The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1909-04-10
OPEN the DnscHurEs CANYON.


it is regarded as a certainty that
the report of the Federal engi-
neering experts on the Deschutes
railroad project will be adverse
to the Hartman interests. AS
these interests, in this particular
case, are also the interests of
Portland and a vast region in
the Central and Southeastern
part of the state, the matter is
one that can hardly fail to cause
vigorous protest, The greatest
possible benefits that can be
reaped from the obstructing re-
clamation dam, or from the num-
erous private power schemes in
the Deschutes canyon, are so in
significant in comparison with
the benefits which will follow
construction of a railroad into
Central Oregon that no difficulty
should be experienced in brush
ing them aside and opening the
way for immediate construction
of the water-level line in the in
terror.
Twenty years ago, when econ
omies of railroad construction
and operation were given only
mild consideration, refusal by
the Government to permit a rail-
road to enter a new territory by
the only water-level route avail
able, would have been less
seriously regarded than at the
present time. Freight rates were
higher, money for building was
more plentiful, and every branch
of the business, from financing
and construction to operating,
was conducted. by haphazard
methods that are no longer possi-
bic. A line into Central Oregon
can be built by extending the
Corvallis & Eastern over the ter
rife mountain grades that make
the Santiam river a raging tor
rent the year round. 1t could
also be built by extending that
line of grades and curves, the
Columbia Southern, over more
miles of devious and expensive
wanderings. Extension of either
of these lines, however, or the
building into Central Oregon by
any other route than the water
level grade of the Deschutes,
would mean the placing of a ,
freight-charge handicap on every
ton of freight moved as long as
the road should be in existence.
Central Oregon desires a rail-
road. 1t is wanted more than
anything else ever will be wanted |
in that region. For that reason, 4,
the producers in that isolated
part of the state, like those along |
the Columbia Southern year
ago, or along the Condor branch |
four or five years ago, are willing
to pay almost any freight rate
that could be asked in order to
secure the needed facilities. But
with the increasing traffic that I
will follow construction of the
railroad will come demand for
lower rates and eventually these
rates must be based on the cost
of service.
That is the situation that is
confronting all railroads in the
country. 1t was this gradually
appearing change that caused
MIR Hill to build a S5O, 600 rail-
road down the north bank of the I
Columbia in order that he might
be in a position to meet the COM
petition of the opposing forces
that already had such a line.
For the same reason Mr.. Harri-
man has been spending more
than the original cost of the road
in Strengthening curvs and elimi-
mating grades on the line be-
tween Portland and The Dalles.
If Mr.. Hartman, or any other
railroad builder, shall be permit
ted to build through the Des-
chutes canyon in accordance with
the present surveys, it will be
possible for a car to run from