The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-11-16
North Coast to Commerce at
WdIIa WaIIa and Seattle
MANY SURVEYORS ARE IN THE FIELD
Pacific Road Believed to be Part Of
MiIwaukee-North Coast Is Inde-
pendent Line.

Within so days the North Coast
railway will commence construction
on it's line from Walla Walla to Seat
tie. working from both ends.
This statement was made at Seat
+le Yesterday to the st-Intelligencer
by James Kerr. attorney for the North
Coast road. He also announced that
nearly all Of the necessary right of
way had been secured and that the
construction is to be rushed as rap
idly as possible.
The North Coast has had six parties
of engineers in the field for several
months, and according to the state
ment of Mr.. Kerr, the route has been
definitely determined across the
mountains. The company has already
secured franchises from the cities Of
Walla Walla and North Yakima,
and the only franchise matter pend
ing at this time is the one introduced
at the meeting of the Seattle city
council on Monday night.
North Coast Independent.
Some wise ones have been contend
ing all the time that the Pacific and
in fact. it has been stated that they
were one and the same company. but
were organized as separate corpora
tions for the purpose of securing the
rights -of-way in different sections of
the state. This, however has not
proven correct. BY good authority it
has been given out that there is no
connection between the North Coast
and the Pacific, or any other line now
building or contemplated. 1t is be-
lieved however. that the North Coast
is in a position to make terms with
some of the transcontinental lines that
are figuring on coming to the coast and
it was for that reason that engineers
were sent out from WaIla Walla to
investigate the possibility of securing
an easy pass through the Blue Noun
tains and coming down Mill creek into
this city AS the Gould system and
the Northwestern are known to be
figuring to reach the Pacific coast it
is hinted that the North Coast may
have in contemplation a connection
with one of these roads.
Complete Surveys.
When r. H. Strahorn, represent
ing the North Coast, applied for a
franchise from the Wa1la Walla city
council it was stated the interests be-
hind the North Coast had completed
surveys up to a point on the Snake
river outside this state. All that was
lacking, it was added, were the sur
veys and rights -of-way in Washing
ton.
Subsequently an effort was made to
show that the North Coast was an IN
dependent line organized to do busi-
ness with any system that needed an
outlet to the Sound country. Some
high railroad officials We're inclined
to treat the road as a paper corpora
tion acquiring something to sell.
These attitudes have changed and it
is stated positively that the North
Coast represents a new transcontinen-
tai system. The reasons for not an
the name of this system are
found in the three-cornered fight at
points and the hostility that
franchise applications. are arousing.
Seattle is expected to demand a clear
statement before granting the fran
chise asked for by the North Coast.
It is declared this statement will be
given and for the purposes OF gaining
time to close up important right-of-
way and engineering difficulties the
franchise will not be pushed before
the Seattle council committee next
week. But within two weeks it is
believed the question will be taken up
in a more definite form.
Many Surveyors in Field.
Working under the direction of w.
L. Darling, chief engineer of the Paci-
fic railway company, a corps of sur
veyors are now in the field in Yakima
and along the Columbia river
north Of Pasco. This party began Op-
erations several weeks ago, cOmmenc-
ing at Wallula. They ran lines up the
Columbia several miles and then they
struck across the sand hills, crossing
the Snake about four miles east of the
Northern Pacific bridge at Ainsworth.
A line was then run through Franklin
county, entering Pasco on the east
of the Northern Pacific, right of way.
They then went through that town
striking the Columbia about nine miles
north of Kennewick At this point it
is said the party was split up, one
gang going UP the Columbia in the di-
rection of Priest Rapids and the other
crossing the Columbia and striking
west. At last accounts one party was
in the Mckee valley while the other
was still working up the river.
Backed by Milwaukee.
Just what great transcontinental
system the Pacific is representing is