Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-07-10
Is Proposed by G. C. Col
lins of Seattle.
HERE TO MAKE A SURVEY
Matter Taken Up bv CONNER
cial Club and the County
Commissioners.

Glenville E. Collins, an experienced
railroad engineer of Seattle, backed
BY New York and Los Angeles capital,
arrived in the city last Friday with
his family and has taken up perma.
nent quarters here for the purpose of
thoroughly investigating the feasibil-
ity of an electric railroad from Grants
Pass into the Illinois valley, about
25 miles southwest of this city.
Mr.. Collins was her some weeks ago
at which time he was much impressed
with the proposition and stated that
he would return to go over the ground
carefully. A meeting of the execu-
tive committee Of the Commercial
club was called Wednesday afternoon
to discus the project with Mr.. Collins.
In striking contrast with most rail.
road and other development and pro-
motion enterprises, Mr.. Collins askes
for no pecuniary bonus or other ma
terial consideration to aid in building
the road. The principal thing
which he desires at this time is the
good will and moral support of the
people Of Grants Pass and Josephine
county.
!. AS result OF the club meeting
committee of five, consisting of o.
S. Blanchard, G. Il. Durham, H.
@. Kinney, l.. B. Hall and Secretary
q. L. Andrews, was appointed to con-
fer with the county commissioners
who were in adjourned session yes
terday for the purpose--ve cifiississ'
such assurance from the county board
as would justify Mr.. Collins in be-
ginning at once the work of pre-.
liminary survey of the proposed
route.
The committee met with the county
commissioners yesterday morning as
per arrangement, when the committee
and Mr.. Collins presented his electric
road project to the board, during
which Mr.. Collins stated that all he
desired at this time was the assurance
of the county board that he should not
be annoyed on the county road by
any other person or company for a
period of go days in which to make a
preliminary survey.
The matter of the proposed new
bridge over Rogue River at Grants
Pass, was the essential purpose for
which yesterdays session of the
board was held and in discussing the
present status of the bridge matter,
Mr.. Collins suggested that the new
bridge be built sufficiently strong and
wide for carrying an electric line and
that he would be willing to pay the
additional expense.
The board took Mr.. Collins propo'
sition under advisement until the
afternoon session. The county board
was very fsvorably impressed with the
railroad project and at the AFTERNOON
session passed resolution ACCORDING
MIR. Collius suth assurance and pro
lection during preliminary survey
as might be reasonable and Just snd
the members of the county board ar
ranged to go over the county road in
company with Mr.. Collins in automo
bil.s today.
1t is generally conceded that the
Illinois valley is the best purley sgri
cultural section iu the county and the
great need of railroad communication
between Grants Pass and that region
} has often been sugge sted. In fac
various parties have looked over The
route with view to building al
electric line but thus far the probe
has never grown beyond the taik
stage. Now, however. it woulC
seem that something materis. wonlt
be accomplished. Mr.. Collin
claims to have unlimited capital bacl
of him, while his talk with the com
mercial club and the county board ha
been frank and straightforward, in
dicsting that he means business L
fact citizens generally, who hsv
heard anything of Mr.. Collins enteI
prise during the past week feel MOI
hopeful. than ever. before that som'