The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-12-27
new ROAD FOR
INLAND EMPIRE
PRIEST RAPIDS RAILWAY TO BE
OPERATED By ELEc-
TRICKY.


Rapids railway company's line, con-
sidered one of the greatest projects
ever attempted in eastern Washington
will begin early next spring. The road
proper will be operated by electricity
and will extend from the Waterville
districts to Kennewick. Several OF
Walla Walla's capitalists who are in
| terested in the road are of the opinion
that a movement is now on foot to
connect the proposed line with Walla
Walla, making this city the terminus,
From a reliable source it is learned
that the Washington Oregon Traction
company is interested in the Priest
River undertaking and that the two
railways will eventually merge into one
system. Local stockholders of the
Washing ton- Oregon Traction company
will not concede that this plan is UNI
der contemplation.
Big Plant to Furnish Power.
| The Priest River railway will be OPP
Grated by electricity furnished by the
big power plant now building on the
west bank of the Columbia, seven miles
above the proposed crossing of the
North Coast and 25 miles below the
Milwaukee crossing at West Beverly.
The power plant which is owned by
| the Hanford Irrigation company, in
which the Hover Schiffner company
was formerly Interested, will generate
| 10000 horse power, part of which Will
be used for supply water for the new
irrigation project A contract running
80 years has been signed with the
Priest Rapids railway to furnish power
for the road.
| The new electric railway will con-
meet with the Northern Pacific. the
kee & ST. Paul, the North Coast, and
the Portland & Seattle. 1t will be 1876
miles in length when completed. 1t will
run up the Columbia river from Ker.-
crossing the river at Priest Rapids
and extend to the Waterville country,
tapping the wheat lands of Douglas
county, and in time, will become the
principal north and south commercial
artery of the state.
To Feed Big Lines.
Built principally as feeder for the
ftranscontinental lines, the new road
Twill be equipped to handle standard
freight cars. An order has been placed
for electric locomotives having $50
horsepower each. One locomotive will
Ihaul 20 ordinary freight cars on the
easy grade, which is found the entire
length of the survey.
With the Milwaukee railroad con-
Injection. the Hanford irrigation district
will be 10 miles from Puget sound.
The distance by the present route is
2S5 miles from Seattle. Numerous spurs
and side tracks will be- built so that
1.-THE farmers will have a short haul to
shipping points.
The surveys of the proposed line
have been completed and filed in the
United States lard office. Important
stretches of right way have been
secured, so that construction work may
begin within a short time. The Off
GERS of the company are: W. r. Rust,
president; NJ. B. Haynes, vice-presi-
dent; E. H. Kuie, secretary; H. K.
IOwens, chief engineer.
New Irrigation District.
Within 60 days the Hanford Irriga-
ltion & Power company's plant at Priest
Rapids will be finished. The power
lcanal will be done within a week.
Tnirty-two thousand acres of land
lcapable of becoming valuable farm
land under irrigation will be reclaimed
labout the new town of Hanford The
electric current generated at Priest
rapids will be conveyed II miles down
the Columbia river. where a pumping
station will be installed to lift the
water for the land. OF this area it is
proposed to have 10000 acres under
irrigation next spring. so that crops
will be raised next year