The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1885-08-12

We nave been inclined TO regard the
recent rumors regarding a railroad to
Butte from some point on the Northern
Pacific via a new routes as somewhat pre-
mature and unreliable. But late devel-
opments in railroad circles now con'inc-
ingly cause us to take wholly different
view Of the matter, and compels us to
say that movement is now on foot to
build such road and to express our le-
lief that it will be built at once Those
who compose the Northern Pacific direc-
tory, and consequently interested in
its financial welfare, see plainly the seri-
Gus error that was made in not building
the main line of their road to Butte, and
obtaining the bulk of all it's transporta-
tiOns, which has now reached immense
proportions. We have all this time sup
posed that the agreement entered into
between the Union Pacific and Northern
Pacific, by which they agreed to lump
together for division both the Butte and
Helena traffic would make it impossible
for either company to build outside of
its own specified territory. Although
this contract has vet eight years to run
the northern Pacific officials do not I'M
derstand that its provisions in any way
prevent them from building a line of
their own to Butte, although they would
rather have it constructed by private
citizens and will agree to turn over the
vast business of the Northern Pacific to
il. The Northwest of ST. Paul, which
usually speaks authoritively, says that
two routes are proposed for standard
gauge connection with Butte and the
Northern Pacific. One is by the way of
the Wickes branch, ard the other by
the way of the Deer Lodge valley from
Garrison, paralleling the Utah Northern;
the former is impracticable by reason of
the heavy grades necessary to surmount
the range and tunnel. at the summit.
The other route up the valley is easily
graded and could be made ready for
traffic at $4,000 per mile 1t is very
evident that the latter route is the one
that commends itself to the projectors
and the one to be adopted by those who
undertake the work, probably some one
outside of the Northern Pacific manage
ment The Helena people are making
strenuous efforts to have the Wickes
branch extended over the mountains to
the mining city OF the west side but in
the event of failure in this direction
they will turn their attention to route
by the way of Ten-mile, striking Walker
vile first by the way of Yankee Doodle
and then, as they claim, by an easy de-
cline run into Butte, making the dis
lance between the two cities forty-hve
miles and the cost of constructing mar
row gauge $4,000 per mile However
skeptical one may be inclined to look upon
the various schemes now on the tapis
it is an assured fact that the Northern
Pacific cannot longer Withstand the
temptation of taking Butte in out of the
cold, figuratively speaking. If they cannot
prevail upon private individuals to build
the road they will certainly take the
matter upon themselves and risk the
danger of breaking their compact with
the Union Pacific and retaliation upon
the part of that road. The speedy ter
mination of talk upon this subject, and
the early completion of the proposed
standard guage by any route Will be of
great benefit to Bozeman, where the
greater supply of fuel must necessarily
be procured with which to operate the
road and supply the smelters. There is
probability also of the Union Pacific
building to Bozeman, striking the Red
Bluff ming country en- route. 1t is the
opinion Of men posted upon this subject
that the Union Pacific have shrewdly
anticipated an encroaching movement
on the part of the Northern Pacific and
are not wholly unprepared to meet them
with a similar move The fact that the
Union Pacific has purchased coal mines
near Bozeman should augur well for us