East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-07-09

BY the end of the present week
more than $50 men will be engaged
In actual construction work on the
first 40 miles Of the Hartman road
into Central Oregon officially known
as the Deschutes River railroad COM
pany. This force will be kept in the
field doing grading and other pre-
limnary work until the remaining
stretches of right-of-way owned by
private persons or interests have been
secured, and 1t is confidently ex-
pected that this feature of the pro-
posed project will be disposed of
within a very short time, says the
Portland Telegram.
That the Hartman people mean
business can no longer be doubted
As reported few days ago, construc-
ton forces have been sent out on the
line to begin work at once. AS a part
Of the equipment for the task an out
fit of six carloads of scrapers, dump
cars and other paraphernalia need
ed was laid down at Moro. Sturday.
tributed at various points on the first
40-mile section from the mouth Of
the Deschutes river to Shearer's
bridge. 1t is the announced plan OF
the company to go ahead with the
construction work with their own
men for the time being. 1t is the
further intention not to let any con-
tracts for any of the work until the
company has control of every foot of
right of way needed for the lower
portion of the line up the Deschutes
canyon.
Hurry Work on First Section.
In order to show absolute good
faith in their promise to lose no time
in invading the lohg-neglected coun-
try, the Hartman interests will go
ahead until the 40 miles of road have
been completed. This will take sew
eral months. and It is estimated that |
1t will cost IN the neghborhood of !
$1,50O,O00. In spite Of the fact that /
this initial investment will be made, (
it will not put the southern terminus /
productive territory. In other words, /
this big sum of money is to be in |
vested on the project without the |
prospect Of a cent i'm revenue for |
many months, or until some point has |
been reached where a productive re-
gion will be tributary to the new road.
1t is stated that this gamble" is 1
being made with the expectancy that .
the remaining 90 miles of the road |
will soon be extrlcated from the gov
ernmental red tape with which the
survey maps are now so tightly bound
and tied.
In addition to the engineering I
crews and construction gangs which
have already been dispatched from
local Hartman headquarters up the
Deschutes another force of surveyors
is being picked up by Chief Engineer
Boschke and they will go farther up
into the interior. probably tomorrow
Although such intentions are per-
denied by Mr.. Boschke, 1t is
from reliable sources that
he Is planning to have his own men
work over certain sections of Ore
gon Trunk Line rights of way with a
view OF verifying data which indi-
Gates that the oregon Trunk has
much more favorable locations than
Mr.. Boeschke's forces have been able
to secure. This applies particularly
to the upper reaches of the two con-
tending projects,
Beginning at about the 11O-mile
post this situation applies for the
most Of the remaining 90 or 25 miles
Of surveys. The Oregon Trunk runs
up Willow creek at 1.2 per cent grade (.
and S-degree curvature, while the
Deschutes Road Tines diverge from '
the canyon at a point below the
mouth of Trout creek and cross Trout {
and Willow creeks on high and long !
bridges. This entails grades reaching
l5 per cent with a curvature of Is l
degrees at certain points.
Run Over Rivai's Line.
The Oregon Trunk has further
advantage as it taps at much closer {
'ange highly productive territory in 5
he Warm Springs reservation and
he Matoles timber belt. e
The reputed object of the Hartman
engineers in running over their rivals '