St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-10
MONTANA RAILWAY PROJECTS.
New Roads In Construction and Their
Specific Objects.
The Whole System Outlined in the Light of
Future Development.

correspondence Oh Lle dlODe.
HELENA, Mont, March 5.-Two very meri-
torious railway schemes are on foot in Mon
tana, which great territory is as responsive to
railway development as Dakota, although the
natural obstacles to be overcome are much
greater. The territory is now traversed east
and west by the main line of the Northern
Pacific, with branch from Livingston to the
National park, and from south to north by
the Utah d Northern, a narrow gauge branch
of the Union Pacific connecting with the
main line at Ogden and with the Northern
Pacific at Garrison, line more than 400
miles in length and connecting the mines of
Butte, Anaconda and Glendale with the outer
branch connecting the main line with
Wickes, an important mining camp near
Helena, the proposed new line, and for
which charters and the privilege of submit
ting them to vote of the people of the coun
ties traversed by them, for the purpose of
taxation are pending. One of these contem-
plated lines is the Montana Central, designed
to be built from Butte to Bozeman in
order to carry the coal and
coke of the Bozeman mines to
the smelters at Butte and Anaconda, which
have heretofore been to great expense to Sc
cure these products from Pennsylvania. Be-
sides it would furnish an outlet for the agri-
cultural products of the Gallatin valley. The
counties of Gallatn and Silver Bow, under
the terms of the pending bill at Helena,
would vote upon this proposition. The other
project is a line from Helena to Benton,
bringing the capital city and its tributary ter
tor, ,,,f1 0f
navigation on the Missouri, and opening
up communication with the great ranges of
the Musselshell and Sun river, and valuable
mineral and coal lands as well. The coun-
ties of Lewis and Clarke and Choteau are di-
rectly interested and would vote upon these.
Still another project is in consideration, but
it requires congressional action. That is the
Cinnibar 81 Clark's Forks line, which would
open up a magnificent mineral district TO
development. 1t is the design to run this
line from the terminal of the national park
branch of the Northern Pacific via Soda
Butte to Cook City. This would uecessitate
trenching upon the domain of the park.
but, inasmuch as there are no
rare curiosties in that section,
there is no good reason why the southeast
corner of the reservation should not be re-
stored to the public domain and thus avoid
opening up the park proper to railroad develop
ment. 1t is possible, however, that q prac-
ticable pass could be found through the yell
lowstone range by way of Park City. This,
Of course, would obviate all objections by
park sentimentalists. And still another pro-
jected line in Montana is branch from the
Northern Pacific at Billings to the Bull
mountain coal fields And vet another
scheme is to lay third rail on the Utah
Northern narrow guage from Butte to Garri
son and from Garrison to Helena on the
Northern Pacific broad guage, in order to
bring these two greatest cities in Montana
into communication without breaking
bulk. With the Inauguration of these
enterprises, Montana would resound
with the notes of preparation for the grand
destiny of development which is before it.
Its vast treasure houses of precious metals
would be developed and made to enrich the
country at large. In fact all industries
would be stimulated into intense activity.
But the territory is conservative commu-
nifty, having so far in large measure de-
veloped its resources, and per-
haps somewhat slow to adopt the railway
method of doing business. But the
time Is surely coming when all Of these rail-
way projects, these visions of progressive
minds will be realized. New life and new
blood are being infused into the territory and
the old is being stimulated into activity. 1t
is hoped that the legislature will take liberal
view of the two projects now pending, mas
much as they must be submitted to the people
of the counties directly interested, to deter
mine whether they shall support them as
contemplated by the charters prayed for and
the character of articles of association to be
agreed upon. Railway development will at
tract capital and emigration, reanimate all
latent industries and create new ones.