The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1901-02-21
END or TRANSPORTATION co.
Sale Of the Steamer Billings Finishes Last Act
In a Great Northwest Scheme


In Great Northwest Scheme
Attorney II. ]. Snively, representing
the creditors of the Central Navigation
and Construction Company, returned
from Pasco Tuesday, to which place he
was called to witness the winding up of
the affairs Of that company in so far as
the personal property is concerned.
The steamer Billings and some other
property were sold, thus disposfng OF
the matters that have long been source
Of annoyance to farmers of Central and
Eastern Washington who have for years
anticipated a lower freight rate for
wheat from the Inland Empire to the
sea.
The sale of this property closes the
last act in one of the greatest transport
tation schemes that was ever conceived
for the Northwest. A few years ago the
Central Navigation and Construction
Company was organized by the famous
Leroy syndicate, with Senator Turner,
l. n. Peyton and Frank Graves OF Spo-
kane as the prime movers. The capt.
talization was near half million dol
lars, and the stockholders, besides those
mentioned, We're among the best bust
ness men OF the whole Northwest. The
scheme was to build up system of
transportation by rail and water that
would materially lower the freight rate
for wheat and other products from Cen
trail and Eastern Washington to the sea.
The company had in contemplation the
building of line of steamers to operate
between The Dalles and Priest rapids
on the Columbia, and also on Snake
river. The immense water power at
Priest rapids was to be utilized as gen
orator for a system OF electric railroads
to tap the counties of Douglas, Lincoln,
Adams and Okanogan. There were to
be three lines radiating northward from
the rapids. BY this means all the
freight in that section could be easily
handled at a small cost compared to
what the railroads now charge.
The matter was pushed SO far that
the necessary property was in readiness
to carry out the plans of the promoters.
These steamers cost about $l00, 900, and
something like $4,000 was spent on
other work. The steamer Umatilla,
which was sold month ago for $2350,
cost $4,000; the Klickitat, sold two weeks
ago for $500, cost over $40, 900; and the
Billings sold this week for $500, cost in
the neighborhood OF $4,000. The other
property, consisting of buildings at the
mouth of Snake river and at other
significant sums. The steamer Una
tilla was sold to Captain Greggs of We
natchee, Chelan county, who will re-
move it to the upper Columbia. 1t is
Captain Gregg's intention to take the
machinery from his steamer, the I. L.
Nixon, and retit the Umatila as the
best boat on the Columbia river. The
Klickitat was bought by the O. r. & n.
Company, and will be utilized by that
corporation in the freight business on
the lower Columbia. The Billings was
also bought by the 0. r. 4 n. Co.,
but it is doubtful if she will ever be put
into service, as she now sits high and
dry on sand bar in the Columbia forty
miles below Pasco, where it is said she
was run purposely last fall by the own
, ers at the instance of others.
The reasons for the dissolution OF this
, transportation scheme is attributable to
some force that has not yet come to light
through the litigation over the property
by creditors. Ii the plans had been
carried out, no doubt the company
would in few years have become for
midable rival to the present transporta-
ton companies doing business in the
field sought by the water-electric route.