The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1885-10-14

bic to secure fuel for smelling purposes.
IL is generally conceded that no line of
road could be built within this territory
that would tap so many mining camps
and developso much new business along
its line, distribute fuel at so many points
where it is so much needed and so uni.
versally benefit the country at large by
increasing the volume of business in
every channel 1t Is we'll known that
the fuel supply at Butte is becoming each
year more uncertain. The timber on
the adjacent mountains is being rapidly
consumed and wood for smelling purp-
oses will soon be out of the question. 1t
now costs from $5 to $3.50 per cord and
coal is shipped from five to six hundred
miles over the Union Pacific and Utah
& Northern and has to be transferred
from a broad to narrow gurge costing
the smelters $S to SO per ton. Her sup
ply Of coke comes from Pennsylvania and
cost the Butte men $40 to $24 per ton.
Coal from the Callatin and Rock Creek
coal fields could be furnished for one
half the price now paid, and coke for less
than halfa frst-class article of which is
being made at the Bozeman mines. At
these prices wood would be no longer
used and the coal and coke business for
Butte alone would amount to fully 800,-
600 tons annually, the consumption of
soft wood the past year having been up
ward of40O 900 cords and coal 25 600 tons.
This would not only be the shortest
possible route from st. Paul to Bozeman
1867 miles from Bozeman to Butte. 80
miles, making total of LAO miles as
against total of ! ,257 miles via the Gar
rison and 1857 via Gallatin making a
difference in distance in favor OF the
B1zeman route, of Ill over the Garrison
route and 10 miles over the Gallatin route.
The line would cross the mountains via
the Pipestone Pass without tunnel on
the same grade as the Northern Pacific
crosses the Mullen Pass with the ap-
proaches very favorable indeed. The
route has been very carefully examined
by the most competent engineers and
pronounced practical and easily line to
construct and operate They also state
that as the road would pass for the entire
distance over continuous mineral belt,
that it would pay to construct the lines
entirely independent Of any other road
for fuel and lumber road and the local
ore traffic that would be developed by
its construction as scarcely any Of the
ores could be reduced without moving to
some convenient point for treatment
where fuel, lime, iron and other, necessary
articles for fux can be had conveniently.
It would seem that st. Paul would be
most vitality interested in every feasible
proposition that tends toward internal
improvement in tributary territory. and
most particularly in this enterprise,
which would nevelop such vast mineral
wealth and increase the volume of trade
largely and at the same time reach Butte
by the shortest route possible, and thus
tap this most important trade center in
Montana and the richest and most pro-
ductive mining camp in the world.
This country is naturally tributary to
st. Paul, and ST. Paul the nearest, great
est and most wealthy commercial center
within It's reach it is therefore natural
that the mine owners and others inter-
ested in the early construction of this
road should look to st. Paul, a party
directly in interest, for assistance and
hearty cooperation. The people of
Gallatin being conscious of the great i'm
portance and necessity to eastern Mon
tana and trade generally of the const:uc-
ton of the Montana Central, and acting
on the old proverb that God helps those
that help themselves, fled articles of
Incorporation and made an effort to Sc
cure county aid, and bill passed both
houses at the last session Of the Iegisla-
ture. but unfortunately was delayed un-
til the last hours of the session, and was
pocketed by our carpetbag governor, B.
Platt Carpenter if, however, he had
had the manhood to veto the bill it
would have passed both house by two
thirds vote and and became law, in
which case the Montana Central would
have been by this time well under way
il not entirely completed. Having failed
to secure county aid. the friends of the
enterprise have been untiring in their
efforts to secure the necessary assistance
to build the road. and but for the strin-
cent condition of the money market,
have strong reason to believe that their
efforts would have been crowned with
success. It is now, therefore, after hav-
ing exhausted our own resources, that
we turn our eyes to the eastward, and
ask our st. Paul friends. whose interests
we feel to be our interest, TO come for
ward and investigate this read by send
ing competent men to examine it in
company With our engineers and mine
owners. Cooperate with us in forming
some plan by which this road can be
bnilt. either under the supervision Of the
Northern Pacific or upon an independ
ent basis, but with a friendly relation
ship existing between the two roads.
st. Paul should then cause to be erected
at OF near St. Paul suitable smelling and
refining works, similar to those at Oma-
ha, for the treatment of the high grade
base smelling ores of Montana. This
accomplished, revolution in mining
would be the result. Ores that are rich
and base, which cannot be treated by
the ordinary and crude milling process.
would pour into the St. Paul smelling
works from the Spanish Creek, Elk
Creek, Cherry Creek, Red Bluff, Rich
mond Flat, spauIdings, Poney, Willow
Creek, South Boulder, Silver Star, Iron
Rod. Pipestone, and other points along
the new line as well as other camps
.4t