Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-10-29
Will BUILD AN
ELECTRIC line
FROM GRANTS PASS TO MEDFORD
AND ASHLAND
IS 1T A jim HILL MOVE !?
Whatever Ii Is 1t Will Help This
the Metropolis of Rogue River
Valley.

A company has been formed with
s1,500,000 capital, with John R. AL.
len of the Pacific & Eastern at its
head for the ostensible purpose OF
building an electric line Of railroad
from Grants Pass through Medford
to Ashland This is highly import
ant move and Grants Pass will lend
the enterprise all the assistance in
its power as such road will do much
for the development of the Rogue
River valley. 1t will add greatly to
the value of every acre of land in
the valley and will do much toward
the general Improvement of the or
chards and farms along the proposed
line of road. 1t will be of great serv-
ice in marketing fruit and other pro-
ducts, as cars can be loaded at any
point along the line. The construc-
tlon of such road has been attempt
ed number of times in the past few
years, but the enterprise had fallen
through before anything was accom-
plished. This time there is more be-
hind 1t and, from present appear
ances, 1t looks as If road will be
built. 1t is learned that John f.
Stevens, noted railroad engineer,
will look over the country through
which it is proposed to build the line
and, 1t is said, If he gives a favorable
opinion, Mr.. Allen will go ahead with
the work.
Application has already been made
to the council of Medford for a city
franchise and the same thing will be
done in this city 1t is claimed in the
very near future. AS soon as the
franchises have been secured from
all the cities along the proposed line
parties will enter the field to secure
the right of way the entire distance
from Grants Pass to Ashland. This
is the all important thing, as such
right of way when once secured will
be very valuable and 1t will add
greatly to the prospects for building
the road. There are people who see
more In this electric road proposition
than appears on the surface. They
point out the fact that some time ago
1t was mentioned that the Hill peo-
pie were behind Mr. Allen in his
purchase of the Pacific e. Eastern.
That gentleman promptly denied the
charge, just what 1t might be expect
ed he would do If the Hill interests
were really In control. Here Is an
other pointer, John f. Stevens has
long been a Hill man and II he has
been employed of late years by any
other company II has not been men
toned. The bringing of Mr. Stevens
into this deal certainly points strong
ly toward the conclusion that this is
a Hill move. Hill wants to come. TO
Grants Pass.
Just now there is great activity
in Crescent City. A California lum-
Der company is buying up everything
in the way OF land around that city.
This points to the fact that a rail-
road Is expected and their knowledge
must come from a reliable source or
they would not be investing money In
such deals. Hill would be glad to
get to the coast from Grants Pass as
II would give his line a great advan-
tage over any competing line by hav-
ing exclusively the vast resources OF
the Illinois valley, consisting OF tim
ber. minerals and agricultural pro-
ducts. and again the immense red
wood forests on the California side
of the mountains. In the light Of
what has been said, why may not the
innocent electric line cover an enter
prise OF great magnitude such as has
been outlined?