The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1902-12-16
RAILROAD SITUATION BETTER

RAILROAD SITUATION BETTER
Last Of the Surveying Party Gone Supple.
TOR Construction Now At Riparia- Number ol
| Prominent Contractors in Portland.
The steamer Spokane on its down trip
Saturday carried part of the surveyors
left to finish up some minor work below
the Evans landing The steamer Lewis
ton carried all the others below that OIL
It's Sunday trip. So that none are now
lett. Tie tents and shacks used by these
men we're ! # in place. and by the latte r
part OF the week will be inhabited by new
men who will have charge of supplies left
at the different stations by the boats
The details Of the field notes of the sur.
veyors are now in shape for use in con-
struction, and number Of prominent
railroad contractors are now in Portland.
But whether they are there on matters
pertaining to the Lewiston Ripara branch
cannot be learned, but the one giving out
tile Information thinks they are.
There is but little truth in tine rumor
current few days ago that the old trou
ble between the Hartman interests aud
the Northern Pacific over territoIy hc d
been revived. The companies have a
complete understanding and nothing has
been done by either to prevent the o. r
4 N. beginning the proposed work jus.
as soon as the material necessary to
speedy construction can be laid along the
route. 1t would not be great surprise
to many who have studied railroad events
during the year past, to see Lewiston and
Grangeville connected by rail during the
new year. The 2. & I. N people have
received financial aid for the extension
from Council to the Camas prairie coun.
try; and they gave out the report Satur-
day that the work suspended some
months would he resumed at once. 1t 10
not uncertain nor too much to say that
should this road reach Grangeville, either
the N. P. or the o. R. & N. will enter
that field for share of the trade or at
least to secure traffic arrangement that
will enable them to have an outlet to the
wealthy states Of Utah and Colorado.
At present the outlook is bright for the
Lewiston Riparia cutoff. The trade is
too heavy for the boats and the boats are
too slow to meet the demands. The sit
ua:ion is even now SO bad that shipments
of merchandise are delayed to accommo-
date the wheat trade. This is the condi.
ton that will force the building Of the
railroad. Rapid transportation is de-
manded by buyers of the products and,
coupled with the rapid development of
the interior, only line of railroad can
do this work
And the situation looks brighter when
the following article, appearing in the
Oregonian yesterday, is read in connec-
ton with the movements of men on the
lower river Saturday and Sunday. The
o. R. & N. wants to lay the products Of
the great Empire in the elevators at its
new terminal near the mouth of the Col
umbla:
Men who are 10 position to get in.
side railroad information and who are
close observers Of events in the world Of
transportation read this important mes
sage in the present trend Of affairs:
The Northern Pacific railroad is going
down the north bank of the Columbia to
some point near the mouth of that streams
where it will establish a shipping point
in opposition to Astoria The Oregon
Railroad & Navigation company will be
obliged to run its trains down the south
bank of the river and do it's shipping from
Astoria or some point near that city
Both railroads will carly the grain Of the
Columbia basin to the mouth Of the river
for export-nor only that part now loaded
into ships At Portland. but also the part
that now goes through Pug.t sound ports.
The wheat trains will run through Port
land and the s,evedoring will be done 1t
Astoria and on the opposite side OF the
river, but Portland men and money will
do the business. Common point rates
will be forced to the mouth Of the river.
For several years the Northern Pacific
has been pressing toward the mouth Of
the river. Northern Pacific engineers
have been running lines along the, lower
Columbia. and no secret has been made
Of their operations. The Northern Pa
cific has built the stretch of railroad Be.
tween Kalama and Vancouver. Sur
veyors are now between the month Of the
Klkkitat river and vAncouver, having
incidentally run a liue over from the
Yakima valley.
The Paul Mohr portage i undoubtedly
iu hands friendly to the Northern Pacific
Indeed, all the strategic points on tn
route down the north hank Of the Colnm
hia are already in the hands Of the North
ern Pacific. No hint il yet given. how
ever, a. to the point that will be madl