The San Francisco call., 1906-07-06
BUYS RAILROAD
IN STATE OF
oregon.
Spreckels Interests in Coos
County Now Controlled
by Hartman Corporation
OUTWITS ITS RIVALS
Coal Bunkers, Water Front
Lands and Town Lots also
Included in the Purchase

All the Spreckels interests In Coos
County, Oregon, have been acquired
by the Southern Pacific Company, a
deal involving several million dollars.
The property transferred by the sale
includes the Coos Bay, Roseburg and
Eastern Railway, which operates from
MarshfieId TO Myrtle Point and from
MarshfioId to Beaver Hill; coal lands,
town lots, water front property, coal
bunkers Mt Marshfeid and Coos Bay
and the steamers Breakwater and Gar
ina. The Southern Pacific Company will
extend the line TO Drain, Or, and there
connect with the main line running be-
tween Portland and San Francisco.
It is understood it is the intention
Of the Southern Pacific immediately
to begin work on the extension of the
railroad to Drain. and when COM
pleted II viii open vast areas of tim
ber and agricultural lands that are
now virgin.
For some time the property had
been under an option held by James
B. Smith, vice president and general
manager Of the Western Fuel Com
pany, who had several railroad inter
ests and was anxious to acquire the
property, but the Southern Pacific
managed TO get control of the situa-
ton and make the final purchase
PROPERTY OF MUCH VALUE.
Those who are familiar with the
road and its proposed extension de-
clare that the investment is excel
lent. 1t is quite difficult to estimate
the vast quantity of timber that will
be made available for market by the
extension of the road and it's connec-
tions with the main San Francisco
line. Surveys have been made for the
extension and, it is announced, work
will begin Immediately.
Included in the property are 11s1
town lots in Marshheld. $40 acres of
coal lands at Beaver Hill and 200
acres of coal lands on the Isthmus
Slough The railroad property at
present consists of twenty-nine miles
of track. roundhouses, stations, twenty
acres of terminal grounds at Marsh
field on the water front and consider
able machinery and rolling stock.
There are also stores. saloons and
dwelling houses included.
In Southern Oregon there is much
land that could not be developed in
the past for want of railroad facilities.
It is understood that the Southern Pa
cifc Company will now try to get such
necessary for much of this improve
ment Some of the timber to be made
available is of class which is getting
scarce in places where transportation
has been provided. This includes spars
for ships and finer kinds of lumber for
manufacturing purposes.
RAILROAD TO BE EXTENDED.
The branch Of the line running from
Marshheld to Beaver Hill. it is stated.
will be extended down the coast to
meet the Santa Fe at Eureka. 1t is
also stated unofficially that there is
an agreement between the Southern
Pacific andy the Santa Fe that Harri-
man shall not build south OF the
northern boundary of California, and
that the Santa Fe shall not be ex-
tended north of the California State
line
According to a statement recently
published in Portland. there is now a
survey of the Hartman lines, leaving
the Spreckels road near Beaverton and
following the Coquille River to the
head of the Coquille Marsh, where 1t
turns due south and passes within a
mile Of the town OF Bandon. 1t then
follows the old wagon. road to Port
oxford and hugs the shore line to Eu-
reka, with the exception of point at
Humbug Mountain, where it runs in
land around a promotory that raises
to an elevation of 1900 feet The cost
of this road has been estimated at
$50, 1000 a mile