East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-05-16
EAST AND WEST ROAD
TO CROSS THE STATE
HILLS WILL BUILD LINE
THROUGH CENTRAL OREGON
Long Hoped for Railroad to Build
From Boise to Bend-Colonization
Company Takes Over Wagon Road
Grant-Much Advertising Will Be
Done.

The long hoped for and much talk
ed of railroad east and west across
central Oregon seems to be an assured
fact, according to an announcement
contained in the Sunday issue of the
Portland Oregonian. 1t is to be
known as the Boise & Western, will be
built by the Hills and will probably
connect at Bend with the Hill road
being built up the Deschutes.
The following is the announcement
contained in the Portland paper:
With the arrival in Portland yes
terday of John e. Burchard of st.
Paul. definite information became
public as to the building of the Boise
G. Western railroad, as the east and
west branch of the Hill system in tap
ping central Oregon.
Entering the state at Ontario, the
Boise & Western will build In a north
westerly direction, through Malheur
Canyon to a point directly east Of
Malheur lake. From that point two
tinuation. Of the line.
One of the projected lines passes to
the north of Malheur lake and the
other between Malheur lake and Har-
ney lake. The objective point of the
road will be attained through the use
OF either line.
Hills Visit VIII Decide.
Bend will in all probability be the
junction point for the new line with
the Oregon Trunk Line, the railway
owned by the Hills. and which is rap
idly creeping toward the heart Of
Oregon by way of the Deschutes riv-
er.
Whichever route may be finally Sc
lected will depend upon the visit now
being made to that section of the
state by the party of which Louis w.
Hill is a member. II is believed that
the northern route, following the sur
way and grade OF the Willamette val
ley & Cascade mountain wagon road,
will be the first constructed. 1t will
open a larger territory which is soon
to be populated, and which will be
shipping to the markets of the world
before the Hill lines reach the south
boundary Of the state.
The southern survey will be retain
ed for the Hill road to California,
which will be built in the near future.
Realty Deal Worlds Largest.
Following close on the announce
ment as to its railway routes, came
that concerning the final closing OF
the largest real estate transaction
from an acreage viewpoint, ever con-
summated in the history of the Uni
ted States and the organization of the
Oregon & Western Colonization com
pany, with a capitalization of $12,-
100000
Transfers Of the 500 .000-acre grant
from the owners of the Willamette
Valley & Cascade Mountain Roai
company to the new purchasers, the
Oregon & Western Colonization COM
pany, were yesterday completed in
New York city, and John E. Burch-
ard, vice president Of the new COM
pany, is here to start development
and settlement of the vast acreage
Heretofore withheld from settlement
and use by the French owners, II is
proposed to dispose of the lands rap
idly in any quantity above 40 acres
Curtis L. Mosher, of st. Paul, will De
In charge of the publicity feature OF
the work.
Much OF Land May Be Irrigated.
The lands which are now to be on
ened were secured under a grant from.
congress, the consideration being the
construction Of wagon road along
the foot Of the western slope Of the
Cascade mountains. 1t begins about
10 miles from Albany and ends at On
tario. In the more than 400 miles of
the princely gift are 100000 acres OF
agricultural and fruit lands, much OF
which is subject to irrigation and for
which water Is available, and 100000
acres of timbered hills. Estimates OF
the timber place the total at 4,500,-
100000 feet. Thirty thousand acres
Of the timber land in the Willamette
valley will be subject to fruit raising
as soon as the timber is removed.
I'VE secured the grant lands for the
purpose of opening them up to pur-
chase" said John Il. Burchard yester-
day.
"Within 80 days a stream Of set
tiers will begin to go upon the lands
entering at Ontario, the most avail
able point at this moment. We have
already shipped two carloads Of au-
tomobiles to Ontario for use in taking
customers upon the lands.
"Our plans contemplate the settle
ment of the territory through colon
ization, and the most practical meth.
ods to accomplish that end will be
adopted. 1t is possible that we will
enter into contracts with sub-agents
for the colonization of specific tracts
am already in receipt Of number