The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1908-07-02
TRAFFIC DEAL FOR
SERVICE TO ELY
Western Pacific Expected to Use the
Nevada Northern South from
Shafter
From the Salt Lake Herald.)


There were whispers of strategic
movements in railroad circles yester-
day when S. w. Eccles, president of
the Nevada Northern railroad, of the
American Smelling and Refining COM
pany, of the Steptoe Valley Smelling
and Refining company, the Nevada
Consolidated Copper company, and Of
ieer and director in other Guggenheim
corporations, appeared unheralded in
Salt Lake with A. s. Hughes. general
traffic manager of the Rio Grande rail
road, and slipped away quietly few
hours later over the Western Pacific
ut is said that an understanding has
been reached between Mr.. Eccles, as
president of the Nevada Northern, and
the heads of the Western Pacific line,
which will result in the abandoning of
the proposed Western Pacific line to
Ely.
The Western Pacific, it is said, will
use the Northern Pacific tracks into
Ely from Shafter, the point at which
the two roads cross. Through trains
from Ely to Salt Lake will be run, it
is said. As this arrangement will in
clude both freight and passenger
trains, it will be of great advantage to
the Western Pacific in it's efforts 10
ha hot AL
and Ely
Hoped for Competition.
Before the Nevada Northern was
completed, nearly two years ago, the
business men of Ely were compelled
to pay high prices to freighters who
hauled their goods from the Southern
Pacific main line $50 miles away As
the railroad rates were considerably less
than those demanded by the freighters,
there was at first feeling of relief in
Ely over the reduction, but as the pio-.
neer merchants were gradually succeed
ed by business men who knew little of
the traffic burdens of freighter davs.
there were complaints Of the charges
of the Nevada Northern, and efforts
were made to induce the Western Pa
cific TO build competing line into the
copper camp from it's main line, which
passes through Nevada north of Ely.
A survey of the Western Pacif line
was made and from time to time there
were announcements from persons who
claimed to be in positions to know
that the work of construction would
begin, but this work was delayed for
some reason and now it is said that
the branch line will not be built.
In Ely, where there is struggle
between the residents of the old camp
and townsite company, the news that
the WYestern Pacific will use the Ne
vada Northern will probably bring
little joy.
The town of Ely, as settled by the
pioneer merchants and miners, lies at
the mouth of Robinson canyon. When
the mining property now controlled by
the Nevada Consolidated and the Cum
berland Ely copper companies was ac-
quired by the Guggenheim interests,
another townsite was established about
two miles below Ely at the edge of
Steptoe valley.
Traced to the 0uggenheims.
Much money and powerful interests
were back of the townsite. Persons
who owned property in the old town
of Ely asserted that the townsite CON-
pany was another Guggenheim enter
prise, and that it received the secret
and sometimes open assistance of the
other powerful Guggenheim corpora
tions. Among other things, it was
claimed that the Nevada Northern rail-
road, in building it's freight depot and
putting up its main passenger station
in the new townsite, had shown that
1T was not disposed to assist 'sold
Ely For that reason the Western
Pacific was looked to as possible
factor in favor of the old townsite in
its struggle against the rich and pow.
erful new townsite.
With Mr.. Eccles and Mr.. Hughes in
the trip over the Western Pacific wa
f, w. Hills, comptroller of the Ameri
can Smelling and Refining company.
An effort was made to keep seer
the appearance in Salt Lake of NJ
Eccles with the Rio Grande tiarie