The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-19
CROSSING FIGHT.
Northern Pacific Tries to Head OFF
Great Northern at Spokane.

Northern Pacific Tries to Head on
Great Northern at Spokane.
The Great Northern and Northern Pa
cidc are having trouble at Spokane, and
a legal fight is on to determine the for
mer company's right to cross with its
new right Of way through the city the
Northern Pacific transfer track connect
ing the main line with the Standard Oil
company's depot and the Division street
bridge. Attorney G. w. Bum, of the
Northern Pacific, is in Spokane, and ad-
vices were received at the general offices
yesterday giving the status of the fight.
The Great Northern's new tracks and
right of way were completed Saturday
to a point within 100 feet of the transfer
track of the Northern Pacific. Grading
on the Great Northern had reduced it's
track level twelve feet below the grade of
the Northern Pacific under and across
which 1t planned to complete the line. At
this juncture the Northern Pacific en-
tered the courts and secured an order
preventing the Great Northern from COM
pleting the right of way across It's tracks
A force Of men were put at work at the
same time, and the transfer track eX-
tended a considerable distance.
Attorney Bum alleges that 1t was the
intention of the Great Northern to cross
the track at night and ruin the Northern
way and Navigation company. Under
the Injunction. the Great Northern, it's
agents, employees and contractors are en-
joined from grading, blasting, tearing
up or in anyway changing the f1fty=foot
right of way of the plaintiff, or from in
terfering In any way with the operation
Of its cars, engines or equipment on the
connecting track. The defendant COM
pany has been ordered to appear in court
nd
should not be extended.
Northern Pacific officials interviewed
regarding the condition of affairs in
Spokane state that the trouble is not one
of a serious nature, and does not neces-
sarily indicate that there is friction be-
tween the two roads Crossing fights,
according to an executive officer of the
road, are numerous, and the movements
of roads competing in the same territory
are generally closely watched on both
sides. Great Northern officials stated
yesterday afternoon that the difficulty
over the transfer track crossing Is one
which will be settled by a conference be-
tween the interested parties.
"In my experience" said an official of
the road, there have been, I dare say,
a hundred crossing fights. This Is not an
unusual occurrence, and the Spokane
trouble IS such that it can be easily set
tied. 1t is practically impossible to pre-
vent a railroad from going where it
pleases. The supreme court Of the United
States has, held that one road cannot pre-
vent another from crossing Its line.
"The present trouble can be settled by
condemnation proceedings1or by trans
fer of crossing rights to the Great North
ern. In the latter case this road could
purchase outright but would be COMPEL
ed to maintain the crossing, right of way
and track at that point, not alone on its
own line, but upon the Northern Pacific
as we'll The matter of grades at the
crossing is the only thing giving any
chance of trouble, but this is strictly an
engineering proposition and can be cared
for by Mr.. Stevens and his assistants"