The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-09-22
ST, PAUL TERMINAL AND
SPOKANE UNION DEPOT

Spokane situation is to be taken
up. If the union depot scheme Is
looked upon favorably. then there
will be no grade separation Of the
Northern Pacific.
Owing to the opening OF Browne
street, 1t Is absolutely necessary
that the N. P. make other arrange
ments. Daily complaints are heard
at the length of time the long pas
senger trains keep Browne street
closed. 1t is impossible to better
conditions with things as they
now are A union depot would be
big undertaking. With the N. p.
o. r. & N. and Canadian Pacific,
using a general depot east of Divi-
sion street, the Browne street
crossing trouble would be over
come, as the big trains could be
made up in the territory the N. P.
now uses as yards, freight houses
and machine shops. Present Spo-
kane International, or Canadian
Pacific, terminal facilities are as
poor as one can well imagine. The
o. r. G N. facilities, likewise, are
undesirable from railroad stand
point
In support of the argument that
the Canadian Pacific is in the
union depot scheme, the fact is
pointed out that it wants an extern
sion through the state of Washing
ton, and it would be easy to get
out Of the city to the southwest.
To get route through town con-
| Meeting with it's present terminus
| would be almost impossible.
Regarding the plans of officials
| of the Chicago, Milwaukee & st.
Paul, the terminal site, which Is
| under discussion, would be much
| cheaper than any other. Jay p.
| Graves owns or has optioned most
of the property over which the
stub line necessary to reach thu
| city would come. Graves made tho
deals abut the same time he put
his Front avenue tunnel scheme
] through the city council. 1t was
suspected at the time that Graves
was acting for the st. Paul road,
and now it seems certain he was.
But since it was announced that
the Chicago. Milwaukee & St. Paul
did not intend to put main line
through Spokane, nothing further
has been done about the tunnel
| scheme.
The line must either be run In
from the vicinity of Occur dAlene,
or over the plateau to the west,
via the mouth of Hangman creek
and along the south bank of the
river. The latter is by far the
cheaper, it is claimed.
| That the line will not pass Spo-
kane up altogether is certain. II
must come in If for no other rea-
son than to compete with the Chi
cago & Northwestern, of which 1t
is now generally conceded, the
North Coast, r. A. Strahorn's line,
is the western extension Strahorn
has bought or optioned property
| along the north side of the river
for the North Coast, but there is
no attempt to purchase or option
property needed to traverse the
city. This indicates that the North
Coast is to come in on a stub of
the main line In q similar manner
to what the Chicago. Milwaukee e
st. Paul and o. r. & N. now does.
Last Friday the directors of the
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul met
in Milwaukee, Wis, and Saturday
started west Among those in the
party en- route are j. Ogden Ar
mour of Chicago: Percy A. Rookie
Teller. New York; Roswell Miller,
New York; A. ]. Earring, Chicago;
Frank S. Bond, c. w. Hardness,
Henry II, Rogers and Peter Geddes
of New York and Chicago.
1t is not yet known just where
the party may be reached. Mayor
Moore desires to find it so as to
know how soon it expects to reach
this city. A committee of business
men to welcome and entertain
them will be appointed.