Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1902-12-18

cific has 1876 miles of track between
Portland and Seattle. Now, ought
we to exchange the use Of that 29S
m lies OF track for use Of the
Norther Pacific's 1855 miles? We
don't think so."
And the Northern Pacific looks
at the matter in this wise;
by letting the Union Pacific
into Puget Sound We would be
opening vast traffic field to that
railroad that it scarcely touches
now. We would be introducing
q vigorous competitor into terri
tory that is now all our own.
(The Northern Pacific and the
Great Northern are one for the
purposes of this contention.
What would we get by going down
the Columbia? Nothing that we
do not now get. OF course we
might be able to do a certain part
Of our business at less cost on the
water grade, but that would not
begin to compensate us for letting
the Union Pacific into our Puget
Sound field"
So there you are. One railroad
thinks it ought to receive con-
siderable difference by exchange
Of trackage on the mileage basis.
The other looks at the traffic in
volved and thinks it ought to re-
ceive a substantial balance on the
exchange. Neither seems willing
to call it an even trade. There
can be no doubt that the Northern
Pacific would like to get a shorter
and easier route into Portland, and
if it could do this without letting
the Union Pacific into Puget Sound
it would do SO. This gives color
to the movements of the Northern
Pacific towards building it's own
line down the Columbia.
But if the Northern Pacific
would build its own line down the
Columbia to reach Portland the
Union Pacific will be likely tt
build to Puget Sound. The mile
age question would then be elm
mated, but there would be a sharJ
scrap for traffic. Rates would sui
fer, and there would be more o
less decentralization until some sor
Of understanding could be arrived
at, that would enable the lines t,
work in that field without cuttin,
each others Threats. The tw'
great railroad systems will com,
out the same hole they went in
They will be on the same basis s.
far as operation of their roads will
be concerned, and on the sam
terms for traffic. But there vii
be two more railroads to be main
tanned out of the money paid 70
transportation in these two states
two new railroads that open up al
most no new territory.
1t is understood that when thi
trackage business is settled tn
railroad to Lewiston will 60 fol
ward without difficulty. Doubt i
expressed in some well-informe'
quarters that the two railroads vii
reach a point Of open rupture, agree
ment to arbitrate being deemed
probable before active war is en-
tered upon. But the Norther
Pacific seems gathering itself tc
gether to be prepared for
spring-in the Klickitat country
in the Nehalem country and OF
the lower Columbia-if the tim
shall come when such action will
be warranted. 1t is in the inter
est of Portland to have harmon
ious agreement for joint use c
track and for construction to Lew
iston. 1t is, also, in the interes
of the business of the two states
which by such agreement will b
spared the expense of paying fe
400 or 500 miles of parallel raj
: road.
: Unless all signs fail there will b
, some interesting railroad h stor
written in the Pacific northwes
in the coming year.