The Midnight Track-Layers
A hardware store owner battles a railroad company that allegedly used stealth to install tracks in front of his home and business.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
H. M. Lund of Newport, Wash., was in Colville Monday to file suit against the Idaho Washington Northern Railway, seeking an injunction to stop the corporation from occupying the streets of his town for trackage purposes. In his affidavit, Mr. Lund states that he and his wife own Lot 19 and part of Lot 14, Block 12, of Talmage's addition, where they maintain their residence and a profitable hardware store. On October 24, the railway company allegedly used a large force of men under the cover of darkness to begin laying tracks on the street in front of their property. Mr. Lund argues that the presence of the railway and sidetracks will ruin trade, causing significant injury to his business and the surrounding neighborhood. A notice was issued for the defendants to appear before the superior court in Colville on October 31 to show cause why an injunction should not be granted.
“On October 24 the aforesaid railway company with a large force of men entered in and upon the streets in the night time and by stealth undertook to lay tracks.”
This dispute highlights the 20th-century 'growth machine' where railroads often acted with impunity against private homeowners. Today's urban struggles over land use and quiet enjoyment continue the same legal battles between local property owners and infrastructure giants.
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