The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1903-04-03
JIM HILL WANTS THE p. & |. N.
Railroad Rumor from Boise TO that Effect -
II Hill Gets 1t the Rord Will Be Built Along
Snake River

" 49, - NV '\''N ~
| Snake RIVER
Au important piece of railroad news
from the Capital News telling of the pro-
posed plans of James J. Hill for the pur-
chase of the P. & l. n. and making it
part of the system connecting his north
ern lines with direct rout' from Spokane
to San Francisco This, coming on the
heels of news from the contractors that
there would be forty miles more built on
All extension of the P. & l. N. this sum-
mer. gives color to the story. Following
is the News report:
Those who are keeping close tab on
western railway construction think they
see i'll the latest move of James J. Hill
| line running from San Francisco to Spo-
kane. While it is not certain that the
proposed lire will touch Boise, they it is
sure to pass through the state, probably
along the Snake river.
| There has been considerable specua-
tion as to who was behind the Western
/ Pacific, road that it has been generally
believed would run from San Francisco
to Salt Lake, but men who are familiar
with the situation say that this is an im-
probability as there is now sufficient
trackage for all the business between
those cities. That the company behind
the project mean business is evidenced by
the fact that several million dollars have
been speut in the Bay city in securing
terminals and wharfage facilities. So far
the men who are behind this work have
remained in the dark and have left the
people to conjecture what the final out
come of it meant.
A rumor was current in Boise yesterday
that Mr.. Hill had secured an option on
the Pacific and Idaho Northern railway,
commonly called the "Pin" road. This
road now runs from Weiser to Council.
The conclusion reached by those familiar
with the situation is that Mr.. Hill will
use it as connecting link for lire con-
Meeting the Great Northern with San
! Francisco.
There has also been considerable talk
the past year or two about making Hum
boldt bay shipping point for the oriental
counties, and much money has been
spent in improving the harbor, which is
one of the finest on the Pacific coast.
! The men who are behind this work have
! not vet taken the public into their conf
dence bu. the logical conclusion is that it
is some railroad c. mpaHy not at present
! having entrance to the California coast.
! And most prominent among those is
James j. Hill.
If Mr.. Hill has secured control of the
Pin road, as rumor has it he has, it re-
quires no stretch of the imagination to
figure ont the result. The Western Pa
cifc is to run from San Francisco along
the coast to Humboldt bay, and from
there in direct line to Weiser to connect
with the Pin to Council. From this
point the road would naturally follow the
course of the Snake river into Spokane
where it would connect with Mr.. Hills
Great Northern.
Mr. Hill makes no secret of the fact
that he wants an entrance into Califor-
MIA seaport town. 1t is known that a
party of surve, ors has be- at work for
several months from San Francisco north
but the same mystery surrounds them
that has surrounded all the other work.
Mr. Hill is not given to taking the public
into his confidence when he has an end
to accomplish, especially when he covets
territoryoccupied by rivah
If the story should prove true that the
Great Northern magnate has secured an
option on the Pin, then all doubts as to
future movements should be removed.
II would mean that north and south
road will pass through the western part
of the state. While it would be much
more preferable to our citizens to have it
come to Boise, yet it would be of incalcu-
liable benefit to the city. The proposed
electric railway TO Payeite would give
Boise good connection with it and relieve
it from the grasp of The present monop-
oily.
1t is expected that there will be further
developments in the matter within the
next lew weeks. The men here who are
financially interested IN the Pin road are
anxiously awaiting every move and have
strong hopes that their dreams of a north
and south road passing through this sec
ton will soon be a reality.