Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-07-13
TO BUILD COAST
LINE OF RAILROAD
Is Plan of Southern PAcific-Will
Give New Route From Port
land to San Francisco.

proof that they intend to build
branch line to their Portland and San
Francisco road that will leave the
main line at Drain and 60 down the
Umpqus river to near the mouth of
that stream and thence down the coast
by way of Marshfeld, Crescent City
and Eureka to San Francisco. A sur
vey for this route was completed last
year, but the records were burned in
the San Francisco fire this Spring and
now the Company is having the line
run over again. A large party of sur
veyors began work at Drain three
weeks ago setting grade stakes aud
other parties are being put in the
field on other sections Of the line. OF
work Of resurveying the line and set
ting grade stakes in Del Norte and
Curry county the Crescent City Rec
ord has the following to say: "a crew
Of II Southern Pacific railroad sur
veyors arrived on the steamer Del
Norte, Monday and Thursday they
left for Curry county to begin re-run.
ming lines southwark to the klamath
river in this county.
This crew will make re- survey of
about 30 miles north and south of the
State line, as all the papers pertaining
to the survey made last Summer were
destroyed in the San Francisco fire
last April. A portion OF the route in
the southwestern part Of this county
is very rough, being mountainous and
covered with dense growth of large
redwood trees.
"Another crew is engaged in running
lines in Coos and Curry counties. Ore
gon, to make connection with the line
through this county. The crew that
arrived here will proceed as far north
as Whales Head, in Curry county,
and from there go over the line south
erly as far south as the klamath river
in this county. Reports Of the work
done south of the klamath not having
been turned into headquarters before
the fire it will not be necessary to 60
over that portion Of the survey.
This coast route will be rather ex-
pensive to build owing to the great
number of bridges that: will be re-
quired across the numbers of rivers
and creeks that put tinto he ocean and
there will be large amount of cuts
and tunnels to be made to get
through the divides that separate the
valleys. The route though can be
made practically level with no heavy
grades, the heaviest being said not
to exceed one per cent.
Just what effect the opening of this
line to San Francisco will have on the
traffic of the main line through
Southern Oregon is matter that is
of concern to Grants Pass and the
other towns of this section. 1t is
quite certain that the heavy. through
freight trains will be sent over the
Coast route, and the novelty of riding
along for miles in sight of the ocean
will cause many persons to take that
route. The building Of this coast line
aud the giving of an outlet to Cres-
cent City and to the timber of Del
Norte county and the copper mines
of the Preston Peak district will be
serious handicap on the getting Of a
railroad built from Grants Pass 10
Crescent City or any point on the
cast. With nearby railroad along
the coast and a down hill haul from
the sawmill and mines for the branch
lines there wo uld be no likelihood OF
those interests aiding in the con
struction or of giving traffic to roads
to Grants Pass. The fact is Grants
Pass has neglected its opportunities
and let the time slip by for getting 1
railroad to the coast. Had the ven
turs been taken up with vigor ever
two or three years ago this city coult
have secured substantial inducements
to its coast railroad ventures from th'
trade that could have been had on it,
completion. Had the Spokane spiri
been manifested and when one pro
motion plan failed rustic around ant
try another the chances are that b,
this time construction work wuld a
least be begun on Grants Pass rail
road that is just now very uncer
tain matter.