The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-06-09
THOSE


-GeyerlAeatr Surveyors.
A Large party Of surveyors were en-
eamped at HillsdaIe recently, and,
while there, they created much amuse-
ment by hanging up a ''stuffed paddy
on a telegraph pole. and digging a
make believe grave alongside. This
party afterwards came 70 Cheyenne and
purchased wagons and supplies for a
long stay. They then started north
ward, and, the last heard Of them, was
when they crossed the Platte, still
pointing to thelnorth lpole.
There is a mystery about these sur
yeyors that is difficult to unravel, at
present. When here, they claimed to
be government surveyors, and told the
same story to everybody. And they
said that they were to do some survey
ing in Wyoming. Now. it so happens
that this story. is too gauzy, for Surveyor
General David has let no contract to
the party. Hence they cannot be sur
yeyors for the government.
The next thing is, are they in the
employ of the Union Pacific road? The
officials here deny all knowledge Of
them, and state a fact which would
tend to prove that the Union Pacific
has not employed them. While they
were at Hillsdale, several of the party
boarded an emigrant train with the in
t%ention of stealing a ride into Chey-
enne. They refused to get off when
ordered to do SO, and a fight ensued be-
tween the boarders and the train men.
The surveyors were driven off to the
last man, but not until some of them
had been roughly handled and bruised.
1t would seem that If the surveyors
were in the employ of the Union Pacific
this thing would not have happened,
for passes would have been issued to
them.
If the surveyors, thsn. are not in the
employ Of the government or the Union
Pacific, who or what corporation has
employed themp Where are they going?
and what are they to survey for? The
mystery deepens the more it is inquired
into.
Many theories have been advanced
to explain. Some say they are in the
interest of the Chicago & Northwestern
road, and intend to lay out a route
from Deadwood across northern Wyom-
ing, and down into southwestern
Wyoming, 10 connect with the Central
Pacific road. There is much to sup
port this theory. The Northwestern
road will soon reach Deadwood, the
grading having already been done to
that town. And, a short time since,
we mentioned the fact that the Central
Pacific had surveyors running a dis
tinct line from Ogden to the "coal
fields" of Uinta county, Wyoming.
Hence it is argued that the Northwest
ern road sees a good thing in buildings
few hundred miles more of road and
thus securing u Pacific outlet, besides
tapping and passing through the richest
portions of Wyoming territory.
1t will be remembered that the Union
Pacific and Central Pacific are not on
the most cordial terms. The Union
Pacific, by its Granger extension, will
soon tap the Pacific in Oregon, and
thus be, in a measure, independent of
the Central Pacific road. So that it
would seem reasonable in the Central
Pacific and Northwestern roads coming
together. and, by competition, secure a
share of the overland traffic, which is
growing year by year.
Then, again, there are some who
thinkthat the B. & NJ. is at the bottom
of the movement. But it seems as If
every mysterious move Of surveyors is
duly credited to the B. & M. There
appears nothing reasonable to warrant
such belief.
Whoever has employed the survey
ors, means we'll for Wyoming. The
building of a new road by any corpora
tion will be hailed as a great blessing,
and, looking at it in that light, our
people will care but little who does the
surveying and the building. SO long as
the people of the territory derive the
benefit.