The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-10-09
iocATIoN OF GRANGEVlLLE
BRANCH CAUSING ALL
THE TROUBLE.
q. r. e. N, Protests Against Route
Selected by N. p. Engineers
Wants River Route.

II is now apparent that an issue
has arisen between the Northern Pa
cific and the o. R. & N. regarding
the location of the Grangeville branch
which is to be owned jointly by the
roads in connection with the JOINT
road down the Snake river from Lew
iston which is now being constructed
saws the Lewiston Tribune.
For the past two and one-hal1
months, N. P. surveyors have been
engaged in running lines for the
Grangeville branch and a few days
ago it was announced route out OF
CulJesac and extending across the
Nezperce and Camas prairles TO
Grangeville had been finally selected
by the N. P. This line runs near lilo
and passing about ten miles south OF
Nesperce goes through Cottonwood TO
Grangeville. Entrance out of Guide
sac, according to this survey, is Sc
cured by way of Rock creek.
OR. g. N. Protests.
On Wednesday Engineer Chase and
Livestock Agent Mills, of the Q. r.
& N. arrived in Lewiston and on
Thursday left the city accompanied by
Division Engineer Croswell, who has
been directing the surveys of the
branch for the N. P. At Spaldlng
the party were met by Chief Engineer
Pearson, of the Northern Pacific, and
in the latter's private car went to
Cu1desac from which point they be-
gan an inspection of the line as SUR
yeyed. 1t was known that the in
spection was to be an important one,
but not until yesterday was it learned
that the o. R. & N, in effect, had
made a protest against the route as
preferred by the N. p, Engineer
Chase having previously gone over
the line. and that the present trip of
the representatives Of both compan-
les is for the purpose of reaching an
adjustment of the matter if possible
by the engineers without passing the
matter up to the higher authorities
of the company.
Want Little Canyon Route.
1t seems that the o. r. & N. has
at all times contended that the Little
Canyon route secured by that COM
pany several years ago during the
railroad war, is the best route to the
prairie and the one that should logi-
cally be adopted for the joint road,
with a branch line from some point
near Mohler to serve large section
of the prairie country and Craig
mountain. The N. P. made the sur
vey out of Culdesac with the view of
having one line, without stub, serve
the country. Then, according to the
best advices obtainable regarding the
situation, the o. r. & N. asked that
if the branch is to be built out Of
Culdesac it should run lower down on
the prairie than the present survey,
thus giving the joint road tonnage
that would otherwise go to the Clear
water line over the tramways. 1t is
stated in this connection that the o. r.
& n will be favorable to a route that
would run about five to six miles
closer to the river than the present
survey. otherwise that the Little Can
yon route with a stub line would give
the country the best possible service
the object that both roads is seeking.
1t is these matters that are now the
object of the present visit of the en-
gineers to the prairie region. How
ever, full data has been secured re-
garding the various routes and it is
not believed further surveying will be
necessary. 1t is a matter to be settled
by the engineers on data now in hand
or by the higher authorities of the
road if the engineers cannot agree.
The engineers made the trip from
Ilo to Cottonwood Sunday. At the
latter point, they separated, Pearson
and Crosswell going to Grangeville
and Chase and Mills to Neezperce.