Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-25
Northern Pacific SWamped
with Shipments.
Product Accommodating at Dr.
tefent Points in Washington.
Railroad Facilities Are Entirely
Inadequate.

OPINION OF Peter flnnlSal, rOadmaSter
for the Lake Superior & Ishpeming
Railway, who is home after two months
spent on the Pacific coast, the great
boom experienced at Tacoma, Seattle
and other points in the State of Wash
ingtOn is certain to have Il reaction
airy effect until such time as more rail-
roads are built and better transporta-
ton facilities become available. Mr..
Firnigan went West to try and induce
the officials of the Northern Pacific to
move something over 100000 feet of
timber To be used i'll the repair of his
company's ore dock at Marquette. Mr..
Finnican was successful and already
more than sixty cars of the timber
have been received.
The Northern Pacific Railroad has
been STamped for Il Year or more past
and the conditions grow worse daily.
It would take three railroads like the
Northern Pacific, Mr.. Finnigan says. to
handle The business in the lumber
trade alone, aside from the enormous
traffic in other lines. The grain ship
mentS are very heavy, also, but they do
not compare with the demands from
the lumber industry. There are about
/ 200 sawInills III operation in Wash
ington alone.
The estimated capacity Of the mills
now is about 1900 ears. but Mr.. Finni-
gan says that the Northern Pacific is
unable to handle more than 400 cars,
which is the limited number that can
be put through the Cascade tunnel
every twcnty-four hours.
The 1900 mills are located within a
ban oil
are dependent upon the Northern
Pacific. The railway has 6S5 miles of
main line in the state and there are
775 miles of branch lines. 1t was re-
ported at Tacoma before Mr.. Finnigan
left that many of the mill owners and
operators, peSSimiStic at their absO-
lutte failure to secure needed cars, had
decided to close down their plants for
an indefinite time. They said that
there was absolutely no use trying to
operate their mills under the existing
conditions, as their lumber was ac-
cumulating, with no positive assur-
ance that they would be able to move
any quantity of it during the present
year.
Sidetracks everywhere are loaded
with cars. Three embargoes have
been placed on the car movement in
! the lumber industry alone during the
past six months, and the last one, de-
clared in February, is still in force.
| Mr.. Finnigan said that at one time
| during the winter there We're between
| 5000 and 1000 loaded cars standing
on the Sidin%s. There are now over
| $500 cars ready for movement. In one
instance it took 1O5 days for a car to
travel from Tacoma TO the Great
| Northorn's transfer point. And this
was not considered bad time. as there
are cars bloclIaded still that have been
| Icad.t, Tor several months.
The lumber industry has in some re-
giOns been almost completely democrat
! lied. ana at many points on the branch
/ lines the smaller operators would have
| been driven out Of business if the Lum-
| bermen's Association had not taken i
hand. The officers went to the railway
people and insisted that the smaller
dealers be given the square deal;
that they be given as many cars and
as prompt delivery as the big dealers
are receiving in proportion to the bust
| ness transacted. If it had not been
| for this operators would have lost
| ne1NllS, ana some 81 lHc s1ldllef loNlS
now depending entirely upon the lum-
Der industry, would have been killed
The officers Of the association are
| watching the movement of every car
| that passes over the system, and
| wherever it is thought that Il big deal
er is being favored over Il small one
| someone is brought to book.
Because of the great demands upon
it, much of the rolling stock has de-
| Perforated, naturally, and in many sec
| tons outward bound from Washingtor
the grades are SO heavy that the trains
cannot move on anything like fai,
| time. There is n SiXty-five- mile pul
from Tacoma to Lester over a grade 81
very nearly per cent, and there arc
many places where the grades are
heavier. The movement of cars i:
frequently hampcred by floods.
The relief sought will not be effected
for some few years at least, or unit
more railways are in operation. The
Mort ern Pacific expects to have its Co
lumbia River line finished in less thar
two years. 1t is said that the Grea
Northern is working in conjunction
with the Northern Pacific in the con
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