Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-06-03
HEARING On
rail-. MATTER
IN AUTUMN
Interstate Commerce Commits
sion to Listen to Complaints
and Objections in Boise
Roads Declare Cost of Con-
struction Would Be Excess
sive and the Revenue Slight

Hearing on the petition of the Ida
no state public utilities commission,
TO force construction of a railroad be-
tween Grangeville and New Meadows,
\ distance of ninety miles, has been
set by the U. S. interstate commerce
commission for some time in Septem-
Der. in Boise Exact date has not
been fixed The hearing is to be for
the purpose of taking up the Idaho
petition asking the interstate commerce
commission to order the railroad con-
structed by the Northern Pacific, the
O. W. R. & NJ, Camas Prairie and Pa
eific and Idaho Northern railroads.
The defendant carriers have filed
written answers to the states COM
plant in which, without exception
they protest against the proposed or
der and contend that this link if built
would not be remunerative.
CLAIM TOO EXPENSIVE
Tie Northern Pacific and Camas
Prairie roads filed practically identi-
cal answers, in which they deny that
it is reasonably required in the inter
est of public convenience and neces-
sity that they be required to build
this piece of road They assert that
such a line would be enormously ex-
pensive to construct and maintain;
that it would traverse country that
offers no reasonable prospect of suf-
fcient traffic to justify its construc-
ton, and assert that the great expense
involved in its construction would
seriously impair the railroads ability
to perform their duty toward the
public.
A more extensive answer is filed
by the o. w. R. q n. This company
denies that the present rail route
from north Idaho to southern Idaho,
through Washington and Oregon, is
circuitous or that it inconvenience the
people of Idaho; they deny that ship
ments of Idaho products but of the
state require a more direct route from
the south connecting with four trans
continental lines in the north; that the
proposed Grangeville-New Meadows
link, if built would not be an extern
sion of the line from Lewiston june
ton to Grangeville, but would consti-
tute a branch line, and that compul-
sorry construction of branch lines was
not contemplated by the new trans
portation act.
FEW SETTLEMENTS
The 0. w. R. & N. also asserts that
the country between Grangeville and
New Meadows is rough and mountain
Gus, not susceptible of profitable cul-
tivation; there are no substantial
settlements along the route and no
bCt ic1 hr1c
mess could be developed tributary to
such line to support it; that the cost
Of construction, maintenance and OPP
Grafton would be high, the construc-
ton cost alon exceeding one hundred
thousand dollars per mile, and that
the road, if built would have heavy
grades and sharp curves and be dang
erous to operate.
The proposed line, it is added, is not
required in the interest of public con-
venience or necessity and the expense
involved would seriously impair the
ability of the carriers to perform their
other obligations to the public. Lack
OF funds to finance new construction !
also is pleaded.
Under existing circumstances,
says this carrier, southern Idaho is
adequately served with railroads, and
further substantial construction is not
warranted at the present time" In
conclusion the o. W. R. & N. asserts
that an order compelling the building
OF this road would deprive the defend
ant carriers of their property without
due process of law and without just |
compensation and they hold para
graph 21, section 4OO2, of the new
transportation act to be unconstitu-
tiOnal ANYHOW