New Rail Expansion Coming to the Peninsula
Surveyors are mapping a route from South Bend toward the Columbia River, sparking speculation about the Northern Pacific's long-term infrastructure plans for the Washington coast.
The story, cleaned up
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The company of surveyors employed by the Northern Pacific are now at the mouth of Bear river headed toward the Columbia. Several weeks ago, an account was given of the final survey preliminary to the setting of the grade stakes for the building of the Northern Pacific from South Bend to tap the Columbia up the Columbia to the line at Kalama. The present company of surveyors are under the leadership of Chief Surveyor A. F. Murdoch and are within eight miles of Chinook. The surveyors started from South Bend and have surveyed the route through the Nasel country. Just where the line will strike the river is only speculation yet, but from the way they are headed it now looks as though they would come out at or near the old town of Chinook. The line is surveyed down the river from Kalama to this city and it is thought the company intends building from South Bend to the Columbia, eight miles east, and then follow the river to Kalama. The survey has also been made down the river into this city, and the intention seems to be to build a branch down here and out the beach to Stark Pole harbor, to tap that country.
“At any rate the Northern Pacific contemplate doing some railroad building through this country in the near future and the final results will be closely watched.”
Rail expansion in the early 20th century was the engine of Pacific Northwest growth, mirroring today's debates over public transit corridors and high-speed rail investment in the region.
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