The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-11-15
OBJECT TO THE
SPECIAL TRAIN
WaiIa WaIIa Merchants Regis
Ter a Strong Protest.
EXCURSION TRAIN MEANS LOSS Of TRADE
Claim That the Oregon Railway and
Navigation Company Is Dis
eliminating Against Them.
EXCURSION TRAIN MEANS LOSS OF TRADE

A majority of the merchants of Walla
Walla are protesting strongly against
the installation of the weekly excur-
sion train that is to be inaugurated by
the Oregon Railway & Navigation
company between Walla Walla and
Pendleton. They deem the running of
the train as gross discrimination
against Walla Walla, and while they
desire to maintain the present friendly
relations existing between merchants
of Walla Walla and Pendleton, yet they
look upon this new train schedule as
unfair treatment.
At present a vast amount of trade
comes to Walla Walla from Milton,
Weston, Athena and other Umatilla
county towns, which are much nearer
to this city than they are to Pendleton.
The people Of those places have been
coming to Walla Walla on the passen-
ger train which reaches this city at
10: so every morning. After doing their
trading the customers then take the
afternoon train at 80 and return
home. This trade has been increasing
of late and gave promise of a much
larger increase this winter.
Under the new arrangement a con-
Siderable amount of this trade will be
diverted to Pendleton, and the Walla
Walla merchants will be the losers.
While they do not lay claim to all that
trade they feel that they are entitled
to a share of it. Taking this view of
the matter most of the Walla Walla
merchants believe that if the o. R. &
n. is to maintain the special excursion
train from Walla Walla to Pendleton,
that they should do as we'll by Walla
Walla and inaugurate a similar train
to leave Pendleton early in the morn
ing and return late in the evening.
What the Merchants Said.
A Statesman representative called on
number of the merchants today and
secured an Expression of opinion from
them regarding the new train arrange
ment.
w. p. Hooper, jr., manager of the
Motter- wheeler company was very
tins 1n toy,
and thought it would mean a great loss
to Walla Walla merchants. He
railroad company to make the ar
rangement to favor Pendleton solely
He said. 1.-The o. R. & ~ company
in order to retain the good will of the
Walla Walla merchants ought to show
no favoritism in this special excursion
rate, but should give the Walla Walla
merchants as fair a deal by giving
them a weekly excursion train from
PendletOn to Walla Walla.'
Fred w. Kaser of the Davis Kaiser
about the proposed excursion 81
think the O. r. & n. company is now
giving us poorer service than Pen
dletOn,' he said. IF there is to be
any improvement it ought to be in
favor of Walla Walla. People canno,
get in here now and do a days trad
ing and get out the same day; every
train usually gets in late in the day
and leaves early. Walla Walla has
been badly neglected all along and
this makes it worse
T. r. Eastman of the Schwabacher
company did not look with favor upon
the excursion. Mr.. Eastman said:
The proposed train will take business
from Walla Walla which ought natur-
ally to come here. 1 think the railroad
company is discriminating against
Walla Walla by running this train to
PendIeton.'
Howard L. Blackman, of Blackmar
Bros. thought the effect would be tC
hurt Walla Walla. He said: Il think
it will take much trade to Pendletor
which heretofore came to Walla Walla
That is what it was gotten up for
o. P. Jaycox, of the Chicago store
was strongly against the proposed
train. Il think it will help Pendleton,'
surely hurt Walla Walla If there is
to be any change it ought to be ar
ranged more conveniently for Walla
Walla. The railroads have always
given Pendleton the advantage. Walla
Walla is getting to be city now and
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