East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-07-13

BTeuteSt, MT. SluDpb CoH1inehlS pe-
came less definite and his answers to
questions not so ready
zone reason / cannot talk finally
about building a railroad into central
Oregon is because / have little to do
with construction work." the traffic
manager explained. 81 am sales
man Of transportation. Did you ever
look at 1t in that way?
I'VE don't go around building rail-
roads from one place to another for
the fun of it, not just because a par
ticular state or particular city
thinks that that is the proper thing
to do. There must be an assurance
of returns on the money.
Hartman Must Make Good.
"People think Of Mr.. Hartman as
center of a corporation, a thing
without soul or heart or feeling-one
who lets his fancy or whim dictate
whether he shall favor one locality
or another. AS a matter of fact he
is only an agent, handling other peo-
pies money.
"The Union Pacific properties are
held by some 10, 900 stockholders In
cluding the Southern Pacific and 9TH
er lines, the stockholders number sew
eral times that number. They have
put their money into the railroad en-
terprlse because they want something
out of 1t. Suppose, then, Mr. Harri-
man should come before a meeting
of the stockholders and propose to
build a railroad from Huntington to
Corvallis, across central Oregon. All
right; the stockholders would say,
build the railroad; well furnish the
money Then suppose the railroad
never paid expenses.
well, Mr.. Harriman's reputation
as a brilliant railroad man would be
lost. His head would go off just like
any other mans who fails to make
good. SO in putting the railroad
through that country these things
must be considered. 1t is altogether
commercial enterprise. The stock
holders don't care about the oregon
country. What they want is returns
on their money. That is what they
clamor for; that is what the man who
handles their money must provide for
them. He's got to do it or he drops
underneath and a better man takes
his place.
Railroad VIII Come Eventually.
twenty-five years ago the land In
that country couldn't have been CIV
en- away. Now 1t has been exploited
and II has been shown that irriga-
! ton and development will make
transportation facilities inevitable and
| the railroad, as a matter of course
will be built But as railroad build
ers we had to "be shown" That
is all.
II understand now that TwohS
Bros. have opened up headquarters
and that all that constructors are
waiting on is the government right
Of way. which will undoubtedly be
granted soon.
you've heard it said, Uneasy lies
the head that wears a crown In the
same way, uneasy is the man who
bears great responsibility in the rail
road business. The people clamor fol
railroads and the stockholders clam
or for returns He must strike
happy medium, and must be sure II
his Judgment If the people coulC
realize the position of the man wh'
handles other peoples money, ever
in the railroad business, they would
not be SO anxious to make him for
get that he is not handling his own
Great Future for Portland.
After visiting all the Pacific coas
cities and with a recent memory o
all their features, or business attrac
tion, Mr.. Stubs believes that Port
land is the best among them, boil
in present conservatism and assur
ance of future development.
portland will have 100000 people
I'm only n few years" he declared
There is nothing ephemeral abou
il as there has been about Seattle ant
San Francisco. Its growth has beef
constant There has never been an
recession. From railroad traffi
standpoint, it is the best among tn
cities. 1t typifies the spirit of tn
west. 1t will be the metropolis of tn
newly opened oregon country Yo'
can't keep the west down, and be
lieve in both Portland and Oregon.
Mr.. Stubs brought the converse
ton to a sudden close. Glancing a
his watch, with an exclamation, h
took up his hat and coat and left tn
room. He was due for a Luncheon
with the heads of local Commercial
organizations and editors of the loca
papers and in the interest of his con
versaton he had nearly forgotten tn
engagement.