White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-07-02
CONTRACT LET FOR
WENATCHEE SOUTHERN

Due to persistent rumorS that have
been afoat for several months that
plans to build the Wenatchee South
ern railroad had been abandoned, and
the lack of any activity on the part of
the promoters, nearly everybody was
surprised to read the announcement,
published in all of the Sunday dailies,
of Edward S. Russell of Wenatchee,
struction contract had been let and
that work would start Monday Of this
week.
Mr.. Russell said that the contract
had been let to the Railway Construc-
ton company of Wenatchee.
"Chief Engineer Bowen has enough
of the right of way cross-sectioned
so that contractors will not be ham,
pered in getting start" said Mr..
Russell.
"The contract is let on cost plus
basis and the cost of construction is
estimated at S2,ooo,0o0, not including
rail equipment, engineering costs,
right Of way, etc. The engineer has
reduced the former estimated cost by
half million dollars. The financing
has not been entirely completed, but
the company has sufficient funds on
hand to pay as fast as work pro-
gresses."
The contract was ratified at the
meeting Of the board Of directors on
Friday night of last week. The COM
parry sent telegram to the Inter
state Commerce Commission with
drawing it's application for an extern
sion Of time to start construction, as
it will not be needed on account Of the
decision to comply with the original
order of the commission that work be
started before July /, 1926.
A man from Wenatchee who was
in White Bluffs Tuesday, said that
the construction had actually started
at Wenatchee. No one here knows
whether the construction work is to be
pushed until the whole line is complete
or whether just enough is to be done to
whether just enough is to be done to
hold the franchise and to comply with
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion's order that construction work be
started by July 1. Mr.. Russells state
ment would indicate that all of the
right Of way has not yet been secured
nor all Of the preliminary work been
done. This lends weight to the belief,
that all of the construction is not to be
undertaken at this time, or at least
without some Interruptions or delays.
Every one in this valley, however,
is hopeful that the construction work
now started will continue until the
whole line is built.
The proposed road is about $50
miles long. Under the original plans
new construction will be required be-
tween Wenatchee and Beverly, and
between Hanford and Kennewick. The
link between Beverly and Hanford is
to be taken care of by long time
lease from the Milwaukee railroad
for the Priest Rapids branch from
Beverly through White Bluffs to Han
ford.
The Wenatchee Southern would
connect up four ns-continental
railroads; the Great Northern, the
Milwaukee, the Northern Pacific and
the Union Pacific. 1t would probably
be electrified and would furnish ex-
ceptional service to residents in the
territory between Wenatchee and
Kennewick.
In some quarters it is believed that
Union Pacific interests are back of
the new road. The u. p. now has no
connection with Seattle except by way
of Portland and no doubt would give
serious consideration to plan of
operating it's trains from Kennewick
over the proposed road to Beverly and
then over the main line of the Mil
waukee to Puget Sound providing
satisfactory traffic agreement could
be entered into.