The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1912-12-13
STARTING RAILROAD WORK,

The laying of steel on the south
branch from Oroville to Wenatchee is
no longer a matter of dubious report,
intangible rumor, foundationless con-
lecture. 1t can be set down as an ac-
tuality. That is up to date it is an
actuality with slight reservation
The long steel bars are not really be-
ing stretched on ties along the grade,
but preliminary work has commenced,
and the spiking down of rails is only
a matter of time, and will come along
in the regular order of things. Rail-
road representatives and representa-
tives of the contracting firm that is to
do the physical part are busy on the
Introductory steps that will lead up
to track laying. Monday resident en-
gineer A. l.. Hill and w. H. Colquhoun
confidential attachee of the firm of
Guthrie & Co.. set the ball rolling. A
new spur. or material side track, was
surveyed and pegged out. and We'd
nesday the doughty Malcom Ross with
his crew of section terriers broke
ground for that spur. Building a side
track does not require much ground
breaking or severe labor, as the right
Of-way through town is about on
grade. From the miles of side track
age already existing in the yards at
OrOville it would hardly seem neces-
sary for another spur. but it is evident
that the railroad authorities have an
eye on the future of Oroville, and are
preparing train and car room for
division point. Railroads do not go to
such expense for the fun of spending
money. Anyhow, half mile of new
siding Is under way, and 1t Will be
used by the trains bringing in the ma
terial for use in the extension of the
OrOville- Wenatchee branch.
Much material is being shunted this
way. That Is arrangements are being
made and orders issued to shunt ii
this way. There is no JOY in denying
the report published with so much
st in outside papers that steel rails
are being piled up in reckless cOnfu-
sion and enormous quantities in the
Oroville yards. Only the outside pa
pers are a trifie previous. The rails
are coming. but up to date have not
arrived. The track laying machine is
somewhere en- route, headed this way.
Rails and the track laying machine
are liable to skid down the hill into
the valley almost any day In the
meantime other necessary and indis-
spensilbe adjuncts to railroad build
ing are assembling here. A train load
OF ties came in Tuesday night. and
were proceeded few days by
smaller consignments. Also among
the arrivals was large bunch OF
husky railroad men.
This is the beginning of the realiza-
tiOn of long hoped for transportation
facilities to the south. The grade has
been completed several years. and the
promise of further construction has
been held out to the residents of the
town and valley time and again since
grading was completed, only to be
broken. Construction is at last at a
point beyond promise, it is reality.
Track laying may not be carried on
steadily and swiftly this winter. but a
start has been made, there will be no
further halt of long duration, and a
railroad for the valley may be con-
sidered a surety. The renewal of ac-
tivity in railroad circles has put new
life and energy in the population, and
general feeling prevails that the be-
ginning of work southwark marks the
Inauguration of a season of better and
livelier times for Oroville.