East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-07-17
BUILD TO WALL0WA
o. II. x y. SAYS ELGIN BRANCH
WILL BE EXTENDED.
Manager j. y. O'Brlen Says
81 Miles of Road Tapping the Rich
WaIlowa Valley VIII BE Built-Line
Will Follow Grand Ronde and Wal
Iowa Rivcrs-District Opened Up
VIII BE Richest in Oregon.

The Oregon Daily journal of Satur-
day evening gives the following inter
esting account of the official an
nouncement of the extensions of the
Elgin branch of the o. r. & n. to
Joseph, Wallowa county:
An extension of the Elgin branch Of
the o. r. & n. company to Joseph, in
Wallowa county is to be made imme-
diately The distance is 81 miles, ac-
cording to the survey, and the con-
structiOn will cost about $i,000,0O0
Official announcement of the COM
pany's decision to build was made to-
day by j. p. O'Brien, e-president
and general manager.
The Elgin branch now runs 90
miles from La Grande on the main
line, to Elgin, a town of about 700 in
habitants in the west part of Wallowa
county. The extension of-64 miles will
take a general course southeastward
penetrating the heart of Wallowa
county, a district embracing 1000
square miles, and with a present pop
ulation Of about 5000 people whose
principal occupation is farming.
1t is said that the opening of this
region to transportation facilities will
make it rival of the Willamette val
ley in the dairying business. The far
mers have been breeding fine cows
there for years. Native grasses grow
in great abundance and alfalfa
reaches perfection. The hills are cov-
cred with grass to their tops the val
leys are watered with streams from
the mountains, the soil is black and
rich.
About three years ago survey for
the extension now announced was
made by the o. r. & n. 1t follows the
Grand Ronde river north from Elgin
to its confluence with the Wallowa
river, then turns to the southeast and
runs along the Wallowa the entire dis
tance to Joseph. 1t is a water grade,
but the Wallowa is a swift stream and
the rise to its source at Joseph lake is
so to 100 feet to the mile.
The town of Wallowa, tapped by the
road, has 400 inhabitants, Lostine 800
and Enterprise, the county seat has
700. The town of Joseph, the termin-
us has 700 people. 1t is located a
mile from Joseph lake, clear body of
mountain water of great depth, four
miles in length and two miles wide.
Owing to the peculiarly favorable for
nation, this lake can, by use of few
plank, be so damned that its level can
be raised four feet. If needed for irri-
CATION, and the entire surroundin
country be irrigated with its waters.
A careful estimate by the railroad
officials has shown that there are in
the three main valleys to be tapped
approximately 10000 acres of farm
land, not including the hill lands,
which will figure up 5000 acres more.
The country is well settled, and the
people are prosperous.
Not much wheat is raised, although
the land is adapted to it and wheat
that has been grown is very heavy Its
remoteness from the market has made
it an Improbable industry. 1t is said
hogs are raised at cost of l IL
cents a pound. They are driven on
foot to Elgin to be shipped. There are
many other resources besides farming
in Wallowa county. Mineral wealth
is there, including granite deposits
and two mountains of marble.
1t is announced today that the O.
r. & n. has let contracts for construc-
tion of the line from Riparia to Lew
iston. Messrs. Erickson and Peterson
of San Francisco were awarded the
work. They are required to finish the
line by April 1, 1906.