The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-11-18
RAILROAD NOTES.
As They are Picked up Prornis-
cuously.

As They are Picked up Promis-
cuously.
Shortly after we went to press last Thurs-
day evening Col. J. T. Dodge, Engineer in
charge Of the Rocky Mountain Division, N.
p. r. r., and Washington Dunn, Esq, sr-
rived from Helena and signed contracs for
the construction Of the n. p. r. r. from Gar
rison mouth Of Little Blackfoot) 10 Silver
Bow Junction and Butte. Mr.. Dunn takes
the contract for the entire grade. Mr.. J. L.
Vanvleit, with his surveying party. Ii now
IN the vicinity Of Silver Bow locating line,
and men will be put to work without delay.
The line will cross 1.-THE Hump" near the
present stage road and hug close on the rocky
point just east Of Pierse's station. The first
work will be done on the heavy cut west of.
and the rock point east of, Pierse's Station.
If the weather admits work will be prosecu-
ted all winter. 1t is believed this grade can
be built in four months of working weather,
but that Is not likely to be had this winter.
This gives Mr.. Dunn under actual and con-
ditional contract the entire line to Missoula I,
q distance Of about 125 miles, Of which 10
miles are now about completed,
West Of Pen dOreille Lake all work has
been done by the r. r. Co. direct-letting no
grading contracts. Superintendent Hallett
has had charge of most Of the work and has
pushed 1t to the satisfaction Of the company.
I xoyJ !; 4.
him all the men of the Cascade Division he
would grade 800 miles Of North Pacific road
by December, 1882. The men were sent to
him and there are now 900 men ct work be-
tween Missouls and the bridge on Pen
d'Oreille Lake. These will be divided mp
this winter between rock work north of the
Lake and clearing and grading east In
stead of 800 miles, Superintendent Hallet has
only 197 miles of grade to build to connect
with Mr.. Dunn at Missoula. Hence, 1t is
fair to assume that by October, 1882, the grade
from the west will be completed to Butte city
and 1t is only question Of how fast the grade
can be tied and ironed.
e L. Bonner g. Co. have the contracts for
furnishing the ties and sawed timber for
bridges from Thompson's River to Butte-a
distance of 248 miles. This will require, a.
at present estimated, twenty-one million feet
of sawed timber, exclusive Of lumber for sta
lions, etc. They have now one mill moving
to Thompson's River with capacity Of TO-
900 feet per day. The Catching mill with .
capacity Of 20 900 feet per day will be moved
down from Butte next week. The now mill
now at Silver Bow has q capacity Of 10000
feet per day. Negotiations are pending for
another mill from this county Of like capaci-
ty. This will give saving capacity Of TO-
600 feet per day, or to rate II ut allow estimate
for contingencies, $1,000 feet per day; 1,3o0,-
600 feet per month, or thirteen million feet
in ten months. Mr.. Bonner will 20 east In .
few days and have constructed to deliver on
the line in February As many more mills ~
are required to do the entire work in eight
and an extra mill to cover all posi-
BILE chances Of mishap.
The N. p. Co. Is shipping iron constantly
by water to Portland and thence over its road
to Pen d'Oreille Lake. The steamer Henry
Willard Lis carrying this iron to Cabinet Land
Ing and by the time the road is completed
around the north Of the Lake 1t is anticipa-
ted division Of Is or 30 miles east Of Cabi-
net Landing will have been built ahead Of
the construction.
Every recent order Of the Northern Pacific
is that work must 60 ahead with
all possible expedition, and oil contractors
on the west are notified that their obligations
must be complied with within date, indi-
eating the road will be completed to the sum-
init of the Rocky Mountains in 1882.
This is Wizards idea Of gushing things"
1t will be seen that II Is contemplated to have |
the grade built to Silver Bow or Butte by |
Oct, 1882, and Engi neer Weeks Of the Clark's |
Fork Division asserts the track win be laid |
10 Missoula by that date with probability |
Of its reaching Deer Lodge by December. II
The work from the east il pushed with cor |
energy the road can be complet- |
ID to Bozeman by the same date. The COM |
pany desires to complete the road through |
from Lake to Ocean by July, 1883. The road
,r PIpestons Passes can be built in six |
months.
The Mullan tunnel is $500 feet long. Be-
yond that is tunnel 600 feet long. Between |
hem is q bridge, which should be built Of |
ron, 1900 feet long, with central pier Of ma |
,onry 225 feet high. The grade Of the Null |
IAN tunnel is 106 feet to the mile we stward. |
It can, therefore, only be driven advantage
e. 81 nv,iro
lays, or. counting 800 working days to the |
year, about 26 months. Commencing Janu- |
ary /, 1882, it would require until February,
1884, to drive 1t. II work should be prosecu- |
ted from both ends the tunnel will be COM |
pleted by July /, 1883. This would still leave |
The bridge to be built, requiring, perhaps,
six months time after connection Is made |
from Bozeman and material brought from
the east II these estimates are correct, IL |
becomes apparent that there Is involved . |
delay Of several months beyond the time
axed for completing the road by building the |
hrst line v,s the Mullan Tunnel. Ii 1t not
possible in view Of these facts that the North |
srn Pacific Company may conclude to push |
Its road around the Deer Lodge or Pipestone
Passes, acquire its land grant, secure - much |
Of the trade of Montana ~ possible against
the encroachments OF the Utah b Northern
and build the short line ria Mullan Tunnel
1t leisure and less expense? 1t looks to .
casual observer ~ II such thing might hap
pen.
In the mean time the Utah & Northern Is
not idle. The Union Pacific Directory IL
sturdy, experienced and shrewd. It has |
reached point where the construction Of
feeders to the main line is principal point |
% be looked after, and none have no amply |
repaid the Investment as the Utah & North |
.rn. The work this year has been inexplica- |
bly, slow and scattered, the operations Of the |
n orthern Pacific having apparently discon- |
serted the management. But recently It APP |
pears to have been determined to extend the |
,oad here, and . number Of survey lines have
g. t. a.