Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-08-14
DAILY POST-IHTHLlGENcER



Il railro.d circles there 10 At present
much talk Of the sTebabilisy Of The
construction BY the Northern Paethe OF
9 branch 70 Butse. II the original IN
tsntion had been carried out the znsaD
line Of the Northern PaciAG woald bays
passed through Bette, but at the last
rporoant the route vss eesngsd. and
that city vas left fifty miles south Of
the lfns. The Ctah and northern,
branch line under the control Of the
Union Paeife, extends from Pocstsiio,
On the main line Of the Onion FseiseJ
10 Garrison, on tbs tnsin line Of tie
Northern Pssihc, and upen this read
Bats st present deptDis for connsssSoD
with both the East asd the Pseiee
Ceass. OF course. 90 thu Utah and
Northern IL q harroR kaee, all freight
destined for Butte TrofR be transferred
either at PocatsIIo or Garrison. Tbs
Guinness msR Of Butte complain loudly
at this and are exceedingly anxi0us 70
have o standard assps road buIli 10 their
sisy. IL common raaisr 10 10 be credited
the Northsrn Pacific rosdisates crafty
ine this desire by pAraIleiling the Iins
sf the Utah and Northern from Gar
Kson.
This would be most serious blow 70
the Union Pacific. H0W serious, Is not
generally understood. The trade Of
Bottle 10 enormous. President Adams
is credited WITH the ststement that one.
tsath Of toe grsss earnings Of the en-
tire Union Pacific system il received
from business emanatipg from Butte,
and il IL stated on ether authority thai
the receipts from Butte business are
nearer ons-siRhth than ooe-tsnth Of
the entire receipts OF the uaioa Pacific.
The immense value Of this business IL
due 10 ths long hAni from Omaha 90
Butte, and TO the faet thai the Union
Pacihe has always been enabled 10 hx
lie own rates Withou, competition Of any
kind. Al one time so per ton vas
charged fer hauling freight frsm
Omahs. With STANDARD RaRe branch
70 Bate the Northern Pc iae could osn
troll the greater portion, IL not ell. Of
this trade, and ths earnings Of the
Union Pacific, vhioh are not any too
great al best, would be reduced ma.
tsfisIly.
That tho Unien Pacific would allow
90 serious an invasion OF lie territory
without reiaIiatinR 10 some manner ID
scarcely probable. II would, however.
doubtless DO at loss a. TO how 20 retail
iasa most excessively, and IL 10 not i'm
possible that the result Of its delibsra-
tions on the subject would DO deter
minsiion TO extend its line from Bate
vs1tward 10 Puget sound. This would
be retaliation with q vengeance. II
would not only prevent the Northern
Pacific from monopolizinR the Bate
business, bot 10 would rive the Union
Panifc line 70 the Pacific Coas, which
would be shorter by naany hundred
miles than the lima Of the Northern
Pacific, aud would enable 10 10 compete
successfully for the business Of Mon
tana, Idaho and Eastern Washington.
The difficulties 10 the way Of build
ina saeh q road would nea be nearly %
great as those of continuing the Oregon
Short Line 10 the Sound. and the route
would be through mseh better and
more productive country. The cost
woald not seem great when compared
With the sums which the Union PaciAC
has spent in the past for the construc-
ton Of branches which are nsxt to use
less; and, best Of aii, ths lins would
give the Esaoh desired outlet which that
company has 50 long been seeking ts
oblaila.