Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-01-19
GRANTS PASS TO HAVE
ANOTHER RAIL ROAD
VIII Have Railroad To Illinois
valley With Branch up the
Applegate

definitely settled, yet it is certain that
it will cross Applegate river near Will
deryille and follow up Slate creek and
across the low divide. which with
1000 foot tunnel and be made ON
grade the heaviest not to exceed 1-l0.
Ter cent and that only for short
distance, to Clear creek, and down that
stream and Deer creek to the Illinois
river. The route would lie by Selma
and Kerby and at the forks of the IL
inois river il would branch, one road
going to the Takilma smelter and ON
to the Preston. ! eak copper district.
The other branch would go up the
right fork of the Illinois and across
the divide TO Smith river and thror gh
the rich mining and big timber belt to
Crescent City.
There is almost certainty that a
branch line will be begun this year
to leave the main line this side Of the
Applegate river and follow mp that
valley to the famous Blue Ledge cop
rer district and al,o tap the gold min
ing district of that valley and the big
body of timber that is ON the foothills
of the Siskiyou mountains. Within
another year it is quite likely that the
work will be begun Of extending a
lranoh line down Rogue river to the
Galice copper and gold mines and to
lower Rogue river where there is fine
coal prospects and large timber area
Another probable branch line would
be down the III nois river to the big
copper deposits oil that section.
For years this railroad project has
been under consideration by the citi-
1ens of Grants Pass and each year the
expectation was that some company
or capitalists would build the road.
This hore appeared but little more OF
being realized at the beginning of the
present year than at the opening OF
any previous year for "A decade past
With branch roads being built in every
section Of the Northwest, and the
neighboripg town of Mediord having
one branch road in profitable opera
tion, second road under course OF
construction to make tributay TO that
husting town the upper Rogue river
country and the Crater Lake tourist
traffic, and now taking up in an en-
ergeto manner the extending of the
Jacksonville railroad ON to the Apple
gate Valley, and eventually on TO the
Illinois Valley, that held 10 be the
special trade district OF Grants Pass,
the business men Of this city became
convinced that it was up to them t.
take up their railroad project and put
It into aotivity. This determination
led to the forming Of local company
and TO soliciting stock and securing
right of-way and terminal grounds
! for their proposed railroad. The com
mittee Of organization, composed o
r. G.. Smith, II. l. Gilkey, l.. l.
Jewell, II. G. Kinney and Judge J. o
Booth is making good progress in In
teresting capitalists, who are railroad
y builders to take,up the project and pu
in the road, In the meantime. not L
0 wait ON others, Il Is proposed 10 rails
not less than $50. coo in Grants Pas
and n liberal sum from mine and tim
her owners along the route Of the roa
7 and from the farmers and others VIII
Il will profit by the building OF this rail
& road The soliciting committee, whic
is composed Of II. l.. Gilkey. H. G
J. Kinney, Joseph Moss and Ed Lister
!, is having the most encouraging succe'
and with the close Of this week the
will have fully $50, 600 subscribed. q
70 the result Of their FIRST 10 days work
N The soliciting win be continued {
N raise Grants Pass $4,000 at the eai
= Hest date possible, after which th
committee will bring the matter
the attention Of those interested alon
the proposed routes Of the railroad.
). 1t is hoped TO have the right.of wa
and terminal grounds secured and q
.. money arranged for through the sale
stocks and bonds aud that by May IA
. tual work will have been begun {
. grading and by Fall the railroad vi
,, be- completed at least as far as Love
y, Station, 80 that during the Wint
months the tunnel through Hays b
divide can be completed Then q
following Spring the road viii
=, pushed through Illinois Valley TO &
rakilma and other copper mines al
On 10 the coast, As it rs practical
settled that big firm OF New Yo
on capitalists who are operating exte
VI sive copper mines in the United stat
90 and Mexico, are 20 purchase tho
10 nous Blue Ledge copper mines and G
w in a smelter this year that viii ma
m certain that the Applegute brauch Ii
40 will also De luilt at once
Grants Pass. now that beginni
has been made viii not stop until ID
lt the center fora s}stem of branch ste
and electric roads, such as has bg
ist u1 Spokane into one the big cities
in the Northwest, and has become a G
ia- of %, 600 population and the a tual ]
uli tropolis OF Southern Oregon, as is {
IL tain 20 be the ease within the next
es years
ice --------