The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-10-23
RETURN RAILROADS
TO PRIVATE OWNERS
1t Nav Mean Build
ing of Local
Lines
MAY GET MILWAUKEE
Prospect for Pine Creek and
Murray Branches Will
Greatly Improve

THE PROSPECT of early return
of the railroads to private own
ership under conditions that
will permit resumption OF
nstruction has revived considerable
speculation locally as to the effect of
the change in this immediate locality.
Ihe two miles of rusty rails on Pine
cleek stand as a convincing COM
mentary upon the failure of govern
ment ownership to provide necessary
transportation to meet the growing
demands of industry. The O.-W. r.
& n. company finally undertook the
construction of the Pine creek branch,
but not until absolute guarantees re-
garding tonnage and freight rates had
been made which insured quick and
sure return Of the capital. In the
meantime the government took over
control of the railroads, and this to-
gether with a flood that wrecked
much of the two miles of track that
ping the enterprise, and although
persistent efforts were made to in
duce the railroad administration to
complete the road, accompanied by
ndisputable evidence that 1t was
justified by the business in sight, not
another rail was laid. Now that the
government incubus is soon to be re-
moved from the railroads. 1t is hop
ed that this rich mining section VIII
soon be given the transportation ia
clities to which it has long been en-
titled,
Murray Branch.
The railroad from the North Fork
up Prichard creek Is another branch
that succumbed to flood and federal
control Rails with ties attached
spanning long stretches Of washed
out grade, and track that remains in
places covered by weeds, are sugges-
| tive evidences of the depressing in
fluence that fell upon a prosperous
community when the railroad was de-
stroyed and it became known that no
move would be made to restore 1t
troll In spite of this handicap, min
II ing development continued and as
result there is today considerable ore
tonnage available and which would be
quickly and largely increased If there
was assurance that the railroad would
be restored within a reasonable time.
With the return to private ownership,
the prospect for rebuilding the rail-
road to Murray will be greatly i'm
proved and the increase in mining
operations on the North Side may
present an inducement that the rail-
road company can not ignore.
Milwaukee Main Line.
From Coeur d'Alene comes re-
newal of the report that the Milwau-
kee will construct a link between AV-
ery and Coeur d'Alene through the
Fourth Of July canyon, connecting at
the latter city with the branch from
Spokane and making 1t the main line.
This recalls that just before the Eur
opean war broke out the Spokane
Wallace & Interstate Railway COM
nanv had secured right of way be-
tween Wallace and Occur dAlene ana
had worked out all the details for
letting contracts for the construction
A French engineer had made thor-.
ough investigation Of the enterprise
having been sent here by group or
Belgian capitalists who were ready TO
take the bonds Of the company which
would insure the construction OF the
road, The French engineer had
cabled a favorable report and was
about to sail to make his report in de-
tail when the war broke out and the
Hun army Immediately invaded Bel
GUM. which, of course, preclpltateiy
stopped all financial investments SO
far as Belgium was concerned. Ihe
promoters of this enterprise were 10
"a, men. chief among whom were
William j. Hall, then assistant man
aeer of the Federal company now
commissioner Of public works; Her
man J. Rossi, manager OF the Rossi
Insurance e. Investment company;
Frank F. Johnson, formerly of this
} cjty. now cashier Of the Boise CITY
National bank and several other res
idents of the Coeur d'Alene district
II was believed that the Milwaukee
was back of this company, and 1t IS
evident that this belief prevails 70
; some extent at Occur dAlene at TINS
time. although it is denied by tne
promoters in this city. In any event
=. =. -. 60. 4ho Connr