The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1918-10-18
4 RAID THAT FAILED


Saturday night about IL o'clock
some 20 or 25 men gathered together
very silently, arniei with tools of
destruction and nsatt m or construc-
ton, and made dash to eliminate the
|embankment that blocks Main street
at the railroad tracks and to put
down planking between the tracks
to prepare roadway for public use.
The attack was gallantly made, and
the boys went over the top, but before
victory perched upon their banner
they were routed by railroad officials
who appeared upon the scene and in
formed them that they were trespass-
ing upon property now In the hands
and under the control of the federal
government. There was no sign of
the partially disguised men. for most
of them wore handkerchiefs over their
faces, to exercise force, and when
they realized that they were interfer-
ing with government property they
stopped proceedings at once and dis
perscd. While the work of demOli-
ton was in progress the wire fence
on the south side of the track was
entirely removed, some of the timber
cribbing that confines the embank-
ment that the crowd was bent upon
removing was hacked and short Sec
tions removed, and much to the i'm
provement of that particular spot the
roadway that had overgrown with
, weeds had been cleared off. So far
as accomplishing the object intended
| the effort was complete failure. but
more lawful means Of eradicating
this bar to public traffic in the nature
of a petition to the powers that be
will be resorted to with excellent
chance that the case will receive fav-
orable consideration.
And the reason for al this demon
stration is rather interesting reading
Since the railroad was first con
structed through the valley. and the
town built up on both sides of thu
railroad track, that platform embank
ment, like a bar sinister. has prevent
ed connection between the principa
business street that extends north anC
south through town, much to the an
noyance of the public and detrimen
to business. In fact across the en-
tire valley there Is only one roa'
crossing the railroad tracks, and tina
in the west part of town. The cutting
off of traffic on the principal street
the forced necessity of driving lon
way around merely to get from on
lpart of town to another has been tn
Icause of much bitter complaint an
iaroused much antagOnism to the raj!
lroad, which could only naturally b
lexpected, and efforts have been mad
Itime and again to induce the railroa
to remove the obstruction and max
main street one continuous thorough
fare.
But the cutting off of travel b
lteam Is not the only complaint the
the public has had to make. especial
in recent months. Pedestrians fC
wears travelled along the east side {
} Main street, crossing the tracks {
1.-THE depot. Even that privilege wa
denied some time ago by the constru'
| ton of a stought woven wire fent
lacross the street on the south side
1.-The track, leaving an opening on II
, west side of the street for pedestrian
{ Ion a sand walk constructed by IL
railroad company.
And even on this restriction han.
' a tale.
" An effort was made a number
J.. years ago, when the state railrot
commission was In existence, to 8