Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-08-02
Chasing a Mirage

ChaS1ng a Mirage
Representatives of the Central Oregon Development
league invaded Oregon pleading for the
merging of the Southern and Central Pacific the only
possible way in which railroad will be insured central
Oregon The plea is made that if the railroads divorced
and the Union Pacific the Central Pacific and
entrance into the Willamette valley the construction of the
railroad from Ontario to Oakridge will be completed be-
cause the valley traffic will justify the building of
the road unless this traffic secured the railroad will
never be built
If the Union Pacific controls the Central Pacific from
Ogden to San Francisco racage rights the
Southern Pacific between Portland and San Francisco the
Southern Pacific will virtually be eliminated a
petitor for traffic. except to southern points and
Oregon will be at the of railroad in the days
of Hartman when the Union Pacific dominated the state
the hardship Of shippers That is why western
Oregon does not enthuse the Union Paccs plan to
wreck the Southern Pacific.
The people Of Central Oregon are being used as
paws pull Union Pacific chestnut out of the fire. They
following mirage of railroads built out of hot
air like other mirages. The Union Pacific has made
promises of constructing line central Oregon but
merely sought to convey the impression that line would
not be built unless it secured the Central Pacific and
business jusfes it might be then
There is tonnage in sight for railroad through
Oregon today than there for the Great North
when it built through Washington and if any rail
road should start building central Oregon the Union
Pacific would build frenziedy as it did when Hill start
build up the Des Chutes where the Union Pacific had
always claimed there traffic in sight Competition
the railroad to Bend only competition the fear
of it will railroad the state from east west
TO give the Union Pacific other railroad monopoly
will sound the deathknel Of railroad building it always
has in the past
The dog in the manger policy of the Union Pacific
which seeks destruction of the Southern Pacific, was
exampfied along the Des Chutes where parallel railroad
constructed other purpose than to ruin the pro
jeced Hill line, for it apparent that country
the business developed which the Union Pacific had
for years refused to develop just today refuses to de
veop central Oregon But it's policy has always been to
rule ruin any other line that nvades its territory or
whose territory it invade without expense
The Hill Des Chutes line contemplated terminal at
Medford with eventual extension seacoast Crescent
City harbor At the western end construction begun
at Medord and the Pacific and Eastern built to Butte Falls
But the Union Pacific forced Hill into
rangement at Bend imposing conditions that prevented any
extension Of the line and the abandonment of the railroad
to Medford thus effecuay blocking railroad construction
in central and southern Oregon
The Union Pacific could have served the Bend district
expense through the Des Chutes canyon
by of its Shaniko branch but instead para
eed the Hill line, just to serve notice that lines thatl
might be built Central Oregon would be by parallel
extensions of the Union Pacific, which threat has
pished purpose for which made kept Central
Oregon bottled up as a Union Pacific preserve
Central Oregons not being able to furnish tonnage
to support railroad the government reports show %
billions feet of mercantile timber in Des Chues Crook
and Harney counties which cut at the rate of only billion
feet year would pay percent the Investment
which with the livestock grain and wool and other produc
would give much greater earning power than of the
Union Pacific's lines southern Idaho Why should
the Central Oregon Development League second the Unon
Pacifcs assertion that tonnage exists in their country
If the Union Pacific developer instead of exploer
it would have long built westward the state
Is essential to maintain line central Oregon, the
Union Pacific should not complete its Ontario line westward
and invade the Willamette valley either through the Natron
the Santam and thus provide competition not
only in western Oregon but eventually in central Oregon
forcing the Southern Pacific construct branch lines
feeders of its line Nevada to the Central
Pacific.
The Modern Kn Kl11y Klan