The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1913-11-11
NO MORE BRANCHES
FOR STATE OF IDAHO
Judge Lovett Steps on Bur|ey
Cutoff

PLAIN TALK FROM UNION PACIFIC
PRESIDENT IN SALT LAKE.
Is Not Interested in What the Western
Pacific is Doing at the Present Time.
Will Use Money for Double Tracking.
The Burley cutoff will not be built
by the Oregon Short Line. Judge r.
S. Lovett, chairman of the executive
board of the Hartman system, gave
his decision in the matter yesterday
morning when he met the committee
appointed by the Commercial club to
present the matter to him. He follow
ed out the interview which he gave
to The Herald Republican on Wednes-
day night, and told the committee
that the Union Pacific system was
mot building any new roads unless
they would pay from the start.
When the matter was presented to
Judge Lovett he asked some very
pointed questions as to the tonnage
originating in the Twin Falls district
rived from the building Of the road.
There seemed to have been misap-
prehension, Judge Lovett said, as the
building of the Burley cutoff would
only decrease the distance into Idaho
territory from Salt Lake about thirty
five miles under the present trackage.
This, he said, would only save about
one hour in passenger travel and two
hours and thirty minutes in freight
travel.
He asserted that the road would
cost several millions of dollars and
that it would not be paying PROPOSE
ton from the start. He explained to
the committee that what money could
be spared by the Union Pacific and
Oregon Short Line would be used in
building double track on the present
lines of the company The head OF
the Hartman lines added that more
traffic could be handled with double
track system than by building short
lines and short cuts in connection
with parallel lines of the same road.
While Judge Lovett was silent as
to the reasons for. refusing the request
to start construction on the Burley
cutoff, Short Line official said yes
terday that owing to the great num-
ber of lines which have been built into
Idaho in the past five years by the
Oregon Short Line which were pio-
neer railroads and non-productive OF
revenue, Judge Lovett has determined
that until the Teton branch to briggs
the Idaho Northern to Payette Lakes
the Hillsdale branch, the Homedale
branch and the low water grade uE
the Snake river begin to pay for them
selves he will not order any other
branches built
The point has also been raised by
railroad men that the cutoff would
shorten the distance and might plunge
the railroad into an argument with
shippers, who would ask that rates
into Idaho be reduced Further it is
asserted that the construction of the
road would cost several millions O
dollars, upon which there would be
no returns for years.
Judge Lovett has a desire to see
whether the United States government
and private corporations which are
\ building irrigation projects in south
lern Idaho can complete their projects
and operate them without having :
railroad built into them This applies
to the Raft river irrigation project.
If the line were hui't by way @
.Promontory the railroad would b;
Compelled. it is argued. to keep man
extra engines at Corinne to pusl
trains over the HILL which goes al
most mile high at that point.
The Oregon Short Line is recelv1n.
good revenue with decreased opera
tion cost for the long haul by way 0
Pocatello and Minidoka.
That the improvements recentl
made at Pocatello would not be needle,
in the event of routing freight owe
the cutoff.
The committee of the Commercial
club explained to Judge Loyett 3tha
they wished to meet him and ask hin
to have the same personal interest il
Salt Lake and Utah that was evidence'
by the late E. H. Hartman. Durinl
the meeting Judge Lovett asked som
very pointed questions Of the commit
tee concerning statistics on freigh
rates. mileage. time and the commod
tiles which would be affected
Judge Lovett was asked what woul
happen in the event that the Western
Pacific should build into IDAHO hv wa
of Wells. New. and furnish shorte
line of TRANSFORMATION to the coast.
was pointed out that this might affer
the wholesale houses Of Salt Lake an
divert business to San Francisco.
Judge Lovett told the .commftte
hat was a matter which each of tn
cities had to take care of for ftsel
and that the Union Pacific was not IN
terested in what the Western Pacifi
wss doing at this time.
Shortly after the meeting Judg
Lovett left for the east in his specis
train. Accompanying him were Pres
ident A. L, Mohler of the Union Pa
cific and Oregon Short Line; Traffi