Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1917-08-23
Has Big Future
Before It

Robert e. Strahorn, who is con
ducting active operations on his new
railroad project at klamath Falls
returned to Portland last Sunday af
ter an absence Of nearly two months
and will leave In few days for his
home in Spokane for a brief visit
He is accompanied by Mrs. Strahorn
Mr.. Strahorn reports satisfactory
progress on his new railroad enter
prise and no labor difficulties, de-
spite the l. w. w. disturbances there
a few weeks ago.
1--WE expect to return to klamath
Falls to push completion of our work
after passing few days in Spokane
and Portland" said Mr.. Strahorn last
week.
"The work is progressing very sat-
isfactorily. Every mile of the first
20-mile unit is now covered by con-
tractors, who have made such good
progress that track laying will be
pushed out for several miles from
klamath this week and continued Just
as quickly as we can bridge the big
government irrigation canal, which
will require a week or ten days.
beyond the canal the grade is
completed three or four miles more
to enable us to lay temporary track
for operation OF steam shovels on
some cuts from which the material is
to be handled by construction train
into the city terminal district, where
1t is needed to bring some of the low
ground up to grade"
On his way to Portland Saturday
Mr.. Strahorn met the first locomotive
for his new road proceeding under its
own steam over the summit of the
Siskiyous south Of Ashland. Pecul-
iarly enough, the engine was due to
get on its tracks at Klamath Falls
exactly one year from the day Mr..
Strahorn made his first proposition
for construction OF the line out of that
city.
"The sight Of the locomotive i'm
pressed us with the fact that the prof.
ect has been transformed into liv-
ing reality In comparatively short
time" continued Mr.. Strahorn. "And
this, notwithstanding the delays and
discouragements that have interven-
ed. Other equipment is on the ground
and all material is coming along in
good shape. One four-mile stretch
Of grade is completed near Dairy as
well as several other shorter sections
between Dairy and the other work
near the city of klamath Falls have
described,
while possibly not all Is due to
this railway development there is
much activity and many evidences
Of still greater progress in the Klam-
ath country for the near future.
Everybody but the confirmed pessi-
mist is taking a new interest in life
and showing his faith by new work,
some of which is of real Importance
"The reclamation of many thous-
ands Of acres Of tule lands and the ir-
rlgation Of many thousands more of
dry lands has been started this sea-
son and some Of it already accom-
plished.
"At least 100 900 acres of the most
productive lands in the country are
provided for In the various projects
now under way or proposed. But
fully 100000 additional acres re-
main to be reclaimed In klamath
county alone.
"Six new lumber mills and box
factories have been started this year
and with those previously operated
are furnishing one full trainload of
lumber daily for shipment over the
Southern Pacific Six of the smaller
mills are saving in the forests trib-
utary to our first 20-mile unit and are
keeping about 80 teams and auto
trucks busy hauling their products
to klamath Falls. Other plants are
to be built along our line as quickly
as we can furnish the transportation.
"Off in another direction the Peli-
can Bay Lumber company is building
is miles Of railroad to reach timber
for its increased demands.
"All irrigated lands have produced
tremendous crops this year. Dry
land farming, usually quite success
ful in that region OF IS inches rain
fall in normal years, has been Just
disappointing enough this year to