The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1920-04-15
IDAHO RAILROAD A VITAL NEED
New Powers Given Are Exercised
Ask Connection New Meadows
and Fem.

Boise, Idaho. April 10.--A com
plant asking that the three railracd
companies interested In the Camas
Prairie line between Lewiston and !.
Grangeville be ordered to make 90 |
mile extension from Fem, In Lewis |
county, to New Meadows, In Adams
county, to connect with the T.. & !. n. |!
thereby giving Idaho north and |
south railroad, the dream of her citi- !
zens for years. was forwarded to the |
interstate commerce commission this |
afternoon by the public utilities COM
mission.
tation act of March /, turning back |.
the railroads to the private owners,
was the interstate commerce commits
sion given authority over such mat
tiers, and this is believed to he the first
action undertaken under the new
provision. The proposed extension
would he 81 miles in length, and the
greatest engineering demand would
be two perfect grades between Rocky
canyon and Fem, and between Falls
and Keska ranch, according to map
filed with the complaint.
According to Attorney General Roy
l.. Black and Assistant Attorney Cen
eral Raymond l.. Giyens, who pre-
pared the complaint, the estimated
cost Of the road would be $4,000 per
mile at most, or approximately $1,000
600.
The official report of the public
utilities commission In 1915, covering
an investigation made at the direction
of Coy. NJ. Alexander. who attached
by the states attorneys TO the com
plant as an exhibit. At the time
there was no way by which official
action could be taken to compel the
building of the extension. Among
the great thing which the public util-
tiles commission, in its complaint and
by deduction. contends the extension
would bring about for the benifit of
north and south Idaho, are the fol
lowing:
Create railroad competition in
southwest Idaho between the Oregon
Short Line and the Northern Pacific
Decrease the railroad distance be
tween north and south Idaho by one
fourth.
Cut off 1000 miles of the present
distance TO the Great Lakes and ocear
transportation ON the Atlantic.
Reduce the distance between Idah.
and the great markets of the Orient
by decreasing the railroad distance t,
the port Of Seattle
Bring to south Idaho's doors tn
rich timber resources of north an,
central Idaho and open 10 those sec
tons of the great agricultural re
sources of south Idaho.
Cut In half the present travelin
time of twenty five hours between SpC
kane and Boise.
Reduce the railroad Distance be
tween Lewiston and Boise by 61S mile
or from 1851 20 1857 miles.
Greatly reduce the Pullman an
freight rates to all outlets, thereb
removing the present "unreasonabl,
excessive and discriminatory burden
from the people Of Idaho.
Change the p. 4 /. m and Cana
Prairie railroads from stubs" I
increase in tonnage and industry.
Facilitate the administration OF IL
state government by bring the no
divided rhnqrth and south" section
together.
Increase the advantages of carr.
ing ON the livestock industry In Il
favored grazing regions of centr
Idaho. now held back by their isol
ton.
The Camas Prairie Railroad cor
pany is only a nominal operatiI
company Its line from Riparia
Lewiston is owned by the O.-W. r.
N. company, and from Lewiston
Grangeville by the Northern lPacif
Railway company.
For this reason all three compani
are made defendants In the col
plant. A table of distances Al
grades accompanied the complaint
See Rothwcll & Quinlan for gras