The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-09-18
OkANOGAN ROADS WILL
ILL
Be Bull
Great Northern ana Union Pacific,
Surveys Nearly 0one.

ScattIa.-Annou1cement is made
from he general Offices OF the Great
Northern that next spring work viii
be started on the construction OF a
branch line from Wenarcnee, OF the
main line, 10 The town Of Republic.
The surveys for this road has bae-
Finished within the past thirt~ daEs
and bids Will be called for before the
end or the year.
TIE determination to build this
road within the coming year was
probably brought about b. the ac-iE-
ty Of the Bellilgham Bav & British
Columbia line in its survey from
Maple Falls, the present eastern ter
minus Of the shore line, through the
OkanOgan country 10 Spokane. This
company during all the past summer
has had engineers in the field, and
they are now ready to report the com
pIetion Of the greater part OF their
work. Such surveys as are not COM
pleled this fall viii be finished early
in the spring and about the time the
Great Northern starts its OEan08an
country branch the Bellingham Bay
& British Columbia will have a con
struction force in the field.
The race will then be for the con
troll of d vast amount Of rich Wash
ingtOn territory, which in the past
has not been accommodated by any
line Of railroad.
The Belligham Bay & British Co
lumbia line, leaving Maple Falls, is
10 pass through the Mount Baker and
Slate creek countries into the MethOv
valley. following the MethOW river 10
Pateros; thence along the banks O.
the Columbia river through the north
ern part Of the wheat belt into Sp0
kane.
Ever since the survey was started
there has been much speculation as
TO what forces were back Of the coast
shore line No longer is there any
secret made by the Union Pacific sys-
tenn that the new road through Wash
ingtOn belongs to it. From the Union
Pacific offices at Omaha comes the an
n0uncement that the Bellingham Bay
& British Columbia road, when fir
isned through as far as Spokane, will
make a connection there with the
tracks CT the Oregon Railroad & Nav
igation company, which is a part Of
the Union Pacific system.
In this connection it is officially an
nounced that with the clearing OF the
snow from the ground next spring
the Bellingham Bay road will begin
construction work from the Spokane
end and rush it through to the Meth
ow valley. This will give the Union
Pacific an entrance to the rich wheat
fields OF Northwestern Washington.
Later on the line Will be continued
westward to Maple Falls, which viii
furnish the Union Pacific an outlet o.
Puget Sound.
In local railroad circles the opinion
is expressed that from Whatcom, the
present terminus Of the BellinghaT
Bay G British Columbia, line will
be built into Seattle which Will put The
Union Pacific system into this city.
AS yet there has been nothing offic
tally given out to base such an Opin-
ion on, but it is reasonable to believe
that the Union Pacific, after reaching
the north coast, would seek a teTmi-
nal at the principal center.
The two lines when constructed
will cover a rich field, to the present
time undeyelOped in other than the
strictly agricultural districts, by rea
son Of lack Of transportation. In the
mineral districts there are vast
number Of mines awaiting the will Of
the railroads before development
work is pushed and from this natural
wealth much business will be fur
nishei the roads.