The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1903-10-20
ELECTRIC RAILROAD
TO CAMAS PRAIRIE
Judson Spofford, the Promoter and Walter
hoVey Hill. the Engineer. now in the City
scrptions

| uoNey tliIi, tne Engineer, now III inc otty
to Talk Plans and to Secure Stock Sub.
scriptions
Do the people of Lewiston want to
help promote the building of an electric
railroad from Lewiston to Camas prairie
| and reservation points? If they do, it is
up to them to say so, for the promoters
of the road are i'll the city and an incor-
corporation will be formed in few days
to carry out the plans.
Judson Spofford of Boise, capitalist
and promoter, and Walter Hovey Hill,
the well-known mining engineer, ar
rived in the city Sunday from trip to
Grangeville, Denver, Cottonwood, Nez-
perce and other towns along the route Of
the proposed electric road. They are en-
thusiastic over the project and have no
hesitancy in saying that the road will be
built.
Mr.. Spotford says concerning the mat
ter, "The country tapped by the proposed
road is marvellously productive. We
have driven practically over the whole
route and the wonder is why SO large
and fertile country has been without
transportation facilities all these years.
We find the people on Camas prairie and
on Nezperce prairie eager and willing to
lend every aid and assistance in their
power to further the building of such a
line. We are not asking the farmers and
merchants for a bonus or subsidy but
| merely giving them an opportunity to
take stock in the incorporation to help
with the preliminary work. We have
secured from the citizens of Grangeville,
Denver, Cottonwood and Nezperce $1,000.
and will want about that much more
from Lewiston.
Lewiston will be one of the chief bene-
fciaries of the road. One of the termin-
ais will be here and all the traffic of
Camas prairie and the reservation
country will be drawn to this point.
With this road built Lewiston will be the
commercial center of the richest territory
in the northwest. We will build direct
from Lewiston to Grangeville. a distance
OF rs miles, with branch line from some
point on Mason prairie to Nezperce tap
ping the reservation. All the traffic of
the upper country, amounting now to
1000 tons daily. will be brought to Lew
iston for reshipment on the railroads and
Lewiston will again be the supply point
for the whole interior country as it was
in the old stage days. 1t is big scheme
but have no hesitatancy in saying that
it will be easily financed and am conf
dent that within year the road will be
nearly ready for traffic operations -
Mr.. Hill has lived in Grangeville 10
years and has many times gone over the
engineering plans of such proposition.
The available power, Mr.. Hill says, will
be developed on the Clearwater about
five miles above Grangeville. The river
there falls 100 feet in mile and the en-
tire south fork, me 900 second feet,
will be fiumed mile and returned to the
river with las foot head where 5000
horsepower can be developed. Four
turbine wheels with direct connected
generators will create the electrical
power necessary for operating the
road. The road between terminals
will be about 10 niles but by
detour to make grades light 1t will be
about 100 miles in length with 20 mile
branch into the Nezperce country.
The elevation at Lewiston is TAO feet,
and at point near Woodside on Mason
prairie it is 4I5o. The climb from Lew
iston to the highest elevation is 34oo feet,
! and to make this distszce of 30 miles. the
road will build distance of 40 miles. 1t
will make distance TO cut the grades, and
at no point will have more than two
per cent grade.
The road will handle general freight
and passenger business. Heavy electric
motor engines will be put on to take care
of the freight, and modern motor cars
will be put on the passenger run. Mr..
Spofford's estimate is that it will take
fully $4,000. 900 to build and equip the
road. It is one of the greatest projects
on foot in Idaho today, where capital is
scarce to help in all kinds of develop
ment. Mr.. Spofford promoted and car.
ried Ito successful issue the big Boise
Payette light and power scheme and Is in
direct touch with eastern capitalists. He
speaks with confidence and assurances
with regard to the successful handling o
the lewiston Camas Prairie Electric
Road.
| Mr. Timing Visits City