Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1902-04-17
RAILROAD NEWS.


A Washington dispatch of April
} announces that the bill extending |
Tor three years the time for COM
pletion OF the Clearwater Valley
across the Nez Perez res
ervation had been passed by the
house. The same bill passed the
senate in February and will doubt
less be approved by the president
in due time. The original fran
chise expires this month.
The Clearwater Valley railroad
is the extension into the Clear
water country of the Oregon Rail
road & Navigation company from
Riparia. For the benefit of the
many new corners in this section
we may say that the Clearwater
Valley company commenced con-
struction of the branch between
Lewiston and Riparia in 1899, and
have all the heavy rock work done,
and were rushing it to completion
when the Clearwater railroad war
between the o. r. & N. and North
ern Pacific systems broke out.
Both these great corporations were
racing for supremacy and prior
entrance into the great Camas
Prairie country, and both lines
were headed for Grangeville when
q truce was made for six months;
this truce has been renewed from
time to time. Whether it is still
in existence we are not advised,
but it is certain that neither com
pany has relinquished its intention
Of occupying these fertile fields,
and the outcome will undoubtedly
eventuate in both lines carrying
out their original intentions of
building to Grangeville.
Our latest advices on the subject
of railroad construction into this
country are to the effect that the
war between these com panies has
been temporarily adjusted by a
Joint agreement the terms Of which
are as follows: The Clearwater
Valley road is to complete its pro-
posed extension from Riparia to
Lewiston; from Lewiston it is to
use the track of the Clearwater
Short Line Northern Pacific) to
Peck; from Peck the Clearwater
Valley road is to build on it's To-
Gated line through the Nez Perez
reservation by way of the Big Can
yon, through the towns of Nez-
perez, Cottonwood, Denver and on
to Grangeville, which will be its
terminus for some years to come.
In exchange for this occupation of
Camas Prairie by the o. r. & N.
people the Northern Pacific is to
have the use Of the Clearwater
Valley branch from Lewiston down
Snake river, and thus one road is to
serve the entire Clearwater coun-
try.
All the indications point to the
conclusion that this agreement is
in force today, and the fact thai
railroad construction and equip
ment supplies are being gathered
at Riparia lends force to the con-
clusion. While such an agreement
will give us the much-desired rail
road facilities it will not be compe-
tition; but that will come in due
time. The northwestern country
has been through these phases of
railroad consultations or. joint
construction before, but the out
come has invariably resulted in the
completion of competing roads;
and as history repeats itself, and
as this country is admittedly big
enough and rich enough to support
two distinct roads, we need lose no
sleep over the present temporary
arrangements.
The Camas Prairie country needs
railroads more urgently than any
other part of the whole United
States, and our people will not crit
icize very harshly any combination
which will give them the needed
relief from the present conditions
of uncertainty and restraint upon
their energies and ambitions. I'm
der existing conditions the Camas
Prairie country is practically at a
standstill for lack of railroad facil-
tiles. Once this railroad is assured
there will be a veritable transfer
nation scene enacted in this Sec
ton, and the vast acreage now
lying dormant will soon become a
busy hive of human industry,
doubling our wealth, increasing our
population and creating renewed
activity in all our towns. Camas
Prairie people will welcome the adj
vent of the iron horse, provided We
are not all dead before it gets here.