The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-03-20
SEYENTY-FNE MILES
OF EXPENSIVE GRADE
Fight to a Finish For Old Ne
vada Line.
RETURN OF WHITTEMORE
SAYS GRADE IS OF IMMENSE
VALUE.
RETURN OF WHITTEMORE


G. o. whittemore returned yesterday
from his western trip, having visited
carson, New, ard San Francisco. his
business at the former place being to ar
que the case involving the title 10 the
old Urion Pacific grade below Uvada be-
fore the registrar OF the land office III.
behalf of the Utah & California Railroad.
company, now defunct. OF this case,
which has attracted considerable atten-
ton locally because of its bearing on the
Los Angeles railroad project either from
"a Short Line or San PEDRO, Los angeles ~
SAT- Lake point of view, Mr. Whlttemore
said:
I'VE closed the discussion Friday and
expect an opinion from the land commits
sioner at Carson this week After that
the case will go to the land OFFICE at
Washington and may eventually nave 70
be decided by the secretary OF the m
terror. tor the grade IN dispute mas Ger
cember. and every point will be contested.
doubtless. by both sides 10 the very tin-
When asked for some history regarding
the case. from the standpoint OF his
client the Utah < Calit0rnia, Mr. W mt
tensore said: THE territory IN dispute.
which is government land, is beyond ne
present terminu9 Of the Utah 4 Pacific
IT runs from the state line TO Glover Val
ley Junction. a distance of forty miles,
and there is besides thirty-five miles up
10 Phoebe, making seventy-five miles or
thirty-five, as has been stated. The
Unicss Pacific filed on this originally in
graded as tas as Phoebe, and TO all IN
tents and purposes were going 10 run
their line there. But when the road went
under new management the whole thing
was abandoned What track had been
laid was torn up and the Lincoln county,
New, end of TIE line was sold eventually
for delinquent faxes. The Jaw provided
that j. the road was not completed in
five years the land would revert 20 the
government. and in 1Sg5 that is what hap
pened- The year following the Utah <
California project was started by prom-
secured the righ- 10 the grade by pro-
curing the original maps and surveys
Union Pacific. This is additional proof
that the project had been Abandoned.
Time went or until 1893. when the Oregon
Short Line, in the month of September
through its company. the Utah Nevada.
a California, filed on the grade under
the laws OF Nevada They did not know
then that the Utah & California had 10
Gated on the grade previously.
Last Decembef. in view of the pro-
became OF inestimable vaiue. and the
Short Line looked up the records to see
where IL stood on the matter They dis
covered then that the grade was held by
the Utah < California. or rather that
this company had filed on IL, and appli-
cation was at once mace for hearing
10 determine the title TO the valuable
stretch Of country The commissioner at
washington ordered the hearing to take
place at Carson, and thst is as far as
the question has gone
Continuing, Mr.. Whittemore said that
the grade built by the Union Pacific COW
cred the most difficult part of the coun-
try between here and southern C5lifof-
MIA. and to the company that. intends
building there its value can hardly be eS-
tiTuated- There are two tunnels in the
seNenty-f1ve miles. one OF which is ., 200
fee IN length. and that the grade should
be bone OF contention IS not surpris-
ing. While Mr.. Whittemore states that
he is retained in the case by the Utah &
california people and will not admit that
the Clark organization is at the bottom of
the contest on that side, it issbut reasou-
able to suppose since he is attorney for
the san Pedro. Los Angeles & salt Lake
ana In the light OF recent events, that II
the l tan & ahfoTn wlns out. the grade
VIII go to Senator Clark and associates.
After leaving Carson Mr. WhittemOre
Went 20 SSn Francisco to meet J. Ross
Clark. but was summoned home hurrfedlv
on account of pressing business, and
missed the senator's brother. Mr. Clark
VIII arrive In Salt Lake some time today,
II Is expected. He lett San Francisco on
his way here yesterday.