The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1925-05-28
n. P. TO BUILD
CUTOFF TOP. R.
New Main Line Connell to
Ellensburg thru Priest
Rapids-Saves rs Miles

The Northern Pacific Railway
Company intends soon to relocate its
main line across the state of Wash
ington for the double purpose of
reaching the proposed new industrial
city at Priest Rapids and reducing by
about seventy-five miles, the length
of the present haul between Seattle
and Spokane. This is the report that
reached Seattle last week thru pri-
vste channes of communication from
New York. The report was regarded
= well-founded in Wall Street, ac-
cording to these advices, say press
dispatches.
The New York report confirms and
supplements similar reports that
reached Seattle from news sources
separated by the width of the conti-
nent to the effect that the Northern
Pacific had arranged to survey a new
line west from Connell to Priest Rap
ids, distance of about 55 miles. This
report was published in the Wall ST..
Journal, one of the nations most con-
servative business newspapers, last
Monday. At Yakima announcement
Is made that the survey already has
begun and that certain construction
material has arrived at Connell.
Officials of the Northern Pacific
in Seattle disclaim the knowledge of
tie construction plan revealed by the
New York report. However, it is re-
called that Charles Donnelly of st.
Paul, president of the Northern Paci-
*, gave out following visit to the
Pacific Northwest few months ago,
I carefully guarded statement to the
effect that the Northern Pacific was
considering the construction of a
branch line from Connell or some
other nearby main line point to give
tie road an entrance to Priest Rap
ids.
The advices that reached Seattle
from New York have their deepest
significance in the fact that they CO.
ordinate the reports that the North
un Pacific is surveying line from
Ccnnell west to Priest Rapids with
tie reports of past years that the
Northern Pacific as soon as the f.
nancial situation would justify the
step, would straighten out and short
On its main line across this state,
placing it on a physical basis COM
parable with the Milwaukee and the
Great Northern main lines.
The Northern Pacific main line be-
tween Seattle and Spokane is now
se9 miles long, making long loop
nom Ellensburg down to Pasco and
then up again to the north, striking
ths direct line route around ConnelI
and Ritzville.
The now reported purpose of the
Northern Pacific is to cut across the
base of this great loop with q line
VI Priest Rapids between Connell
md Ellensburg. This would make the
new main line distance across the
stste about S24 miles.
The Milwaukee's mileage between
Seattle and Spokane is 3O5. The G. N.
! $50.
Originally it was planned by the
Northern Pacific to make the shorter
hne across the state by building from
2lensburg to Ritzville, and certain
Old railroad maps show such line
ptted down as proposed" But a
nap Of the state made for the North
en- Pacific and revised and repub-
nhed only recently shows in dotted
mas as proposed" construction the
M which is now being surveyed be-
Ween Connell and Priest Rapids.
According to the latest Wall Street
!eport the line from Connell to Priest
Aaplds is not planned as mere feed
q to serve Priest Rapids develop
ment and connect it with the main
me, but will be extended from Priest
Aaplds up the Columbia and north
westerly to a connection with the
nam line at Ellensburg, a distance of
spproximately forty miles, making
new and shorter route across the
state.
II this report is true, and every
%ng points to its accuracy, Priest
aspids, a little more than $50 miles
st OF Seattle, promises to become a
slroad center well in advance of
'sae building there of big modern
Ioustrial city under plans that have
zen announced by the Washington
ngation. & Development Company,
subsidiary corporation of the Gen
I Electric company of Schenec-
cy' N. Y. The Priest Rapids plans
slude the installation of hydro
sclrlc plant to develop $4,000 of
seepower every day in the year,
.ss rs'oes a large amount of additional
hmbia. 's
ne plan of the promoters is to use
primary power in the manufac-
I,ns of various basic products. in
lung aluminium and chemicals,
;sa MN on the ground, and to use the
sa water or secondary power in
kating about 100000 acres of land
'1ced in the (development. The