Lewiston inter-state news. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1905-1906, 1905-06-02
Railway Program.
(Boise Statesman.)


Some very peculiar railway stories
emanate from New York. They are pc
culiar because of their manner of dear
ing with the geography and topog-
raphy of this northwestern country.
The Statesman had occasion a few
story. 1t now finds another bearing
on the same subject in the form of
a special to the Portland Oregonian.
This special says:
1.-THE Union Pacific and Northern
Pacific executive committees met sep
arately on Thursday and passed mo-
tons to prepare for building joint
line, from Huntington or such other
point on the Oregon Short Line as may
be chosen near Huntington to either
Culdesac or Clearwater on the North
ern Pacific. The entire new line will
be about $50 miles long and win be
built of IS pound rails and equipped
according to the Union Pacifc's speci-
fication, the total cost not to exceed
$4,000. 900, and work on the surveys
to begin Immediately. The surveys
made by both railroads in 1900 will be
abandoned in favor Of a line to follow
the Snake river closely"
TIE Oregonian CONSTITUTES that as an
announcement that a line is to be built
from Huntington to Lewiston, follow
river. A line from the south to Guide
sac would have to leave the Snake AT
come point. Yet the special states 1t
is proposed to keep as close as posi-
BILE to that river. The contradictions
are so confusing that it is dihicult to
piled.
1t has long been the belief OF most
observers that the Union Pacific would
eventually secure line down the
Snake over which it would have
water grade all the way to Portland.
been determined to construct such a
line as part of the present program of
extension.
That would make the continued ref
erences to line from Culdesac mean
ingless unless 1t be assumed it is the
intention to make a north and south
connection over another route-one by
which the great interior region could
be developed. A line following the
canyon Of the river would not con-
tribute much toward the development
of the country, as 1t would be too mac
cessible along the greater part Of the
way.
On the other hand. a line through
the higher country would tap many
rich regions and afford others trans
portation facilities with comparatively
short wagon hauls. With the p. & /.
n. at Pollock. to which it is to be con-
structed according to the informal ton
recently published in The Statesman.
and with the Northern Pacific at
Grangeville. or with line out through
the heart of the Nez Perez prairie from
Culdesac. there would be but a short
link to be built to connect the two sec
tons.
Such line as this, with branches
like that to Thunder Mountain pro-
posed by Mr.. Van Ripper and his asso-
ciates. would open up vast region.
The traffic from it could flow in either
Observation-Disclosures to the Northern
Pacific or southwark to the Short Line.
In addition to all the indications of
such purpose. it may be added that
The Statesman has received several in
n
speak advisedly, that the program does
involve such a connection between the
p. & I. n. and road from the north
That road will be purely for the de-
velopment of the country and accom-
mediation of the settlers and business
interests of the interior. since il would
not be suitable for heavy through
traffic.
w.. Ws1l D. C~As~c1