Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1903-12-26
BEGIN
WORK
SOON
Important Improve
mentS for Klamath
Lake R. R.
Harvey Lindley. New Pres
Of The klamath Rail-
road Will Push I'm
prOYementS

The San Francisco Call, Of Dec
says: Important improvements are
being planned on the Klamath Lake
railroad, stretch of rail in Northern
California, which connects the town
of Laird, in this state, with Pokegama
Ore The road is now controlled by
Harvey Lindley, formerly of Los
Angeles, but now of Klamathon
He is now at the Palace Hotel, hav.
ing just returned from the north,
where a deal was effected last week
with George Mason, former president
of the railroad company, whereby the
latter's interest in the corporation was
transferred to Lindley. The transfer
of stock was followed by a meeting of
the directors of the klamath Lake
Railroad company, who received the
resignation Of Mason as president and
elected Lindley in his stead.
The company is now operating
thirty miles Of road between -.e
points mentioned above but the plan
is to extend the line over klamath
lake, distance of thirty-two miles.
President Lindley stated yesterday
that the route the new extension is
to run has already been surveyed
and construction work will be inaugu.
rated early during the coming year.
He has been negotiating for the pur-
chase of several new engines and
other rolling stock. The road at pres
ent runs through one of the richest
timber tracts lying in the two states
and the extension is contemplated TO
tap very rich district, as yet only
partly developed.
From the above and other reliable
sources it appears that the Klamath
Lake railroad will surely be extended
as far as klamath Falls next season.
That will place Lakeview within 100
miles OF a standard gauge railroad,
by travelling the present stage road
BY building a new wagon road on a
direct line from Lakeview to Klamath
Falls the distance will be reduced TO
75 or so miles. We have been In
formed that a good wagon road and
one that would cross bet few hills
could be constructed over this route
with but small expense This the two
counties of klamath and Lake will
no doubt cheerfully incur for the mu-
tual benefit OF each. When the rail
road reaches the Falls a great amount
II not all the freighting business in
the vicinity of Lakeview will be di.
verted to that line instead Of the mar
row gauge road whose terminus is
now Madeline, Cali. 95 miles south
Of Lakeyisw. At present no less than
5000, GOO pounds of freight Is shipped
into Lake county over this narrow
gauge road, and fully 1900, 900 pounds
OF wool are annually shipped from IN =
county over the same road. In ad,
dition to this there are thousands OF
horses, sheep, and cattle shipped out
each season. When one considers
that the freight rates from here to
San Francisco by the present line7
OF transportation arc unr.a 5onahly
high, and that much delay Is cahsed
at Reno by transferring freight from
a standard gauge TO a narrow gauge
road, and that we are compelled TO
trade exclusively with San Francisco
instead Of Portland where many OF
our merchants claim they can get |
much better bargains. he will realize
that the N. G. o. Ry.. will have to
build on this way considerably and !
that pretty quick, il it expects to hold
this trade.
Lake county is about rs miles In |
width from east to west and about |
li0 miles long from north to south
She has many thousands OF acres OF
good vacant government land that |
only requires small outlay to make
Il remunerative. The present popu-
lation is about 5000. one-third OF which
reside at Lakeview. the county seat
the population nor the pro
iuets OF the county will be materially
increased until a railroad reaches us
lr at least gets much nearer than II
s. Let the railroad come and a large
percent OF Lake county people will
live II hearty reception.
Elsewhere In this issue viii be
ound lengthy article clipped from
ne morning oregonian setting out
'mOng other things the benefits Port
and win derive from the proposed
,xtension OF the Columbia Southern.
this road Is extended the fun 400
niles Il win then be $50 miles from
akaVlRev and fha Great hslIk ~ fha