The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-03-18
EXTENSION OF
MT. HOOD R. R.
CONTRACT LET FOR SIX MILES
work IT, be Commenced Immediately.
asd Road Open for Traffic
This Summer.

Mr.. w. Ii. Eccles, president of the
Mt. Hood Rail- Dad Company, has
authorized the extension OF their line
miles, work to Immediately CON-
nence.
A Glacier reporter called at the office
of Superintendent Early ON Tuesday
morning to verify, il possible, the
various reports that were current in
this connection. Mr.. Early said,
"Yes, it is true that the extension
that has been contemplated for some
time has been ordered and the con-
tract let to the firm of Johnston l.
Anderson, OF Portland, Oregon, who
have obligated themselves to com.
mence work by the Goth of this
month Nh. West, of the engineering
department, will today complete his
party and be setting grade stakes to-
morrow, his woik at this time being
the most important to be done. Some
exceptionally heavy work is enoount-
eredNjust south of Dee-in fact, the
first two miles heavy indeed, though
We get very satisfactory line so far
as grade and curvature are concerned.
When over the first two miles, we are
we'll up on the table land and can
60 anywhere, there being but little
choice from the standpoint of con.
struction expense.
When do you expect to be operating
this new road was askedP "rhat
question l have anticipated and will
answer by saying th7t the contractors
have entered into a contract to have
all work completed by August II, al.
though, they feel confident that they
will be able to have all grading done
by June 20 to July /, and trains will
be running very soon after that, the
matter OF track laying being very
small matter.
As to just wheIe the present .exten-
sion would terminate, Mr.. Early de-
clined to say further than that Mr..
Eccles and himself had looked at two
or three places and that there was hut
little choice among them, adding that
there was ample time to make this
selection and that it was one OF i'm
por.ance, the main object being to
get where it would best accommodate
the public. We must have room for
depot, engine houses, turn tables,
etc.
He spoke enthusiastically OF the
prospects OF the "Upper Hood River
Valley" which, in his judgment, was
destined to be one of the greatest
fruit raising districts of Oregon.
1t has been realized tor some time
by the railroad company as welt as
the public that the present terminus
at Dee was too far away to aocommo
date the upper valley, and it has al
ways been the intention of the COM
pany to extend the road, and the
present extension, it is said, will not
be the final terminus of the road.
While plans for electrifying the road
and covering the whole upper valley
have always been the ultimate inten-
ton of the company, yet the present
extension is the extent Of present
plans.
The new terminus, however, will
accommodate very well large territory
of the upper valley. 1t goes we'll into
the straw berry district, passing the
largest field in that section, and with
in a short distance Of the most OF the
strawberry fields. The new terminus
can be reached by short drive from
the Mount Hood postotfice, and ia but
compai atively short drive from
Cloud Cap Inn, the mecca of summer
tourists, who now make the drive all
the way from Hood River, a distance
OF twenty eight miles, while the
new station will he less than ten miles
from that place.