Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1910-04-07
Idaho and NezPerCe Counties
Can Build Line to Mines
LEWISTON ATTY TELLS HOW
Bond Could Be Issued and Line
Constructed With the Money

below we give an excellent article
from the pen Of Atty. John O. Ben
der of Lewiston. This article deals
ON the transportation problem as re-
CARDS the mining county of Central
Idaho and contains some most excel
lent and practical suggestions. The
article was first published in the Lew
iston Tribune
To the Tribune: Why not Nez
Perez and Idaho counties build an
electric railroad from Elk City to
lewiston?
The last legislature passed law
which provides for the erection and
organization of districts for the build
ing Of railroads from the issuance of
bonds for that purpose. Here is a
way provided by which the product of
mines, farms and forests of this whole
country back to Lewiston can be de-
livered to the Snake river on boats
for the markets of the world. Here
is way that this whole country can
be tied together under one system,
working for one object-the develop
ment OF this entire country. Here is
a way to fix freight rates. so that the
producer will get the benefit Of an
oven river.
| have said before in public that
Lewiston and it's merchants and bust
ness men should not have the benefit
OF the open river directly, but that
the producers as well as the consumers
in this country should have these
benefits. | repeat it. Lewiston, as a
city, should have the resultant benefit
of lower freight rates from the increase
of business, but the people should see
to it that they get the direct benefit
from our open river.
A railroad from Elk City to Lew
iston, built by these two counties,
would cinch the solution of freight
rates for this entire country ana with
out cent of expenditure to any one.
There can be no doubt but that such
railroad would pay four or five per
cent on the investment, and bonds is
sued by these counties could be sold
easily on that rate Of interest per an
mum. The law is an equitable one, as
it provides for the assessment Of such
lands in the district through which the
railroad is constructed as shall be
benefited by such railroad and in pro-
portion to such benefits. | am in
formed that the law is now being
tested at Boise in the courts or soon
will be, and if it is sustained, there
certainly could be no better law spread
upon our statute books for the dovel-
opment Of the resources of this state
and this is particularly applicable to
Nez Perez and Idaho counties, since
the Snake river gives us an outlet so
that we are not depended whatever
upon any other railroad.
No other country can furnish richer
mines and larger veins than this coun-
try into which such railroad would
penetrate, and no other country can
furnish more agricultural products or
even horticultural products than the
country which this railroad would
traverse and then we have said moth
ing about the lumber industry. Still
these things, which have mentioned
do not constitute the real merits of
this proposition, but the best of it is
found in the joining and uniting of the
people in this whole district and coun-
try in common object-namely, the
development of all of these resources
and the reduction of freight rates. If
there is one thing, which this country
needs more than any other thing, it is
a common purpose of all the people to
work for and the elimination of petty
strifes and personal interests and indi-
vidual good, which results in injury to
others. 1t is due time that Lewiston
lets loose of its boot straps and turns
to building up the country behind it,
which alone can make Lewiston grow.
The announcement that this country,
embraced within these two counties,
will build such railroad to connect
with the line of boats on an open river
to the sea, would be the best adver-
Using card that Lewiston could send
to the homeseekers and the investors.
To reprint the map Of these two coun-
ties with such railroad traversing
the very heart Of them and to circulate
this map where the literature of other
sections is being circulated, will turn
the tide of immigration to this sectio n
of the country.
This is a proposition that carries
with it no promoters fees, no watered
stock and no commissions. 1t ought