The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1902-08-09
farmers MEET PRESIDENTS
CONFERENCE AT DAVENPORT
ThFee Presidents Of Tranaeontanen-
tal Railways Make Addresses 20
Large Auaienee-centPnH wash
inwtoa Railway 90 Ne Extenaed %
Meet q. N.-save Long Haul.


10 be built in the Big Bend country.
This Is the direct result Of thu confer
ence arranged between the farmers Of the
Big Bend and three railway presidents
Mellen, Hill and Mohler.
The announcement of the new railway
was made by President Mellen Of the
Northern Pacific, after conference vita
President Hill of the Great Northern. The
line will run from Coulee City to Adrian.
Coulee City is the present terminal OF the
Central Washington branch of the North
ern Pacific. Adrian is on the Great
Northern line.
The building of this line viii save the
Northern Pacific the long back haul CT
$50 miles in carrying the freight OF the
Big Band country TO the coast. II Is ex-
pected that the new line will be finished
by November, l9Oo. 1t is stated that the
surveying party viii be in the field next
week. President Mellen said OF the new
railway:
This will save the back maui, and viii
give you the beneit, The result Will be
$4,000 spent in your midst, increasing
the taxable property, without any chance
for revenue The country is barren. This
improvement is a gift to you
Il would like to 60 into detail as to the
cost. The whole nate fabric is like card
house. We can do nothing here without
doing something at other points We are
bound to gain something by the spirit in
which this conference has been called, com
ing to us not by Intermediates, politicians
who work You and then try to work US.
But you are working with US As allies;
and thus you freeze out the middle men.
A strong Delegation.
The special train from Spokane to Dav-
export, carrying the people TO the big con
ference held between the farmers of tine
Big Bind and the railway officials, left
Spokane before o'clock Monday morning,
arriving at Davenport about $3.50 a m.
The train was made up OF the special ears
Of James j. Hill, president OF the Great
Northern; ]. P. O'Brien, general suPerin-
tendent Of the Great Northern; Thomas
Cooper, general manager Of the Northern
Pacific, and President Mohler of the D
RAN.
There were ebtween 30 and 40 passcn
gers on board These included f. w. Gil
bert, superintendent of the Northern Pa
cife, and 1rainmaster j. L. De Force, be
sides Messrs. Miller, Cooper and O'Brien
prominent railway officials. The SPOkan'
chamber of commerce committee was com
posed Of j. Grier Long and n. w. Dur
ham. Others in the party were r. 4
Hutchinson Of Spokane, Don Ryrie of SpO
kane, L j. Lake of Elk, George w. Sea
of Addy, Julius Siemens OF Ritzville, Rev
w. r. Cunningham of Ritzville, Stan
ley Hallettt of Medical Lake, d. W
Metcalf of Wilbur, C. C. Garrettson o
Harrington, II. G. Farrell, F. II. Mex,
and NJ Moriarty Of Spokane A delegation
from Reardan Included the following
John Raymer, Peter Pramm, Claus Cars
tens, C. Shannon, John Wrkham and "
b. Warren.
Rev. w. r. Cunningham Of Ritzyill
was sent TO the conference by the commits
siOners of Adams county, claiming to rep
resent a country that produces 5,O0O,OO'
bushels of wheat yearly.
Chairman Odgers of the committee tol,
President Hill that there would be n
banquets or champagne. but that he woui
have some chicken to eat Hill replied
That is all right. just put me in wit
the farmers. l always get along all RICH
with them"
One Of the crowd called out:
'How about getting out the wheati"
Hill replied: Don't you worry abOu
getting the wheat out Wen attend I
that; and we1l get it out all right"
Hill Talks.
At 10 o'clock the Auditorium at DaI
export was crowded to the limit by til
farmers and business men, too, who wan
ed to hear what the railroad men woul
say.
James odgers, editor Of the DavenpoI
Tribune, presided over the meeting. Sea
ed on the platform we're President Hill
the Great Northern, President Mellen
the Northern Pacific and President Mol
Ter Of the Oregon Railway & Navigate
company.
President Hill was introduced by Chat
man Odgers. He said, in part:
II am always glad to meet the poop
who are working for the development an
upbuilding Of the country served by Oh
lines. When | first saw the country fro
Spokane to the Columbia river did NJ
think much of it as a commercial ass
waTanting the building Of q railroad
Here the president paid fine tribute
the farmers in making the Big Bend a pr
duetive country, twenty-five years a.
began trying to build up the west.
the Red river valley they told me it W
too wet. Out here they told it was I,
dry.
The railroads and the farmers in Il
country tributary to it are linked {
gether. You may sell your farm. m.
sell my railroad-if Mellen il willing
buy it, or Mohler. Or may die and 2
rid Of it. / will have to in a few yea
but remember that desire to look dow
and not up, and see you prosperous
"You have crops that keep you bu
four or four and half months in the yea
You want to do something the rest Of L
time besides whiting or holding down
nail key What you should de-is to raj
stock, roots forage There is nothing b
ter than raising stock.
'The growth Of the country along o.
line is necessary TO our growth. Y,
have to get money before we do, and It
surprising to see how little We are sat
fed with. What you want Is the highe
price from any store. You want ne
market You must make a market. "
must make more people use your stu