The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1906-04-05
ELECTRIC ROAD
TO MOUNT HOOD

That Hood River will have a electric
railroad in the not very far future is
now an assured fact. RumOrs that the
Mt. Hood Railroad would be electri-
fed have been In circulation for some
time. The immense poser plant at
the mill Of the Mt. Hood Lumber com
pany with a capacity Of more than 2, >
600 horse power, only a little more
than half of which will be necessary
to operate the mill have led many to
believe that it would be utilized in
providing power for operating an cleo
trio railroad. In order to ascertain
if these rumors we're correct the Gla-
cier man had talk with W. II. Eccles
President of the Mt. Hood Railroad
company. When questioned about
the proposed new road up the west
side of the valley to Mt. Hood Mr..
Eccles said 81 presume you refer to
the very recent proposition, which |,
have understood has been'made people
in that vicinity.viz; an electric road.
/ know but little about this, not
enough in fact to discuss 1t intelli-
gently" "But," he continued our
position, relative to the development
Of that part Of Hood River Valley,
which, means the extension Of our
present line Of road from Dee, on up
as far as it is practical to go ID the
same as it was, year ago, when we
assured a committee OF representative
men from that district that as soon as
we had completed the road we had un.
der way at that time, we wouIi then
be ready to take care of them.
"That time Is now about at han d
as within a very few days We will have
the roadbed completed and regular
trains will be put on. We anticipate,
however, light business with the road
until our mill is in operation. Build
ing a railroad, even as short as ours Is,
we have found, quite a job. 1t takes
time and money and plenty Of it.
Surely it Is not necessary for me to
say anything in connection with cleo
trifying our road as 1t is matter that
all understand and think realize.
We had this In mind from the begin
ming. We're we disposed to keep this
from the public ! do not quite see how
we could do 1t, you have seen the i'm
mense power plant at Dee including
the most modern electrical machinery
that can be found on this coast piled
up there all ready to be installed. We
will generate ample power to handle
our mill and road, all Of which power
Is in the immediate vicinity of Mt.
Hood.
"Months ago, we advised privately
one OF the parties that we understand
at this time is advocating an electrical
road, of our intentions. Going so far
as TO indicate that when business
would justify it, and perhaps before,
that other parts of the valley would
be covered by a line thai would run
north and south in the vicinity of
Odell.
1T has been no secret, that IL was
our intention to develop this territory
as far az it was possible for US to do 30
and | think that you must agree with
me, that, we have been continuously
at il In the face Of many obstacles. -
The distance to be tIaversed between
the end of the Mt. Hood Railroad as
now completed and the Mt. Hood post
office Is not over or miles in di-
rect line and by electrifying the line
many grades that could not be trav-
ersed by steam road could be gotten
over by an electric line. The pushing
through of the extension of the road
when once begun would be matter
of comparatively short time. Ii is
said that the Mt. Hood company will
not ask any assistance of the residents
of the Mt Hood country other than
tnat they meet it half way in provid-
ing land for right of way. These
IL is said would undoubt-
edly be met with favorable considera-
ton by the owners of property at Mt.
Hood.