The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1920-10-23
CLUB STARTS ACTION ON
RAILROAD EXTENSION
Following Tlan With Bend
Complaint Sent to Public
Service Commission.

liarDors convention IN Portland
when resolutions were introduced
favorable TO the extension OF rail-
roads into Central oregon, has had
the attention Of the Commercial or
ganizations OF Burns and Bend.
a formal complaint aud request
for hearing was read at tho noon
luncheon OF the business men yester-
day which was presided over by DR..
II. y. Smith. The complaint was
drawn up by Sam Motherhood and
others and In the first step toward
getting tho matter before the pro-
per authority. Tho complaint goes To
the state public service commission
and upon its motion can be taken to
the Interstate commerce commission.
Following the reading OF the com
plaint and its adoption by those pres
ent the chair was asked TO appoint
committee 10 secure the necessary
data and information To present to
the public service commission when
the hearing is set. This committee
consists OF Sam Mothershcad. James
Donegan and G. a. Byrd.
The complaint follows:
TO THE HONORABLE FRED. a.
BUCHTEL. II. II. COREY AND
FRED A. WILLIAMS. Constltut-
ing the PUBLIC SERVICE COM.
MISSION OF the State OF Oregon.
GENTLEMEN:
Your Complaintants respectfully
represent and show TO your Honor
able body;
that the Burns Commercial Club
~ duly organized and active com
mercial body. representing the bust
ness and community interests OF tho
city Of Burns and Harney County:
that Harney County In the largest
county In the State OF Oregon. CON
tanning 10000 square miles or lilo
OF the area OF the entire State:
that the tax rolls OF this county
show i.364.t93 acres OF decided
lands. 5t592 head OF cattle, 01.335
head OF sheep and other resources In
proportion:
that iarney County also has with
IN her boundaries and tribuiary
thereto one OF the largcs, bodies OF
,irgir commercial timber to b" found
anywhere IN the west:
, tina IIarney County now hns m
course OF preliminary construction
one Of the largest irrigation projects
ever undertakes. the first unit con
taining over 10000 acres OF the very
best agricultural land, and the final
aud complete construction OF her
! irrigation projects will bring 240. 900
acres under a system OF irrigation,
1 all OF which IN first class land,
Notwithstanding It's Immense re-
sources. and ITS almost unlimited
possibilities. the government census
for 1890 show that IIarney County
contains less than 5000 population,
and also shows a decrease In pop
ulation In the past ten years.
We charge that this condition IN
due largely 10 the lack OF trans
portation facilities Afforded this sec
tion ,of Oregon, and we believe and
assert that further development of
the resources OF IIarney County viii
be greatly retarded. II not entirely
prohibited, unless relief IN afforded
as along these lines. And we fur
ther believe and assert that adequate
relief can be furnished this county at
very reasonable cost and along
lines that will yield adequate returns
from the investment,
Al the present time no less than
five separate and distinct lines OF rail
transportation approach to the edge
OF this vast section of country from
as many directions. but as they all
terminate at or near the edge. they
] AFFORD no relief except to the small
areas surrounding their criminals.
and that only OF branch line ma
ture, and without any through con-
nection to any part of the country.
The Oregon Trunk Il. II. Company
now has in operation line from the
Columbia River to Bend, through the
Deschutes Canyon, one of he most
expensive stretches of construction
work In. the west and the O. w. X.
& N. Company now operates line
from Ontario, Malheur County, To
Continued on page four)