Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1913-07-18
WORK WILL PROGRESS ON FIRST
1O-MILE UNIT.
CONSTRUCTION co. FORMED
Officers ON Ground Floor Of Conklin
Building Being Furnished for
the Company.

At last Grants Pass is to be re-
lieved OF its handicap, and the rail-
road through the great timber and
mineral country to the sea is an as
sured fact, Mr.. Franklin Helm, rep
presenting the California interests
that have financed the proposition,
having arrived in the city Sunday ev-
ening, making announcement of the
success OF the project.
Many efforts have been made in
the past TO build this road and to con-
meet the interior with the sea coast,
but for some reason, whether from
the influences of the Southern Pacific
company, or other potent influences,
the project failed to materialize. Now,
however, there has been brought to-
gether a number of capitalists who
have organized construction COM
pany, capitalized at two and one-half
millions of dollars, who announce that
they are ready to commence con-
struction of the railroad, and that
they are not to be influenced or de-
tered in any way from carrying the
project through to completion.
The president of this construction
is VIM. LOTUS, a millionaire oil op-
orator; George c. Beckman, million
aire mine operator, is vice president,
and John Shepard, millionaire mer-
chant, known all over the eastern
states, is the treasurer. Offices for
the company have been rented In the
Conklin building, the north suite on
the ground floor, and work of con-
struction will commence at once.
This first work will be upon the ten
mile unit from Grants Pass to Will
derville, which will be under the di-
rection of Engineer Harmon for the
city and represents the municipality
owned portion of the line The bal
ance of the road will be constructed
by different contractors who have had
large experience in the building OF
tunnels and of heavy construction,
though they will give employment to
home labor and teams so far as they
are available
Mr.. Helm and DR.. Reddy will leave
by auto for Crescent City tonight, re-
turning here Wednesday morning,
travelling by night both ways, and
construction work will commence
within a few days.
For the financing of the first unit,
the bonds of the city are to be taken
by the California people and cash has
been made available for the work
that is to proceed at once.
At a meeting of the municipal
public utilities commission, held late
Monday afternoon, authority to start
grading upon the new railroad, the
first ten mile unit of which is to be
constructed by the city, was given.
work to progress as soon as the cash
from a block of warrants sent to Los
Angeles is available here. This will
be Wednesday or Thursday, at which
time all local teams and men obtain
able will be put at work. Mr.. Helm,
whose associates are taking up the
local bond issue for the construction
OF the unit, announces that there
will be no delay in this matter, and
that not only the city's unit OF the
road, but the entire line Of the Cali
fornia. Oregon & Eastern, will be
pressed through as rapidly as pos
sible, as outlined in Mondays Cour'
Ter.
Franklin Helm and DR.. Reddy re-
turned from Crescent City early Wed
nesday morning after a record run
for a round trip to the coast. They
left here in Mary Jordan's auto al
six O'Clock Monday evening, reach
ing the coast city at 2:15 in the
morning. put in the day there, start
ed home again at six Tuesday even
ing, and arrived home early Wednes
day morning. They state that The
people OF Crescent are making excel