The Ghost Railroad of Seattle

Elijah Smith, of New York, President of the Oregon Railway & Navigation, Oregon Transcontinental, and Oregon Improvement Companies, accompanied by his son, J.W. Smith, Comptroller of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company, John L. Howard, assistant manager of the Oregon Improvement Company, and Mr. Holla, an employee of one of the companies, arrived here by the Olympian yesterday morning. They breakfasted and took a special train up the road. During the day, the party visited the Cedar River, Black Diamond, and Franklin collieries. Returning to Renton, they started to Newcastle, but on arriving at May Creek, they found it necessary, in order to get to Newcastle, to walk some distance, and concluded to return to Renton for dinner. They arrived in Seattle at 3:30 o'clock, and at once took carriages for Lake Washington, arriving back in town at 6 o'clock. At 7 o'clock, Mr. Smith met a few of our prominent citizens and discussed business of interest with them. The talk was of a private nature, reporters being excluded. It is to be hoped the conference will result in some good to this city. What our people want is the operation in good faith of the Shore Line road. Sixteen thousand people in King county desire that this road be operated, and the desire is very strong. Some think the track would make good firewood, if not used for rail purposes, but so far the road has been allowed to lay idle month after month, and year after year, without the slightest movement. How long this will continue we are unable to state. The Smith party left on the Olympian for Portland.