Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-09-08
TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS
S. p. Company Will Spend a
Fortune on Line.

Extensive improvements, involving
the expenditure of a vast sum OF
money, are to be made in the South
ern Pacific lines in Oregon during
the next SIX months. The work has
already been inaugurated and 80
pound steel rails for so miles Of new
track, from Grants Psss north to West
Fork, are now being distributed.
There are 40 carloads Of these rails
now in Portland, en- route south, on
their way from Chicago rolling mills
to Grants Pass.
Eyes, this work will be com
menced at once" said James p.
o O'Brien, superintendent of the lines
Of the o. X. & n. and Southern
Pacific companies in Oregon. 1.-THE
Southern Pacific now has heavy rails
across the Siskiyou mountains and
as far north Grants Pass. The old
60-pound rails are being taken up,
and new rail, weighing so pounds
to the yard, is being put down. We
have today 40 cars OF the new rails
on hand. The intention is to con-
tinue improvements of the Southern
Pacific In this state. On the 80 miles
Of improvement just now commenced
the company will spend about $780,
OO0 "
Mr.. O'Brien declined to be inter.
viewed further upon the matter and
said he was not in a position to say
what the future plans OF the company
are regarding improvements north Of
West Fork. 1t is known, however,
shat large budget is under consid-
Grafton by the directory Of the road,
and not only that, but a big sum of
money is already in hand for the fur
ther improvement of the Oregon lines
under the direction Of General Mana.
ger Il. L. Calvin.
That spirit of progression has
taken hold of the Southern Pacific in
Oregon is apparent. There is a
marked change in the policy and a
disposition to spend liberal share of
the earnings of the road in making
its physical condition rank with that
of the first class railroads of the
country is admitted Under former
management, the road gained the
reputation of b ing non progressive
line. When Richard Koehler came to
Oregon years ago to take the manage
ment of the Oregon & California rail
way, he was the representative of the
contingent of German stockholders,
and as such was charged with the
duty of making the property pay divi.
dends with reasonable regularity and
in satisfactory amounts.
He was an economical and conser.
vative manager. While accomplish.
ing his mission in the main, il is
said, he did it at the expense of the
material progress Of the road. Since
his retirement and Manager Calvin's
succession, things are looking up for
the Oregon lines Of the Southern
Pacific as we'll as for the o. Il. &
n. improvements are not only com.
mened, but more are contemplated.
Portland's great feeder in the Will
annette valley, it is declared, is to be
placed in the front rank as modern
railway line. With extensive i'm.
provement of trakage will inevitably
follow better equipment and greater
facilities Of all kinds to meet the
growth of the country through which
the line passes.
Southern Oregon is coming to the
front with giant strides and is now
being recognized as exceedingly rich
in its vast and varied resources, in
cluding fruit, lumber and mining.
The most significant recognition of
this is the fact that the Southern
Pacific management has decided to
spend many hundreds of thousands of
dollars in making first-class rail.
way from the Siskiyou mountains to
Portland. Portland journal.