Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-06-19
OREGON LOSES
lcontlnued from Page one.l

from the Southern Pacific in tne
state Of California by a distance
Of nearly 200 miles.
"3-If this separation had no
other effect, it would tend to de-
prive Oregon OF its most valuabie
single item of business, for the
Southern Pacific now is able to
buy its supply OF ties, timber and
other forest products very largely
from producers on Its lines In Ore
gon. II unable to reach those pros
dncers except by paying freight to
another carrier, this important
business would easily 60 else
where and It amounts to many
millions OF dollars a year.
Threatens Car Supply.
"4--Such a separation would
deprive Oregon of its chief source
OF car supply. The people on our
lines in Oregon reply on Southern
Pacific for. cars, having never
yet been able to get any supply
from any line east Of Portland ex-
eept for small fraction of their
wants. Even during federal con-
troll the United States railroad adj
ministration found every resource
failed except the Southern Pacific
Tor our Oregon lines car supply. ai
Remember that In 1921 the
Southern Pacific sent northward
to Ashland for its lines In Oregon
$4,000 cars empty, In addition to
over $4,000 loaded car. At Port
land we received no addition to
our car supply, on the contrary, In
1921 the Southern Pacific actual
iy delivered to rail connections
there 1850 cars In excess of cars
we received from them at Port
land.
Natron Cutoff at Stake. AZ
THE Southern Pacific began
building the Natron cutoff,
which was stopped by the merger
lawsuits. The Southern Pacific
under existing Organization has
the greatest interest In eomDlet-
ing that work. A competitor GER
lainly would not be keen to build
At to help the competing line. The
breakup OF the Southern Pacific
system would bring new difficuI-
lies as 10 IL and to the detriment
of the people of Oregon for that
cutoff was intended to connect
southeastern Oregon with Eugene,
salem and Portland as part OF the
southern Pacific plan for giving
southern Oregon a comprehensive
railroad system pursuant to the
southern Pacific policy of extend
ing its lines In Oregon wherever
conditions warranted such extern
sions. The Southern Pacific has
given evidence of this policy In
the completion of the Coos bay
line at a time when railroad con-
struction in the United States else
where had stopped. Beyond this
The greatest service of the cutoff
~ In connection with southern Pa
cifie's lines to the south and south
east.
Joint Operation Raped. oi
"b-Suggestion has been made
that by some plan the 1g1-mile
gap in California between the
southern Pacific in California and
The Southern Pacific In Oregon
might be bridged under Joint
rights Of operations. This merely
substitutes some uncertain rights
of ownerships for direct owner
ship. IL Is confession that
troublesome dual substitutes
would have to be attempted to
AXE the place of that single own
srship had responsibility to which
he public are accounted. Every
shipper knows what il means to
ieal with two carriers on any giY-
IN question of service compared
With dealing with one carrier,
'ther conditions equal. AS a bust
less question, everyone knows
hat when the business on and
'ver given piece Of railroad is
'plit between two carriers, neith-
II has la 1t the Uirect interest OF
me carrier operating the same
,ieee Of track. Further, divided
interest demands employees who
must be neutral and offend neith-
n interest, but the public do not
ike neutrality in questions OF
erviee, they preferring activity
md energy as more to the public
interest.
Scheme Not Practical.
"6-Beyond this, any. railroad
nan knows. and most business
nen. that it is not practical
hing to give another company the
main lines from Oregon California
tate boundary TO Ruseville juno
ion in California via Chico and
rom Sacramento through Stock
onn to Fresno and Goshen, 4S9 Il
niles, without interfering with
he present service. Il means the
ervice OF over nearly 500 miles
aust then be given by two COM
anles instead OF by one as now,
t IS useless to suggest that this
fould be an improvement in the
erYice for the public. whatever
he combination or arrangement
lade II il be short OF the South
ru paeffie raIafuiuE thaga lines