Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1885-07-11

hcNti DuiIu Sdol VI tilc IllllS anu TIA
from the first we have secuted the idea
that 100 or even 80 miles would be bull,
on Black Hills branch this year. Our
reasons for so thinking are the best and
are not founded on jealousy ofany town
or section. While we do not expect the
road to tap Custer, We are not Influenced
in our opinion by that impossibility
In fact, unless we were made the ter
minus after being tapped we are Of the
opinion that railroad would do us
more injury than good and the same
would be true of Rapid or any other
town now in existence. Cur reasons for
thinking that the road Will never be
built east of us are first, the North
western has a projected line to tap the
Hills on the north and by building east
they would simply be tapping them
selves, then again, Il glance at the map
will show the reader that such course
would compel the road to make a
detour east and describe half circle
and after doing this they would be just
about as far from their objective point
The National Park-as they would at
any point on the main line southwest
of the Hills AS to the business Of the
road, while getting just as much of the
Hills trade by building west they would
also tap the richest cattle country in the
northwest as well as the vast mineral
deposits lying in Wyoming and adjoin-
ing the Hills.
The statement that the road will build
on the east is not tenable and until rails
are laid We will not entertain the pro-
position for a moment.
Then again, if any one can show US
how a nickle can be made more by the
building OF branch line to the Hills,
We will admit that there is possibility
of its being built at once. The main
line 80 miles south of Custer would
secure all the trade Of the Hills and
save the expense Of operating Il branch
line, and we are unable to take any
stock in that at present. The cry that
the timber of the Hills is an induce
mcnt will not stand investigation, for
any body that knows anything knows
that the Hills, after supplying the min
ing interests would not have enough
left to furnish the country between the
two forks of the Cheyenne and can not
for an instance compete with the eastern
pineries for the business Of Nebraska
or Eastern Dakota.
We stated some time ago that from
the best of information at our command
ii was evident that the S. G.. q Z. had
given mp the idea of running the main
line southwest of Chadron to Fort
Robinson and west, that, instead the
line would run northwest from the above
point. In conversation with a gentle
man who helped the company locate
their coal mines, he stated that about
their only practicable route was north
west from Chadron to the - Il ranch
and thence west to their mines in Wyo-
ming and the only pass through the
not already occupied, and
that such is the case is becoming every
day more manifest, vide the following
straw from the Times of the 7th:
Tom Whitaker returned last Friday
from trip to Chadron and Gordon, not
over enthusiastic over the prospects for
those camps. The Sioux City q Pacific
will make Gordon, and not Chadron,
division headquarters. As Mr.. Whit
taker understands it. the railroad COM
pany has abandoned the idea of ex-
tending its main line directly west from
Chadron, and will make a detour north
from the latter place, to the Cheyenne,
and thence west. Work has not begun
on the Black Hills extension, but sub
contractors were looking over the
ground with a view Of beginning the
grade at an early day.
The Omaha Bee states that the con-
tract for grading 125 miles of road on
the main line of the f., +. & NJ ", west
of Chadron, has been let to Sioux City
parties. and that the track will be laid
this year as far as circumstances and
weather will permit-the entire distance
if possible. This contract will take the
road 40 miles west of Fort Fetterman.
Dawes Journal: Railroad rumors are
again conflicting. 1t seems now certain
that the road Will not be pushed Hill
ward this season, probably not next.
Report says that l25 miles of grade to
the west is let, and report also says that
the surveyors have Abandoned the head
of Runningwater, where they have been
working, and gone az far south as the
North Platte, where they are now at
work. Sure lets Of grade do not pan out
so sure as one sometimes may expect,
and hereafter we shall form no opinions
detrimental to the welfare of Chadron.
We know We shall have the railroad by
July IL. We don't know anything
about further building, and never will
until certain obstacles are overcome,
and the work actually completed.
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The Senate committee appointed to