The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1902-08-08
FARMERS MEET PRESIDENTS
CONFERENCE AT DAVENPORT.
Three Presidents of Transcontinen-
tai Railways Make Addresses 90
LARGE AuIience-Centrai wash
ington Railway 10 he Extended to
Meet q. N.-save Long Haul.

Davenport. Aug. "a new railroad, -
miles in length, and costing $35O,OOO' Is
70 he built in the Big Bend country.
This is the direct result OF thu confer
ence arranged between the farmers OF the
Bio Bend and three railway Presidents
Mellen, Hill and Alohler.
The announcement OF the new railway
was made by President Mellen oil the
Northern Pacific. after a conference with
President Hill OF the Great Northern. Inc
line will run from Coulee City to Adrian
Coulee City is the present terminal Oh inc
Central Washington branch OF the North
ern Pacific. Adrian is ON the Great
Northern line.
The building of this line will save the
Northern Pacific the long back haul Of
$50 miles in carrying the freight OF the
Bio Bend country to the coast. 1t Is eN-
nected that the new line will be finished
Inv November, 1902. 1t is stated that tne
surveying party will be in the field next
week. President Alellen said OF the new
railway: -
This will save the back haul, and will
olive YOU the benefit. The result Will be
/ S35O0OO spent in your midst, increasing
the taxable property, without any chance
for revenue. The country is barren. Tins
improvement is gift to you.
81 would like to 90 into detail as to the
cost The whole rate fabric is like card
house. We can do nothing here without
doing something at other points. we are
hound 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,
4 strong Delegation.
The special train from Spokane to Dav-
export. carrying the people to the big con-
ference held between the farmers OF the
Bio Bend and the railway officials, lett
Spokane before 6 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. OBrien, general supeun-
tendent of the Great Northern; Ihoma
Cooper. general manager of the Northern
Pacific. and President Mohler of the o.
r. n.
t There were ebtween 80 and 40 passen
GERS on board. These included f. W. Gil
bert. superintendent of the Northern Pa
| cifc. and 1ranmastr j. L. De Force, be
d sides Messrs. Miller Cooper and OBrien
prominent railway officials. The Spokan
d chamber of commerce committee was com
a posed of j. Grier Long and n. W. Dun
e ham. Others in the party were X. y
e Hutchinson of Spokane. Don Ryrie OF Spo
kane. E. j. Lake OF Elk, George W. Sea
of Addy, Julius Siemens OF Ritzville, KEY
w. r.. Cunningham of Ritzville, Stan
J. lev Hallettt of Medical Lake, d. W
g Metcalf of Wilbur, c. G. Garettson
Is Harrington. II. c. Farrell f. IL. Mex
ID and NJ. Moriarty of Spokane delegatio
re from Reardan included the following
he John Raymer. Peter Pramm. Claus Car
II tens. c. shannon, John Wickham and "
OF b. Warren.
Chairman Odgers of the committee tol
President Hill that there would be Il
banquets OF champagne. but that he Won
re have some chicken to eat. Hill replied
n THAT is all right just put me in vii
q the farmers. l always get along all rlgl
er with them"
al One of the crowd called out;
ut. '.How about getting out the wheat?
he Hill replied: Don't you worry abo
gs getting the wheat out. Well attend
that; and we'll get it out all right"
Hill Talks.
~. AT 10 o'clock the Auditorium at Da
or export was crowded to the limit by t
4 farmers and business men, too, who wal
80 ed to hear what the railroad men won
las say.
,or James Odgers. editor of the D1venp'
,ol Tribune, presided over the meeting. Sc
I'd on the platform were President Hill
the Great Northern, President Mellen
the Northern Pacific and President No
mr. Ter of the Oregon Railway & Navigati
oh. company.
tbe President Hill was introduced by Cha
rel man Odgers. He said, in part:
,nv 81 am always glad to meet the PEG
an who are working for the development a
tho upbuilding of the country served by
lines When ] first saw the country Fl
Spokane to the Columbia river l did
think much Of it as a commercial as
oh warrantng the building of a railroa
on Here the president paid a fine tribute
val. the farmers in making the Big Bend I
-isit ductive country. twenty-five years
Rus. began trying to build up the west
the Red river valley they told me 1t