The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-09-06
SYNOPSIS OFT PRES
IDENT DILLON,s
REMARKS.
The Situation of the Right
of Way Question. q.
COL. KIMBALL EXPLAINS THE
U. P. AND Q. P, WAR.

The arrival of the high officials of the
Union Pacific railway was announced ia
Yesterdays MINER. The party did not re.
main long in Butte, but during the stay of
the officials a conference meeting was, held on
railroad matters. Yesterday morning the
meeting assembled a little after 10 O'Clock, at
the law office of Samuel Word. ESQ, ON
West Granite street. The meeting was high
~ interesting. The following railway off,
Gals were present: President Sidney Dill
Ion, Col. Thos. l.. Kimball, Assistant Cen
eral Manager; j. 7. Clark, General Superin-
tendent; John Sharp, Director, and Jacob
Blickensderfer, Chief Engineer, all of Union
Pacific; Robt. Blickensderfer, Chief Engineer
OF the Utah and Northern, and Col. Wash.
Dunn, Superintendent of Construction of
the last named railway. The following gen.
tlemen were present as representing the. peo.
Pile of Butte w. A. Clark, p. Z. Aarsey,
W. E. Hall, Vim. NJ. Jack, Sally Raunheim,
G.. T. Meader, II. A. D'Acheul, DR.. .Housh,
and several other citizens of the city.
It having been understood that the con.
ference was for the purpose of talking on the
question of the right of way for the railway
from Silver Bow to Butte and of explaining
the cause of the recent raise in the rate of
Montana freights and other secondary rail
road matters, President Dillon ad-
dressed the meeting, Mr.. billions
commanding appearance riveted the
the attention of his auditors. His manner of
Of speaking is somewhat rough but pointed
and he uses English much after the style of
the late Senator John J. Crittenden, of Ky.
He was clear and positive in his statements,
which may be briefly condensed as follows
He regretted very much that his pressing
business engagements would not permit him
to remain long in Butte, which from the
glimpse he had obtained, bore evidence of
being the most progressive and prosperous
mining district he had visited. Mr.. Dillon
referred to receiving, while at Omaha, a tel
egram from Mr.. Word informing him that
obstacles had arisen in relation to the right of
way between Butte and Silver Bow. Having
a few days to spare be concluded to run up
to Montana and see if the obstacles could not
be removed. He then explained why he had
directed the withdrawal of the graders. His
reasons were two-fold: 1st. He did not pro-
pose to submit to eXtortion or imposition.
I'd. He did not want to make a precedent of
which other people would take advantage
The amount asked for the gro md between
Silver Bow and Butte, in itself, was insignif-
cant, but the company he represented expect
ed to build many mica of railway in Mon
tana, and if the fixed determination to pay
only a reasonable sum of money for any land
it may require be once Enthusiastically under
stood, the success future undertakings would
be promoted. He said: ave are perfectly
willing to pay for the right of way, when
asked, to do so," but it was the unalterable
purpose of the company to pay only a reason
able price. If reasonable terms could not be
obtained, the law would have to he invoked.
He deemed a resort to extreme measures, in
this case, unnecessary, as he hal assurances
that the right of way in question would cost
nothing. President Dillon next spoke of the
mutual advantages to be derived by making
ISlAb q 'S SUM iS was 'u
prompted entirely by a spirit OF pride in the
future prosperity of Butte, for money-making
was the object in building railroads. He said
the company proposed building tiEe depots
for passengers and freight, and this would be
beneficial TO The company and 70 Butte. He
concluded by saying that whatever was TO be
lone must be done speedily as cold weather
was fast approaching.
Mr.. w. A. Clark followed with a few suita-
Bile remarks in reply, assuring President Dill
Ion that no antagonistic feeling existed to
ward the Union Pacific Railway. Mr. Clark
then extende to the company the free right
of way over all the ground he OWNS between
Silver Bow and Butte.
Mr.. Word explained the pending ncgotia-
tons with Messrs. Leggat, Carver and others.
That the former had positively refused TO
agree to the appointment of arbitrator, and
that he (Leggat) based his claim to the
ground on his rights as an American citizen
and proposed to have his W price for the
same. MIR. Word said that the attitude of
Mr.. Leggat had SO discouraged him that he
he had despaired of a compromise, and then
turned the whole matter over to two citi zens
H. A. D'Acheul and Lee W. Foster, and
did not know how they were succeeding with
the negotiations.
Mr.. D'Acheul stated that the following
proposition had been made: Each party to
the negotiation should appoint one appraiser
and the two so selected should appoint a
third. The three should sppraise the land,
the owners of which should bind themselves
by agreement to deed the right Of way to the
Railway company, provided, that Messrs.