The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1906-05-18

I stand for two railroads to cross their
farms
Then that same Pnl!man committee
went to the county commissioners and
did their best to find flaws in our fran.
chise. They failed 90 find single loop
hole and the only recourse they had was
to go back to Pullman and to declare
that we, who had invested our money in
an enterprise recognized as fully bene
ficlal to COlfax-whn had invested our
own money long before the Spokane &
Inland had been prOi9cted-who graded
and established right Of way-were at
tempting to play the dog in the manger
and demanding blackmai in order to
allow a line to go into Pullman.
LET me tell you this: We had the
right Of way into Pullman even to the
streets. We are going to build our road
Within ten days representatives of
financial companies will be here to
finance our enterprise. This bit Of
blaekmail within the city council will
not work. We have complied with all
the terms and conditions OF our fran
chise and if the city council does not re
consider that action we shall appeal to
the courts.
"Wilbur Yearsey asked US at one
time to go before the county commits
sioners and say that we would allow him
to run his trains over our right OF way
through the city of COlfax and up to the
Martin Madison road The county com
mlssiOners had refused him our right of
way across Spring fat because we had
it. 1t was under these conditions and
our consent that he was permitted a
franchise which is now claimed by the
Spokane i Inland company.
Il understand that Yearsley has been
thrown down completely. have heard
that the Graves people and the Spokane
Inland, having used Mr.. Yearsley and
having utilized all his influence in the
Palouse country, have dumped him out
and left him almost entirely without
representation.
Il understand farther that the so
called Spokane & Inland is not really
and directly a part of the so called
Graves system; that instead it is an
offspring OF the Great Northern railroad
and that eventually it will be utilized as
part of the steam railroad system Of
the Great Northern. OF course this will
be better for US in the PaIOuse country,
as the entrance of the Great Northern
will amount to more than the right of
way for the Spokane & Inland.
IF you need proof Of my assertion go
dOw7 to the construction camp, look at
the tools, the material and supplies
Everything is branded g. NJ Each
sub contractor will tell yon ali the sup
plies, material, all his labor, comes oyer
the Great Northern free of charge. Does
that mean anything?
II have letters in my pockets from
officials OF the Milwaukee asking If
under what conditions we will accept
assistance to make our line a feeder TOR
the Milwaukee system connecting with
that road at or near Riparia. We have
taken no action so far, although we in
tend to build to the river eventually.
Just now that proposition is held in
abeyance pending the definite action OF
the representatives who will be here
within the next ten days to finance the
construction contract.
"One thing is certain; we shall carry
this matter, the annuling of the fran
chise by the city council, into the courts
and we will be able to demonstrate that
this electric road will be of more positive
benefit TO Colfax than any of the big
projects which are drawing more sub
scriptiOn fees than will ever revert in
profits to this section of Whitman
county"