Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1904-12-29
RAIL ROAD TALK.
One Who Claims To Know
Makes Emphatic Statement.

Eyes there will be railroad build
ing the comming year-the year
1905-and Lewiston will play a
considerable part in the great de.
velopments that will follow the con-
struction work. The general plan
for the construction is agreed upon;
in fact the details are agreed upon,
but the actual work must await
the decision in that famous merger
case, which, as you know, is ex.
pected daily"
This was the statement made
yesterday to Tribune reporter by
q gentleman, who is known to be
thoroughly posted On the railroad
situation in the northwest, and
who is particularly we'll informed
regarding the issues that have 40
long been denied this section of
Idaho reasonable transportation
facilities. The gentleman was
visitor in Lewiston Yesterday and
left during the afternoon for the
district east Of Lewiston.
II am not in the construction
department Of the railroads." con-
tinued the gentleman. "My work
is in connection with other matters,
but it is not divulging anything
that the railroads do not want
known when l state that more rail-
road is to be built to serve this
country. The necessity of this ad-
ditional road is understood more
impressively by the railroads than
it can possibly be understood by
the people, no matter how pressing
the people feel the necessity for
better facilities. This is due to
the fact that railroads are run on a
business basis-the years business
must show business returns
1t now costs the railroad an un,
reasonable amount of money to
handle the business of this coun-
try, and of course they know that
better than the people do. The
cost per ton of handling this busi-
ness is unreasonable, because the
business is hauled up hill instead
of down. The railroads under
stand that. There is only one way
to handle the business of this coun-
try and that is down the Snake
river on practically direct line tc
the coast. Under normal condition.
the tonnage goes to the coast and
the merchandise to supply the coun
try comes from the coast. A
child can see the logic of the shor
route and easy grades-the rout,
down the river. 1t is unnecessary
and. perhaps would be of no inter
est to review the causes that hav'
prevented the construction OF this
road. Every resident knows a
bout the big fight that resulted be
tween the two roads over this ter
itory. If there was something t.
fight for five or six years ago, on
can readily understand how mncl
more there is to fight for now
This country has been denied NOR
railroad building, not because tn
railroad companies didn't under
stand the business was here. bu
because they did understand tn
business was here, and neithe
would permit the other to mono
police it. But conditions hav
made it necessary that the countr
be served, and these condition
have forced the railroads to g
together. It is no exaggeratio
when l state that If the transpol
tation companies permit existir
conditions to continue anoth'
year, and if the business of tt
country increases during the yea
as it has the past, the situatic
will be an immense joke. In
the west there will be no such effo
at railroading. The Northe'
Pacific is now handling its busine
in the most awkward manner pO
sible-that railroad is followir
the fence around the farm to g
on the other side while the o. R.
N. is just nibbling at the rine
the orange. This is q crude we
Of explaining the situation, but
is true. Yes, I believe soon aft
the merger case is decided, al
this decision will come soon, the
will be plenty of railroad news
print. And l believe also tn
not only the line down Snake riv
from Lewiston will be built, b
that right along with it will con
line to serve the farming countl
all the way to Grangeville. Pr
bably the electric line project h
caused the railroads to hast
plans. ! don't know as to ths
but do know that if the road W
built on the survey Of the electl
line, no railway in the entire We
weuld handle more tonnage p
mile of road. That survey traver
es q country that is wonderful
every inch Of it. While there h
been periods Of apparent quietu
in railroads circles, I want to sta
that for a year past the matter
serving this country with me
.