This Week in Odessa History

Shipping costs have always been a major concern for Odessa area grain growers.

Just before the harvest of 1911, the Great Northern Railway announced a cut in the rate to ship grain to Seattle from Odessa.

The Milwaukee Road had built the spur line up Rocky Coulee from Warden to Marcellus the year before and was offering cheaper rates to the Coast to growers who shipped out of Packard, Schoonover, Lauer, Batum, Moody and Ruff stations.

To be competitive, the Great Northern lowered its charges. In its issue of July 14, 1911, The Odessa Record reported:

“We are reducing wheat rate from Odessa to...