The Railroad That Ran to Nobody: Tacoma's Lake Park Line in Ownership Limbo
Union Pacific bought the ten-mile line to Lake Park and American Lake, but its earnings are now being kept while the receiver sends back no instructions.
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.
TACOMA, May 12—[Special.]—The Lake Park railroad, extending about ten miles from this city to Lake Park and American Lake, and which was bought by the Union Pacific railroad while the Portland and Puget Sound extension of that system was under construction, is today without an owner so far as known by Frank G. Ross, who built the road, and Agent E. E. Ellis, of the Union Pacific, who has been collecting the earnings of the same. Mr. Ross says: 'The road was sold for $120,000. Heretofore Agent Ellis, of the Union Pacific's local office, has reported to the receiver of that system. I am informed that his last report was returned without instructions as to what should be done with future earnings, which earnings are now being kept by Mr. Ellis. The road about pays expenses.' There are numerous well-discussed rumors that President Hill of the Great Northern has secured the Lake City road, together with the entire grade of the Portland & Puget Sound extension. Mr. Hill is expected here before June 1, at least such were his reported intentions a few days ago.
“The road was sold for $120,000... The road about pays expenses.”
Transit lines are still fought over as public and private assets. The Lake Park road's limbo—built by a local promoter, absorbed by a national system, then left in legal suspension—previews how regional transit corridors can become orphans of corporate strategy.
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