The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-09-23

The following telegram, dated at New
York, was received last Monday by General
Agent Stone, from yice-President Cakes, OF
the N p. r. r.; The track of the Northern
Pacific will reach Miles City by the middle
Of October, and the mouth of Rosebud,
thirty-ave miles beyond, by the middle of
November. This you eau rely on"
K. L. Bonner & Co. this week received in
structions from the Northern Pacific TO at
once begin the construction of good wagon
road from Pen fOreille ferry sixty miles
beyond Missoula) to Vermillion, distance
of eighty miles. Mr.. Bonner telegraphed
Eddy, Hammond & Co. on Tuesday TO COM
connect with one from the west at Vermil-
lion, and will be for the convenience Of the
company IN carrying supplies, and 1t is also
anticipated a stage line will be put on early
next spring from the end of the road to Mis-
soula.
The MissOuiidn says that party Of engi
neers I'm the interest of the Idaho ~ Montana
railroad who arrived Mt Missoula last week,
have surveyed the Skalkaho pass over the
Bitter Root Mountains. Mr.. Alfred Beall,
who had charge of the party, stated that the
approaches on both sides were admirably
adapted to the building of a railroad, being
so gradual and regular that wagoh could
be driven from the forks of the Clearwater
to within ten miles of the Bitter Root valley,
and then would be stopped only by the fallen
timber. The elevation is 5,20l feet, and
road could be built with a maximum grade
of sixty feet to the mile. Mr.. Beall found
pass six miles north of Skalkaho pass that is
lust as good. its elevation is $3.50 feet, but
this could he reduced to 5000 feet by tunnel
not 1900 feet long.
In letter to the San Francisco Bulletin
Mr.. James Gamble speaks of the prospects
of Northern Pacific branch to the National
Park, and says: "Mr. Cakes principal OBJ
iect in visiting the National Park was to see
If it was of sufficient importance for his COM
pany to extend branch road in that direc-
ton. He has already seen enough to satisfy
him upon this point, and will doubtless rec
ommend his company to carry out this object
upon the completion Of the road across the
continent. The road will only have to ex-
tend branch about sixty miles up the yell
lowstone river to reach the Mammoth Hot
Springs, and no engineering difficulties were
found in the way of doing this, and with
easy grades. In addition TO the large number
of tourists who will pass over this branch
every season. there is a fair prospect that
large developments will be made in the
mines In the vicinity of the Park which will
afford additional business the year round"
The Clarke's Fork division of the North
eru Pacific railroad extends from the mouth
Of the Little Blackfoot 10 the crossing of
Lake PEN d Oreille. Assistant Engineer IL.
NJ. Mccartney, who had charge of the divi-
sion from Ainsworth to the lake until lis
completion, is now in charge of the Ciarke's
Fork division from the Lake Crossing 70
Horse Plains-sixty miles beyond Missoula
On that portion of the division the company
is doing its own work, and makes no con-
tracts. Temporarily Col. Dodge, Assistant
Engineer In charge of the Rocky Mountain
division, has also had charge of the work
done on the Clarke's Fork division west OF
Little Blackfoot. A few days since Assistant
Engineer /. S. =. Weeks, who, il will be re-
membered, made the locating surveys be-
tween Little Blackfoot and Bear Mouth last
fall, returned to Deer Lodge, having been as
signed rs Assistant Engineer in charge of the
the Clarke's Fork division from Little Black
foot to Horse PlainS-a distance of 1870 or 100
miles-and relieving Col. Dodge on that
work. Mr.. Weeks will make his headquart
ers in Missoula, for which place he left on
Monday. He is accompanied by his wife
and three children, and will probably remain
until the road is completed.
Last Thursday, returning from Helena, we
concluded to come on the railroad-line
Driving out the Silver City road, and turning
up Seven-mile creek, we followed the line Of
stakes as nearly As possible by road to the
eastern approach of the tunnel, ther
around by Jack Reynolds graded road to the
western approach to the tunnel, down
Meadow creek, where Chesbroughs party
were locating near the Frenchwoman's, and
thence down Little Blackfoot to Jones sta
ton. The eastern approach to the range FOL
six or eight miles is over some rugged coun'
try, and is bold piece of engineering. II
includes at Skelly's gulch bridge 1900 fee
long, with a central pier 225 feet high
The grade for several miles is 1l6 feet to the
mile. But with this grade a direct line is OBJ
tanned most of the distance, and the scenery
il superb. The tunnel will enter in precip
itous glen under the shadow of stupendou
mountains, as wild and impressive localit,
as could be found anywhere, and $3.50 tee
further on, having passed $50 below the sum
init of the ridge, the traias will emerge sud
denly through grassy glade, between
rounded foothills, into the broad basin 0
| Carbon Moor. Thence down Meadow creel
to the Frenchwoman's although maximum
| grade il is as easy to build a road As between
Deer Lodge and Butte. There is PRACTICAL.
no mountain work west of the tunnel, ant
but six or eight miles on the east. We ar
| not surprised the engineers are reported 4
have decided In favor of the Mullan route.
| SPARKS FROM THE LOCOMOTIVE.
\ O.. .,