The San Francisco call., 1903-12-30
TWO RAILWAYS
MAY COMBINE
Attorney Bartnett Reported
to Be Dickering With Yard
for Butte and Plumas Road
OVERTURES ALREADY MADE
Western Pacific Anxious to
Secure Route of It's Rival
Along the Feather River

Rumors of a consolidation Of the two
railroad interests which have for over
year been surveying routes from Oro-
vile along the Feather River and over
toward the eastern line of the State
are interesting local railroad circles.
In connection with this rumor comes
report that Attorney w. ]. Bartnett,
representing one, the Western Pacific,
and Il. H. Yard, the other known as
the Butte and Plumas Railroad. are
quietly dickering toward that end.
Yard, behind whom is said to be
heavily capitalized Philadelphia syn
dicate. was the first to begin opera
tiOns at Oroville and along the Feather
River and had made much progress in
his mysterious railroad project when
the other equally mysterious enterprise
started its surveyors at work to find
suitable outlet for line of tracks by
way Of the river. Both corporations
have been spending money literally in
the pursuit Of their respective objects,
but it has been conceded by practical
railroad builders that the Yard outfit
was making better headway up
through the state and gaining route
superior to that of the company that
has been operating parallel with it.
HURRIED EASTERN TRIPS.
It was announced some time ago
that the Western Pacific road would
leave the State by way Of the Beckwith
Pass. but hardly had this news been
given out before the surveyors Of the
company were discovered at Susanville.
bUsily surveying another way out of
the State. When they reached that
town the Yard men were already at
work. At no time has Yard admitted
that his road is any part of transcon-
tinental enterprise, his claim being that
he is building a local road, with the
timber tracts IN Northern California as
its ultimate destination. 1t is appar-
ent, however that the Western Pacific
people were inclined to be bit dubious
concerning his stated plans, for they
have endeavored in every possible man
neT to anticipate his movements. .
The first intimation that those who
have been watching the movements of
the two companies received Of any pos
sible combination between Bartnett
and Yard was about two weeks ago
Several weeks ago Bartnett left for the
East and shortly after a hurried sum
mons started Yard off in the same di-
rection. Whether the two men met in
New York or elsewhere in the East is
not known, but this much is: that
Yard returned three weeks ago as sud
denly as he left. Two days after his
return messages were sent north TO
botel men along the lines of the t%o
roads that a party Of Western Pacific
men were bound north and would need
accommodations for about twelve.
CONFERENCE FOLLOWS.
When this party arrived at the va
rious towns the people who had learned
TO regard the Western Pacific and
Butte and Plumas roads as rivals were
SURPRISED to discover H H. Yard at the
head of the party that was supposed
to be distinctively a Bartnett repre-
sentation Yard and Chief Engineer
Dillman of the Western Pacific made a
tour Of the entire length Of the Feather
River through which the two lines are
expected to extend and finally arrived
at SUsanville, where they held long
conference.
A few days after this trip had been
made the surveying parties of the
Western Pacific. which had been called
in for the winter, were suddenly or
dered out again and arrangements
made at Chico. Susanville and other
points for providing the men with pro-
visions for the balance of the winter
4 These mon are now working along Deer
. Creek Canyon, fact which is accepted
as an indication that a change in the
plans of the Western Pacific has been
made in so far as an outlet from the
4 State is concerned.
Now it is reported that the agents of
the Western Pacific, acting for Bart
nett in his absence, have been making
overtures to Yard, the basis Of which,
! it is said, is a proposition for trans
fer of his interests along the Feather
River to a point near Oroville or a
Joint agreement whereby the Western
: Pacific can use about sixty miles Of the
Butte and PIumas roadway in order to
make connections with Chico, Marys-
( vile and other points on the proposed
route of the road to San Francisco.
Rartnett is expected back in this city
in about two weeks and it is said that
he viii then take up these propositions
with Yard and definitely decide what
course Will be taken by his road in
; Northern California.