The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1902-06-24
THE ELECTRIC RAILWAY
IS ALMOST ASSURED
The Promoter Says It's Up to Citi-
zenS to Comply with Their
Agreement.

The building OF the electric railway in
this valley is now almost beyond the
doubtful stage. There yet remains but
very short time when final decision
will be made, and from present indica-
tons it looks as though the road will be
built. All that remains to complete the
assurance of its construction is the COM
pliance OF the North Yakima people and
others of the county with certain re-
quirements, which have been materially
modified since the first proposition was
presented for consideration.
The survey for the line down the valley
will be completed some time next week
and a report made at once to J. +. Nc
Naught, who is engineering the scheme.
The surveying party is in charge of H.
F. Marble, assisted by G. G. Wands,
both of this city. They commenced
work three weeks ago under Mr.. Nc
Naught's directions, and have been
pushing the work to completion as
rapidly as possible. The route taken is
from the southern side of the city near
the railway tracks, and following direct
line to the fair grounds, passing that
place to the north and crossing the
Yakima on the north side of the Mckee
bridge. The line then follows the first
bench around to the bluff north of
Union gap. following it through that
place along the county road. From
there the most available route possible
was followed down the valley to Sunny
side. There isn't point on the line of
survey that will have more than one
per cent grade, and there are a number
of other things that will make the
| building of the line easy to accomplish.
When the survey is complete there re-
mains nothing more for the promoter to
do but to await the action of the people
of the valley.
"You may say for me-" said Mr.. Nc.
Naught to a HERALD reporter last Satur-
day. that the thing is now up to the
people of North Yakima whether the
road is built. l have reached point
where l am compelled to wait for others
to act. And you may also say that from
! present indications the road will be
| built. 1t ought to be and will be, no
doubt, an easy matter for the people OF
this city to comply with my demands
now, since | have taken away part Of
| or CT hot
is the agreement with farmers to furnish
so much freight each year. All that
will be required, think, is to raise
something like $4,000. OF this sum
| SIS, 200 will go into the bridge across the
Yakima, and the IS 900 will be used for
incidental expenses. The city will be
asked for franchise of the streets,
which l understand the council is will
ing to grant. The Northern Pacific will
give terminal grounds at this point and
the townsite company have agreed to
give terminal grounds at Sunnyside.
This is so much that will not have to be
purchased by the people. So far every
thing is assured. The most important
matter now under consideration is the
right-of-way grants. This ought to be
secured without dollars cost, and it
can be if managed rightly. The men
now out soliciting on the right-of-way
are meeting with success, although there
are some people who are opposed to
giving anything at all for the railway.
But, Notwithstanding, there should be
no delay whatever in carrying out the
promises made to me by some of your
leading men. And when this is done
shall at once commence on the prelimi-
nary work of extending branch up the
Natchez and Ahtanum valleys. As soon
as the surveyors finish their work below
they will proceed up the Natchez and
make a survey l6 miles up. The survey
up the Ahtanum will be made later
with the object in view of extending the
line 70 Soda Springs, where may bt
found good site for summer hotel"
"What has been done in the way Of
raising funds, Mr.. McNaught?" asked
the reporter.
"Well, nothing yet. Your mayor
Mr. Fechter, will start out this week tt
solicit funds. He is a good man for tn,
work, understand, and will head th,
subscription paper with 1000. If al
your business men give with the sam'
spirit and liberality, there ought not t