Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-05-03
HARTMAN IS
BEHIND ROAD
Is Backing North-Bank
Railway Down
Columbia


Portland. May s-The Evening Jour-
nal says:
"E. H. Hartman and his friends are
behind the Columbia Valley railway,
now being projected down the north
bank of the Columbia river. This has
been admitted for some time and Is a
matter of record in court cases at VAN
couver. There Is no attempt ey our
people to conceal the fact" said George
w. Stapleton. attorney for the Column
bia Valley and Wallula Pacific Railway
companies. "As to what will lie done
with the road after 1t is built I am
not informed. I have always had an
idea 1t would be used by the Mil
waukee."
Mr. Stapleton said the building Of
the Columbia Valley road was begun
early in the nineties, when a contest
was on between the Hill and Hartman
groups Of financiers and the Northern
Pacific for control of the Burlington.
Had the plans then made been carried
out the road would now be in opera
tion and Burlington trains would be
running over 1t into Portland. The
whole project was tied up by the re-
suit OF that contest. Hill won In Sc
curing the Burlington road and then
formed his Northern Securities COM
pany through which he also absorbed
the Northern Pacific.
At the time the Columbia Valleys
north bank lire was originally pro-
jected by Mr.. Gerlinger, Hill and Har-
riman were fighting on the same side,
to eliminate the Northern Pacific. The
Union Pacific bridge, started at Van
couver and the Portland & Puget
Sound railway from Portland to Port
Townsend. were parts Of the scheme.
BY the series Of compromises follow
ing the Northern Securities deal Hill
ultimately swallowed the entire map
north Of the Columbia river
Not the Usurpsrs.
| 1t has always been claimed by the
Hartman people that Hill did not out
wit them, but that they simply trusted
him too far and he took advantage Of
their confidence. Now. they say, he Is
trying to make it appear that they
are usurpers on the north bank, while
as matter OF history and fact they
were the first to begin construction
OF line there and were temporarily
defeated only by the Vaccinations Of
the Northern Securities company.
In the contest now going on between
right Of way men and construction
forces on the north bank, the Column
bia Valley company has expended
100000 OF the cash Of the Hartman
4 people and expects to spend great
deal more. Hartman will, It II said.
either build single track line Of road
from Wallula to Portland or force some
arrangement with the Hin people by
which a double track constructed by
the Hill companies may be jointly used
on some basis similar to that obtained
In the Riparia- Lewiston Grangeville
line.
/ AS shown by recently court
records, the history OF the Columbia
Valley company establishes Its Harri-
| man origin and ownership. 1t was orr
ganized by Henry F. Conner. George
4 w. stapleton and Louis Gerlinger. Of
the entire stock issue. It IL said. Mr..
Conner Of w. w. Cotton's office held
j all but three shares.
How Hartman Got In.
I Shortly after the company was In
corporated Mr.. Conner turned his stock
over to Alfred Decker. who at once
turned over the controlling interest In
the company to r. q. Reighley and J.
r. Boyle, partner and clerk in HART
man & Co, brokers. Of New York At
present Reighiey and Boyle, acting for
=. II. Hartman and the Standard OH
company, own all but three shares Of
the Columbia Valley company. These
remaining shares are owned BY + Ger
linger, president. and +. n. Rands. So
retary Of the company and rcorJe|
0erlinger.
The relationahip Of the Wallula Pa-l
cinc 10 tho north hank project \ vt
TO be positively determined. Il = be-.
lieyed to be the lGilwaulEee's joint m
terest in the construction and opera
| lion Of the line. About the. time tn
xilwaukee completed and adopted ~
survey 70 Wallula lGr. osrlinges. 49,
~ under instructions from = wsll
tmovn New Yosix nnanclsr. orgnnise4
go u.llula Pacific and ~ 81 poWek