The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-07-26
RAILROAD OF.
FTCIALS VISIT HERE
CONTINUED from page one)

This was the trend of President
Gray's talks at the different places.
At each place he went some distance
into the subject, but at no place was
there sufficient time to finish. At
McDonaldville there was q wagon
with hayrack loaded with children
singing the song Idaho, as he ar
rived, and when they had finished
he asked them to repeat it, which
they did. After his address little
Miss June Patch presented him with
a bunch of flowers and he kissed and
caressed her and several times after
ward referred to her as q man does
to one that has made an impression
on him. During the trip he kept
asking how far this rich belt ex-
tends, how far to the border of 1t in
each direction.
This was the third day Mr.. Gray
had been riding over the country and
making addresses, and each time Mr..
Bergman asked him II he were tired
and wanted some other speaker to
take his place at the next stop he
replied that he was feeling fine and
was interested and wanted to speak
again. He said he was enjoying
these meetings with the families on
the farm, and enjoying the sight of
the all-irrigated farms with their
crops that looked 80 promising. In
his office he had statistics on this
valley and its products, but to see
the country itself was more than
statistics and meant something to
him that columns of figures do not
convey. He was sorry they had only
R@x~ T. o.. -
when Mr.. Bergman suggested that
he come again and take good look,
he said he would; he did not know
when, but he would come. At
Thomas the girls of the sewing club !
had an exhibit of their needle work, :
and Mr.. Gray stopped to visit with
them over it as chummy as if they
were his own children. The party
arrived In Blackfoot on time and
carried out the rest of the program
of banquet and addresses as planned,
Senator L. r. Thomas presiding
Mayor Peck gave the address of
welcome and P. G. Johnston spoke
briefly on the disadvantages of COM
petition in some lines of business,
being one of them. He
to the good road and good
service in the country north of
Ogden and in southern Idaho, where
here is but one road and no COM
petition, and compared it with the !
south of Salt Lake, where {
here are two steam roads and one :
electric line. He said that for long :
ime the rates had been about 25 :
,er cent niger there and the service :
vas always poorer. Each little town :
lad three depots, and three sets of
ervants, and 1t all cost money and =
lad to be added to the freight bills 9
nd the fares. The revenues did not =
Justify the building of good depots
nd the making of other improve a
nents, SO they do with the old and =
In none of those towns \
o they have such a fine depot as at .
|lackfOOt, and there is no reason to :,
ope for it, for there is the patron VI
ge split up among the three roads o
nd there are the three sets of oper- .
ting expenses to eat up the revenues 9,
nd prevent them getting new rolling ~
.ock and making better roadbeds. -
I. E. Calvin in his address, said he =,
Omitted that the Oregon Short Line y,
as a good road-he had been with
lie road nearly fifty years and he
ad helped make 1t good road.
Who Owns the Union Pacific T
In one of his addresses, Mr.. Gray b.
,ferred to the fact that much of III
lie public look upon railroad COM ey
my as bunch of capitalists, some OF
W of whom hold the control of the pl
ock and the company, and mani re
lplate it to their own advantage ra
Id often, to the disadvantage of 10
e minority stockholders and the tn
lblic receiving service from the fu
'ad. VI