The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-04-06
CONNECTION.

The visit to Butte Tuesday of two gentle
men having in charge the advance engineer
ing and surveying parties of the Utah
Northern Railroad, is a good omen. What
ever may be the Ultimate decision of TIT
railroad magnates with regard to the selection
of a route for the na~rrow-Gauge road, it i
quite evident that they have not yet decided
to construct the line direct to Helena. anC
that if not already convinced, they are a
least open to conviction relative % the supe-
rior advantages Of Butte as a railroad termi
nus. Tt would be indeed singular if they
were unaware of this important fact.
Here we have a population equal to that OF
the Territorial capital, and one which is in.
creasing with far greater rapidly. As far as
passenger travel is concerned. therefore, Butte
has a decided advantage. In the matter of
freight, also, this city offers superior induce
ments, for the country tributary to Butte is in
population and wealth far ahead of that sec
ton of the Territory surrounding Helena, as
recently published statistics amply demon
strate. A comparison between the CONNER
'H"A VI AN WV SitiSS 10 SAoiNSiN
necessary, for no lcvel-headed man who
should visit Helena and Butte could fail to
recognize the fact that every reason exists
why the road should be constructed first to
The Silver City. One single company now
operating here will during the present year
ship between three and four thousand tons of
milling and mining machinery to this camp.
This amount of freight is in excess of all the
merchandise received in Helena during any
twelve months of its existence. There are at
least fifty mine owners in this camp who will
during the next two years import mining and
milling machinery Of greater or less amount,
and the profits accruing to the railroad COM
pany from this kind Of business alone woulG
aid largely in paying expenses of constructions.
What inducements does Helena Offer: The
five editors of the Herald boast of a large
mercha 1dislng trade. But it is no larger
than that of Butte, aud within two years it
will be much less. Then the people of that
town resort to their pocket-books instead of
relying on the natural resources of the county
and are loud in Boosting of their intent to
offer a money inducement to influence the
owners of the road but this very fact is
sufficient evidence that they have no conf
dence in their ability to furnish enough bust
ness to keep the road in operation, and it will
undoubtedly have the effect of putting Gould
Y Company on their guard against the wild
and unsupported assertions made in the in
terests of Helena relative to the business
capabilities of that town.
But better than newspaper argument and
far more convincing and satisfactory to the
projectors of the road, would be the appoint
ment by Jay Gould of an experienced and
reliable man TO pay a visit of close examina-
ton to this city and Helena and to make a
report to the railroad directors relative to the
merits of the two cities as railroad feeders.
If the railroad men entertain a lingering doubt
about the superior resources of this camp,
they could speedily satisfy themselves on that
subject by such an appointment. Should such
a representative visit this city he would be
accorded every facility for carrying OH a thor
ough and intelligent examination of the bus
mess resources of the camp. He could
examine the mines and estimate the amount
of ore in sight interview our copper miners
and post himself on the amour Of copper ore
which would be shipped out of the terri
tory; visit our mills and smelters, and
inquire as to the amount of bullion
and copper matte now being produced.
After thoroughly informing himself as to the
capacity and output of the mines and mills,
and Of the amount of mining and milling
machinery likely to be required in their OPP
Grafton, he could next visit our business houses
and post himself OH the proportions of our
merchandising trade and u distributing bus
iness, after which he could with profit ascer-
tain the wealth, population and agricultural
es,urces of the country tributary to Butte.
After completing a thorough examination of
the section of the Territory to be benefited
by an extension Of the railroad To Butte, let
him then go to Helena and pursue a similar
course of inquiry, afterward embodyins the
result of his observations in a report to be
submitted to the railroad managers. In this
way a decision would be arrived at without
engendering i'll feelings between the people
residing in different sections of the territory,
in addition to which advantage the railroad
company would be materially benefited by
the extension of the read to that point which
may reasonably be expected to furnish the
most profitable businG ) for the longest period,
both import and export traffic being eonsid-
cred.