Railroad Titans Keep Kennewick Guessing
Northern Pacific executives descend upon the region, stoking rumors of a major bridge project and a new push along the Columbia River bank.
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.
Portland, Ore., May 26.—That the Northern Pacific means to do things in the vicinity of Vancouver, Wash., in connection with possible developments in the long-threatened railroad war, became evident in Portland today when Charles M. Levey, assistant to President Elliott of the Northern Pacific; Thomas Cooper, land commissioner of the company; Chief Engineer E.J. Pearson; and their clerks arrived in this city and refused to discuss the object of their visit. It is said they have gone to Vancouver to look over railroad property in that vicinity. It is presumed they will also confer with engineers in charge of surveying parties who are now in that neighborhood. Once again the old dream of Northern Pacific construction down the north bank of the Columbia river is revived, as is also the project to construct a high bridge across the Columbia river at Vancouver.
“Once again the old dream of Northern Pacific construction down the north bank of the Columbia river is revived.”
The struggle for control over the Columbia River's transit corridors was the primary engine of early 20th-century development in the Tri-Cities. The secrecy of railroad executives mirrors the modern-day competition between private interests and local municipalities seeking to develop the same riverfront land today.
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