Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1902-08-09
farmers MEET PRESIDENTS
CONFERENCE AT DAVENPORT.
-. Presidents of TranscOntinen-
81 Railways Make Addresses to
Large Audience-Central WASH
.naton Railway to lie Extended to
weet G.. N.-Save Long Haul.

Davenport, aug u a az" A"HAO'uj ~
lies IN length, and costing $35000O is
!, he built in the Big Bend country.
mis- Is the direct result of the confer
.rco arranged between the farmers of the
pig Bend and three railway presidents
nelen. Hill and Mohler.
The announcement of the new railway
ros made by President Mellen of the
Northern Pacific, after a conference with
pros;dent Hill of the Great Northern. The
Inc will run from Coulee City to Adrian.
roulee City is the present terminal of the
ceptral Washington branch of the North
arm Pacific. Adrian is on the Great
Northern line.
The building of this line will save the
Northern Pacific the long back haul CT
l5O miles in carrying the freight of the
Rio Bend country to the coast. 1t is ex-
noetad that the new line will be finished
Nv November, 1902 1t is stated that the
Surveying party will be in the field next
week, President Mellen said of the new
railway
"This will save the back naul and will
0iye YOU the benefit. The result will be
S35o.0OO spent in your midst, increasing
the taxable property, without any chance
for revenue. The country is barren. This
Improvement is gift to YOU
81 would like to go into detail as to the
4 cost. The whole rate 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
inc 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,
Strong Delegation.
The special train from Spokane to DAY.
export, carrying the people to the big con-
ference held between the farmers of the
Big Bend 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 cars
Of James j. Hill, president of the Great
Northern; j. p 0Brien, general superin-
tendent of the Great Northern; Thomas
Cooper general manager of the Northern
Pacific, and President Mohler of the Q.
RIM.
There were ebtween 30 and 40 passcn-
gers on board. These included f. w. Gil
bert, superintendent of the Northern Pa
cifc, and 1ranmaster j. L. De Force, be-
sides Messrs. Miller, Cooper and O'Brien,
prominent railway officials. The Spokane
chamber Of commerce committee was com
posed of j. Grier Long and n. w. Dur
ham, Others in the party were X. a.
Hutchinson of Spokane. Don Ryrie of Spo-
kane, (. j. Lake of Elk, George w. Seal
OF Addy, julius Siemens of Ritzville, Rev.
W. K. Cunningham of Ritzville, Stan
ley Hallettt of Medical Lake, D. W.
Metcalf ofeWilbur c. G. Garrettson of
harrington, H. G. Farrell, F. H. McK-y
and M. Moriarty of Spokane A delegation
from Reardan included the following:
John Raymer, Peter Pramm, Claus Cars
tens, c. Shannon, John Wickham and W.
b. Warren
Rev. W. R. Cunningham of Ritzville
was sent to the conference by the commits
sloners of Adams county, claiming to rep
resent a country that produces 100000
bushels of wheat yearly.
Chairman Odgers of the committee told
President Hill that there would be no
oanquets or champagne. but that he would
nave some chicken to eat. Hill replied
That is all right. Just put me in with
Inc farmers. l always get along all right
with them
One OF the crowd called out:
How about getting out the wheat?"
hill replied: Don't you worry about
getting the wheat out. Well attend 10
mat; and We'll get it out all right"
Hill Talks.
AT 10 o'clock the Auditorium at DaV-
EXPORT was crowded to the limit by the
farmers and business men, too, who want
ed to hear what the railroad men would
say.
SJames Odgers, editor of the Davenport
Tribune, presided over the meeting. Seat
Cd on the platform were President Hill Of
the Great Northern, President Mellen I
the Northern Pacific and President Moh
Ter of the Oregon Railway & Navigation
company.
President Hill was introduced by Chair
man Odgers. He said, in part:
am always glad to meet the people
VINO are working for the development and
,upbuilding of the country served by our
INES. When I first saw the country from |
spokane to the Columbia river | did not
mink much of it as a commercial asset
warranting the building of railroad
mere the president paid a fine tribute 10