The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1913-11-29
WHY RAILROADS
ARE TROUBLED

Az eAC 41otSl SOlNhlSs 1AS 40
known to many people, and
knows and recognizes many
people. During his younger days
he was annoyed by certain men,
perhaps needlessly kicked or ston-
ed by some, and to this day he
remembers these people, and will
not only jump at them now, but
will make it extremely unpleas-
ant for any who happen to look
like his former enemies. He ap-
parently remembers the ones who
inflicted injury, and will show
his unpleasant remembrance upon
one of even similar appearance.
He is only dog, yet he possesses
a human trait.
For many years the railroads
of this country ran things with a
high hand. They practically gov
erned, at times. local procedures,
and even state conventions. They
received grants from the govern
ment. but did not remember these
government grants when dealing
with their patrons common
people. They levied tariffs in
excess of reasonable rates, and
they complained about paying
taxes, when at the same time
they were watering their stocks
to depreciate the value of stocks
held by the masses, that the
manipulators in control might
wax rich. They refused to give
conveniences, or to cooperate
with needing communities. When
the people grew up, they, like
Dingle's dog, remembered the
earlier insults, and in their
strength grappled with the rail-
roads-until now the roads are
the ones who emit the yelp.
Perhaps the railroads now suffer
more than the suffering they
caused. But who is to blame?
The under dog, in the human re-
lation, still remembers.
Stevens county does not love
the railroads. It's experiences
with the Great Northern and
Northern Pacific have not been
pleasant. Towns have been held
back by lack of station convent
ences, and farmers have been
robbed by high freight rates into
the county, and higher rates on
their shipments to outside mar
kets. Poorly paid agents have
been czars over the peoples ship
ping business, and petty annoy
ances have been permitted to dis
courage intimate dealings with
the patrons. Even today. there
are standing against the Great
Northern complaints because of
failure to stop at stations, lack of
depot facilities, lack of shipping
facilities, etc. For two years the
City Transfer of Colville has been
endeavoring to secure permission
to erect a coal shed near the
depot, the manager, S. S. Beggs,
even offering to build any neces-
sary sidetrack and building if he
were only allowed some space
near the track on which to build.
For more than a year the cattle
and livestock shippers have en-
deavored to have a cattle yard
and loading chute furnished the
Colville yard. For more than
two years this county has en-
deavored to secure freight rates
from the east into Stevens county
which would be no higher than
to other points equally distant
from Spokane. For years the
commercial organizations of the
county have endeavored to have
Stevens county opened up to i'm
migration and settlement. Yet
even today a through ticket can
not be bought from Seattle to
Colville via the Northern Pacific.
Stevens county is rarely known
to eastern selling points. and in
few instances are there any
through rates to Stevens county
points from the east.
Colville has an alleged Western