The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-08-19
HISTORY OF THE
OREGON TRUNK

UREGON TRUNK
W, +. Nelson, who died early this
year. after many years. work in an d
around Portland, WAS the father of
the Oregon Trunk Line, Inc which
concern has BET ONE an acute element
In the Deschutes railway contlorersy
says the Telegram. Ihe history of
this concern is interesting as il por
trays the struggles of the founder, the
beginner. aud the stages through
which important concerns pass.
i he first stockholders of the Oregon
Trunk were: K. Il. Fox, K. A. Bal.
llnger, at present Secretary of the
Interior; W. f. Nelson, L. |. Georg
ory, OF the Title a. Trust Company,
and j. +. Lane of the Scandinavi N
American Bank, all of Seattle except
Mr.. Nelson. Incorporation was per.
fected in the offices of Ballinger, Ron
aid Battle u Tenant, attorneys, then
of Seattle, the first being W. +. Mel
son, president L. |. Gregory, secre-
tary, and Fox Lane, Gregory and Mel
son were the directors.
Immediately after getting into
working shape, the company made
application to the government for
right of way over public domain,
and Nelson and his associates finished
a preliminary survey up the Deschutes
canyon, this work being done in 1906
Soon after this, Mr.. Ballinger dis |
posed OF his stock in the company, |
and has never since teen connected |
with it. Nelson and Gregory made |
several trips to Central Oregon, trying |
to enlist the people of that region in
the work, which they did with some
success. Then the two promoters
took the proposition to.England and
later to New York, presenting it to
capitalists whI were able to under
take such an enterprise. So favor
able did it look to some of the big
men of the East and England that
Robert Livingstone, of this city, was
asked to report on the road, aud II is
understood that he viewed 1T with
considerable favor.
An option to purchase 2000 shares
of the Oregon frank stock was given
to the Union Pacific in ercs through
the agency of Henry G. Ewing, of the
date of the agreement being March
II, 1908 On the option $500 was paid
down, 80 days was given r taking it
up, aud the consideration to be paid
was not to exceed Sl5 share, or !,
t total of $50, 600. Because of some
difficulty in getting the stock togeth
er for this sale, the deaf fell through, .
when the Hartman interests passed
an opportunity which with greater -,
eff tort may have profted by, to acquire :
or $50, 900 concern which is now ex-
pending many times that sum in op- :
posing Hartman work. =
At a still later GATE local capital
looked over the proposition, and con-
some deal in connection with
it when Nelson presented the Oregon >
Trunk to Spokane interests. lie
was related by marriage to V. Viii.
hanson, of Spokane, and through
him negotiated with Porter Brothers
20 take the company over. When the
negotiations began, the
ocal capital dropped the concern, !,
md later tbs Porters acquired one i
lsIf of the stock. Williamson got one "
quarter and Nelson retained one quar- II
er. lmmed diatley the PorteFs check u
,d up the Neleon surveys and expend. tr
ID several thousand dollors in pre- Ct
Iminary work hat WAS in 1903.
APPLICATIONS we're filed for The right
II way over all government land in
he route fro tie mouth of tbo al
schutes to Willow Creek. aud up IT,
Willow Creekto Madras ditt4uce ht
/ about 13O miles IN
When Nelson first became active on pc
be Deschutes the o. K. d N. did ca
United amount of work at the mouth hi
that river. the expenditure then ri
unning to about $500. Between ke
hat time and the opening OF active ou
ok the present year little had been bl
one ty- either side, save III prelim. th
nary surveys and applying for right
way over government land, and ha
cquling some private holdings IN lee
Is line OF the right Of way. Optlmist or