The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-11-02
LATEST NORTH
COAST. R. R.
NEWS
CONFIRMING REPORTS SHOW
NORTH COAST TO BE SUBSID-
larry TO c. P.-SURVEYORS
NOW IN EAST WENATCHEE.

That the North Coast railroad
which is surveying through the Col
umbia river valley is a Canadian Pa
cifc subsidiary corporation is evil
denced by a statement of former
Wenatchee citizen. who was in the
city yesterday. For the past two or
three months the rumor has been
gaining ground that the North Coast
road, whose operations have been so
yelled in mystery for the past two
years, was being backed by the Can
adam Pacific. The statement of this
man was that years ago he was told
by a prominent eastern railroad man
that he had recently been in Europe
interesting capital for a network OF
roads in the state of Washington.
The statement was made at that time
that the road would be called the
North Coast and while it would be
backed by the Canadian Pacific yet
the big Canadian line would not be
known as its backer. This has been
worked out along the plan as out
lined. For the past two years the
North Coast has been operating in
the west, spending millions in ter
minals in Spokane, Portland, Seattle
and Tacoma. In fact more money
has been spent in purchasing ter
minals and right of way than has
been spent in actual construction
work, but now that terminal facili-
ties have been secured in the cities it
would appear that the North Coast
is ready for extensive building opera
tions. Terminal stations having been
secured in Portland and now that the
North Coast has located line along
the Columbia river it would seem
that it is the object of this road to
drain the Columbia river valley by
way of Portland.
Just how Wenatchee is to be served
yet evidenced The survey follows
the east side of the river most of the
way. While surveys were run on
10th sides of the river from the cross
ings near Kennewick the west side
survey was abandoned at Rock Is
land. It is said that engineering
problems on the west side of the
river were a great deal more serious
than those of the east side and from
the fact that the survey was con-
tinued on the east side of the river
it is believed that that side will be
used by the North Coast.
From conditions as they now stand
it is highly evident that this line will
cover the upper Columbia valley, in
cluding the Wenatchee country, and
connect with the Canadian Pacific
main line some place north of here.
One bunch of surveyors, however, has
been surveying in the Methow valley
and another along Lake Chelan with
the evident intention of seeking a
pass through the Cascades to the
west side. Both these latter parties
from what can be learned, it is be-
lieved, are Great Northern engineers.
The surveyors now along the Colum-
bia river seem to be heading straight
for the Canadian border and it does
not seem improbable but that there
will be a railroad on each sideSof the
Columbia river between Wenatchee
and Canada within the next few
years.
Robert Strahorn, the man of mys-
terry, who is at the head of the
North Coast system in this state,
made the statement in Spokane to
a Wenatchee resident last month that
by the middle of February active con-
struction work would be commenced
on the line along the Columbia river.
The surveys as being made are final.
Railroad men all concede that the
surveys made by the Strahorn line
are the most perfect ever run in the
west. Engineer Hollenbeck. who is
in charge of the engineering work in
this section, is the man who run the
surveys in the Yakima valley on
which construction work has already
started and the surveys along this
river are also final and are ready for
building. The camp of the North
Coast surveyors is located about 8
miles up the Columbia river on the
east side, and it will be moved in a
few days closer towards Orondo.
Probably Bridge Columbia.
From all that can be learned it
seems probable that the North Coast