us within few
weekG.'
In reply TO question as to the act
ual operation OF the line, Mr.. Mohr
made the following explanation:
we will tap the Inland Empire
from several different ponts-chieny
Spokane and Lewiston. From Spokane
our freight will be brought by rail TO
Priests rapids and at that point trans
ferred to barges operated by the com.
pany. and brought down the river to
the northeastern terminal ~ our
jerk-wate line leading to The Dalles.
From The Dalles 1t will be towed down
TO Astoria. at the mouth of the CO.
lubia and there loaded into ships for
foreign ports"
In further explanation Of the route
contemplated by the company. Mr..
Mohr said. that from Lewiston to As
torla there would be in the neighbor-
hood of eight hundred miles of trans
portation by water. and only twenty
miles by rail, the latter representing
the roundabout course necessary TO
be adopted in order TO get Ground the
Cello Falls.
When the barges reach the point
Immediately above The Dalles they
win be unloaded onto fiat cars. upon
which they will be transferred around
the northern side of the Columbia and
reloaded onto barges below The
Dalles,
In order to make this plan thorough.
ly practicable, Mr. Mohr has conceived |
a most unique scheme
Instead of taking from the oarges |
the cargo brought down from the
northeastern terminus and re-loading |
the same on river boats, and vice |
versa at The Dalles. an ingenious plan |
has been invented whereby. by the use
of large crane and the employment |
of box-like contrivances to be used on |
the regulation freight trucks the car
goes Of wheat and other cerials. what
ever they may be- may be transferred |
from rail to vessel and back again |
at very small cost.
According to Mr.. Mohr's estimate,
the work Of transferring can be done |
at an expense which will cut practi-
cally little or 10 figure when COM
pared to the relative expense neces-
sary on the o. R, & N.
Mr.. Mohr expressed some surprise |
that certain people of Astoria should
raise any question as to the legitimacy
OF his proposition.
II did not come down to Astoria"
said he, asking for any subsidies
or any assistance whatever. As |
l have already said, the people who are
putting up their good, hard gold coin
to back this proposition are not do
ing 1t for sentimental reasons. They |
are investing their money in this en-
terprise for the returns which they |
expect to get out of it from this dis
trict"
II do not question for q minute that |
our principal obstruction Is being af-
forded by the managers of the o. II. & |
n. This is a most natural conclusion, |
inasmuch as the enterprise which we
hope soon to put through, will make
a very material difference in the In
come Of that read. For instance. let |
me show you why: In order for the