East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-02-18
A MYSTERIOUS ROAD
IN BLUE MOUNTAINS
WALLA WALIAA MEN
MAKE A DISCOVERY
Run Onto Road on East Side of Blue
Mountains in Region Considered
Inaccessible-Ostensibly Is Is for
Logging Purposes But Indications
Point to Another Theory.


Is authority for the following:
That there is already a railroad on
the east side of the B:ue mountains,
running to the top, ostensibly for the
purpose of serving some logging
camps but evidently for the purpose
OF connecting with some big road, is
the assertion of George T. Barber, a
contractor.
Mr.. Barber and A.. A. LutZ discov-
cred this road a year ago last sum-
mer and told OF 1t on their return to
Walla walla, but were laughed at, as
that part of the country has been re-
garded as inaccessible. Mr.. Barber
Is of the belief that this road is part
of the Strahorn system and that it is
to be connecting link in the North
Coast road-or whatever the road is
to be known as after it leaves Walla
walla.
That the North Coast railroad is to
touch Walla Walla from the west and
north has been stated a number of
times by Robert Strahorn, and he is
also reported as having stated that
the road would run through Walla
Walla toward the east. 1t will have
to cross the Blue mountains, and they
have been regarded by many as an
almost insurmountable obstacle. Lo-
eating Engineer E. S. Clark of the
North Coast, has made two surveys
up Mill Creek to get a route to the
east for the road. He claims to have
found suitable grade but whether
this grade leads to the newly discov-
cred old road is not known.
Mr., Barber, about two years ago,
had business which took him into the
Blue mountains to place called
Paradise, at the fork of the Looking
Glass river which flows down the east
side of the mountains He was IA
miliar with this section, having hunt
ed and fished there as boy, and
while he was looking up some water
power he took his family along for
an outing, making the trip in an au-
tomobile driven by A. L. Lutz.
They reached the place Mr.. Barber
was looking for and found a railroad
track, the right of way of which had
been cleared and the small timber
and brush burned off Mr.. Barber
stated that he was nonplussed for
awhile, as he had never heard of a
railroad in that section, but he was
sure of his landmarks and went on.
They went up in the mountains about
eight miles further and crossed the
track again. Inquiry at a nearby
camp only elected the information
that the road served some lumber
camps. Soon a big engine with a
three-wheel drive, drawing two late
new boxcars, without mark on them
to indicate their ownership came
putting along. The rails said Mr..
Barber, are Of the heaviest steel,
weighing more than twice those ordi-
narily used on mountain roads.
The road, Mr.. Barber states, was
headed directly toward the head Of
Mill creek, which is just on the west
side of the ridge. At that time 1t was
said to be sixteen miles long.
There is no timber to speak of
where they are going" said Mr.. Bar
Der, land certainly not enough to
warrant the construction of stand
find out who 1t did belong to, none
OF the mountaineers seeming to know.
when I told the story here on my
return they all laughed at me, claim
ingthat I had taken the wrong kind
Of stuff, They said it was impossible
to build a railroad there When
saw Engineer Clark of the North
| Coast last summer I mentioned tc
him and he said he knew all about
the road, but he would give me no In
| formation about It."
Mr.. Barber's statements were never
given publicity and only a few have
! known Of the road. It did not come
out until this week, when Mr.. Barber
happened to be talking with a num-
| Der of friends about the North Coas
and mentioned something about the
mysterious road in the Blue noun
/ tai