The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1905-09-15
ON THE NORTH BANK
STEEL RAILS FROM wALLULA
WEST TO PORTLAND.
Northern Pacific and 0. q. & N. In a
Battle Royal for Right Of Way
Down the Columbia.

What promises to be the greatest
railroad war in the history of the
Northwest and which will to large
extent revolutionize the transporta-
tion facilities of certain portions of
the Inland Empire, has commenced.
Both companies are now after the
right of way down the north bank of
the Columbia from Waliula to Port
land. Concerning the coming war
the Portland Journal says:
1.-THE Portland & Seattle Railroad
company is not doing any talking
it is letting its actions speak for it.
can say this much, however, that
construction work is actually under
way, and several camps are in the
field, on line of railroad to be built
Immediately from Vancouver along
the north bank of the Columbia
river" said the president, j. Couch
Flanders, today. This is the first
Official statement that has been made
by any person qualified to speak con-
cerning the great railroad movement
that has been entered upon between
Portland and Wallula.
There is no longer the slightest
room for doubt that the greatest rail
road war in the history of the states
of Oregon and Washington is begun.
1t is still denied that the Portland
q Seattle is auxiliary of the North
ern Pacific, but this denial is taken
for what it is worth--a statement re-
quired by the exigencies of the situa-
tion. The gist Of the matter is said to
be that the Portland & Seattle, incor-
porated by the Northern Pacific COM
pany to build line from Portland to
Wllaula and complete direct line for
the Northern Pacific from Portland to
Spokane, has actually begun construc-
tion work on this line, and the Wal
lula Pacific. an Oregon Railroad &
Navigation company organization,
is bending its energies to prevent or
delay this work, as such line would
completely destroy the present Harri-
man monopoly of this territory.
3 Completion Of line of railroad on
the north bank of the Columbia, Civ
ing the Northern Pacific direct route
between Portland and st. Paul,
would Immediately change the entire
traffic situation in the Pacific North
west, and bring an immense increase
of business via the Northern Pacific
through the Portland gateway.
This week there will probably be
further official statements made, and
the public will have the satisfaction
of hearing from those qualified to
speak with authority what is in store
for Portland as a result of the active
movement by railroad surveyors and
construction gangs along the north
bank of the Columbia.
Several carloads of grading equip
ment, including scrapers, wagons and
horses, were taken from cars at Van
couver and carried by boat to various
points along the north bank of the
Columbia between Vancouver and the
Cascades. The boats of the Regulator
line are active in the transportation of
these supplies, and this fact is taken
as confirmation of the published state
ment that the NoiShern Pacific and
Great Northern railroad people were
the real purchasers of the Columbia
Railroad & Navigation company lines
bought some months ago by Will
mington, Delaware, banker.
The main trouble confronting the
north bank undertaking is scarcity
of workmen. There is an enormous
demand for laborers at this time in
railroad construction and other work
in the Pacific Northwest. 1t is said
that every large piece of work now
under way by the Hartman lines is
suffering for lack of men.
The Portland & Seattle is bringing
men from the sound, and the grading
equipment is coming from the same
quarter. There is large amount Of
giant powder in the shipment of
materials, and it is said much of the
immediate construction work will be
III the removal of basaltic obstruc-
tions along the north bank, particu-
larly at Cape Horn. 1t is estimated
that the entire cost of construction OF
the rail line from Vancouver to Wal
lula will be about $12, 100000 There
are heavier obstacles to be overcome
on the north bank thanawere found in
construction of the 0. R. & N. line on
the opposite shore
1t is said the line can be built in a
little over a years time
In all of the fights Of the past 10
years between the Northern Pacific
and the o. R. g. N. there has not,
it is said, been shown the same de-
termined and bitter spirit that is now
in evidence. In former tussles for
rights OF way it was the custom OF
both companies to secure limited OPP
tions at nominal cost on the lands
they desired. In the present struggle
the companies are buying large tracts
of land outright, paying cash and Sc
curing deeds.