The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-04-16
SUMPTEE
VALLEY
RAILROAD
TO be Pushed into the Green
horn During the Summer
VIII be Of Vast Benefit to
Eastern oregon


A recent letter from Sumpter says:
There is no doubt that the recent
purchase by the Sumpter Valley Rail.
road Company Of the remainder Of
he narrow guage rolling stock Of the
Oregon Short Line is for the purpose
Of equipping the road with material
for handling smelling ores Of this dis
trict. together with its other business
When the smelter building was
started here last year there was much
discussion OF the all.important item Of
transportation Of ores. In order TO
assist the smelter project. the Sump
ter Valley Railway Company agreed
TO build spurs into any of the mining
camps II enough traffic could be guar.
anted to make the project pay.
Among the points selected 10 be tap.
ped and those giving the greatest as.
surance of supplying large amounts
of ore, were the Cracker Creek Cable
Cove. Greenhorn and Quartzburg dis.
tricts. It has been conceded that
these sections alone will supply n snf.
fcient quantity OF ore TO keep The
smelter running to It's full capacity.
II this Is found to be true. and Il
turns out that the present capacity
OF the smelter is not sufficient to-
handle the ores OF the entire sumpter
district II can easily be increased
from l5O TO 400 tons daily. When it
Is considered what an amount OF ore
will have to be handled in a year nj
that much should be required daily.
Il is quite evident that the present ca
pacity OF the railway transporting
these ores will have 10 be increased
also in comparison.
Not only will the Sumptcr Valley
railroad handle the smelling ores. but
the Sumpter Lumber company. when
its large new plant is completed. win
have an immense amount OF building
material TO ship out. This business.
alone. with the handling Of logs for
the Oregon Lumber Company at
Baker City. means an increased trafic
requiring an increased amount OF roll
ing stock.
The extension OF the main line OF
the Sumpter Valley railroad from
whitney into the Greenhorn section
Is undoubtedly for the purpose OF tap
ping a large timber belt as well as
getting In close touch with the mines
that will ship smelling ores This ex
tension will be ~ miles from Whitney
to the terminus toward Susanvi,le.
This will lessen by several miles the
wagon haul from the Quartzburg
mining district and will also material
ly reduce the price Of delivery Of the
ores.
What the ultimate intention OF the
railway company is In regard 20 furth.
er extension OF the road cannot be
learned. but Il can be banked upon
that the advantages TO be gained by
building into the John Day country
will not be lost sight Of From the
course already pursued. IL is safe 70
assume that the railway people will
tap that section at the earliest oppor
tunity and finally branch on toward
the southern part OF the state. taking
In the town OF Burns. The only re
gret In this connection is the caliber
OF the road The resources OF the
country through which IL runs are too
great for a narrow guage line, No sec
ton OF the state promises a greater
shipment OF products than the eastern
part OF Oregon. Every facility pos
sible should be supplied for the hand.
ling OF this immense trafhc. Il win
only be few years until this will grow
far beyond the capabilities OF mar
row guage line. when the question OF
transfer OF freight from such a road
TO the broad guage lines Is taken into
consideration. There is every pros
pect though, when these conditions
are reached, that the Sumpter Valley
Railway Company will do as the Or
egon Short Line has done In Utah. and
that is increase its road 10 a broad
gauge