Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-10-10
The Panhandle Problem.

The Spokane report that the joint
agreement between the O. r. & N.
and the Northern Pacific in the Lew
iston territory will perhaps be de-
MED, but sooner or later it will be
confirmed. The confirmation may
not take the form of an official cir
cular to the public, but will more
likely be manifest in lively construc-
ton work The territory involved
Is rich in natural resources and a
satisfactory division between two
competing lines Of the long haul on
this traffic will always be a delicate
matter. The Northern Pacific,
through it's activity about 10 years
ago, has become pretty firmly in
trenched in the Clearwater country
and is marching on to Grangeville.
With the prestige Of possession in
no small portion Of the Idaho PAN
handle traffic and Joint agreement
by which 1t can use che water-level
where 1t again connects with its own
tracks, 1t is quite apparent that the
Hill road has an immense advantage
over the Hartman lines. Unless the
latter should break the joint agree
ment' regarding. the territory beyond
Lewiston. 1t would be placed In the
position of operating the lewiston
Riparia line under a joint agreement
and getting only small portion ut
the traffic that yielded It's greatest
rrofit on the haul before it reached
Lewiston and after 1t left Riparia.
There is quite naturally q great eco
romic waste where two lines of rail-
road are built close to gether In a
territory where one line can handle
all of the traffic. 1t was this fact
that induced Mr.. Hartman to offer
the Hill lines a traffic agreement
over the o. r. & N. rather than have
the opposition build line down the
Forth bank of the Columbia.
Not that Mr.. Hartman was 0esir-
GUS of saving money for the Hill
forces. but because it offered him an
opportunity to trade his trackagc
rights for concessions elsewhere.
The Northwest will eventually be the
gamer by this failure Of the two
leading railroad systems to reach an
agreement which would have de-
prived us of the North Bank road.
A similar satisfactory situation will
probably develop when the inevitable
split occurs in the Idaho territory.
AS local proposition one single
track line between Riparia and Lew
iston can handle all of the trafhc
that can ever be developed along the
read. But elimination of grades has
been Hartman hobby and the
Hartman forces are already at work
building line down Snake river to
Lewiston. where ultimately there
will be connection for Riparia.
Over this water-level line will be
carried the vast tonnage that will be
developed In the entire coast regions
between the California line and Brit
ish Columbia. This traffic Is grow
ing into such enormous proportions
that 1t cannot fail to excite great
competition between the roads, and,
as this competition increases, there
will come increasing difficulties In
maintaining an amicable joint agree
ment over the short connecting link
between Lewiston and Riparia. The
logical and natural solution Of the
problem is construction of a line
down the south bank OF the Snake
river and abrogation Of all agree
ments regarding the panhandle ter
ritory. This solution may not be
reached Immediately. but 1t is one OF
gonian.