A Railroad Dream to Steal Tacoma's Trade

At the meeting of the trustees of the Chamber of Commerce last night, E. G. Edrington, president and general manager of the Sidney, Vaughn & Olympia railway — the proposed electric road to connect with steamers to Seattle and Olympia — addressed the meeting and said the general plan of the railway company was to build a roadbed by volunteer labor from Sidney to Vaughn and to lay down ties. Bonds were to be issued for the electrical equipment. He said that the right-of-way had already been granted by a mass meeting held at Vaughn by the citizens of Kitsap county. It was then proposed to put on a line of boats from Olympia to Vaughn and another from Sidney to Seattle. The road would divert the trade of the upper Sound from Tacoma to Seattle. As is shown by its former name — the Vaughn & Gig Harbor Railroad and Power Company — the road was intended to run to Gig Harbor, but at a meeting of the trustees held at Vaughn the name was officially changed to the one it now bears. A general discussion followed and the matter was referred to the committee on railways and steamships.

A report of the treasurer was submitted showing the chamber to be in good financial condition.

The secretary then read his statistical report on the commerce of the city, so far as compiled, of the shipments by water, incoming and outgoing, and stated that it would be supplemented by a future report on the rail shipments. As soon as the report is finished, it will be published by the chamber for general distribution, in accordance with the action taken at the general meeting last Monday.