The Walla Walla Man Who Wanted to Buy the Rails

B.D. Crocker, collector of internal revenue with headquarters in Tacoma but a home rooted in Walla Walla, has been making moves that have railroad men scratching their heads. According to reports from The Oregonian, Crocker approached the directors of the Columbia River and Northern Railroad with an offer to purchase either a controlling interest or the entire system.

The directors, however, have turned down these direct offers, regarding the property as too valuable to let go. The road taps a rich grain, fruit, and livestock district and holds the key to the Bickleton Prairie area. Despite the refusal, there is deep mystery surrounding Crocker's mission. He is known to be in close touch with Senator Levi Ankeny, a powerful figure in Washington politics, as well as officials of the Northern Pacific Railroad.

While Crocker refused to name his principals, he hinted that the Northern Pacific might have inspired his visit. Yet, financial backing from Portland bankers vouched for his ability to swing such a deal. Theories abound: Did he represent the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company (O.R. & N.), which has long coveted control of traffic in the Klickitat valley? Or perhaps Joseph McCabe’s newly incorporated railroad company? Or maybe private capital simply saw value in the line?

Meanwhile, the Columbia River Northern continues its construction, ballasting tracks from Lyle to Goldendale. The Northern Pacific persists in the theory that the O.R. & N. is behind the scenes, a belief President C.S. Mellon uses to justify potential future invasions of territory under existing agreements. But for now, Crocker remains tight-lipped, leaving Walla Walla’s business community to wonder what comes next.