Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-04-03

Ike t3cellI tetdS aiI5 Stut liOHi
New York to Helena, in regard to
railroad building. and the reported in
terviews with vice President Oaks, in
which ho positively declares that the
Northern Pacific Co, viii parallel the
Montana Central to Remini and to
Great Falls, leads US to look the mat
ter ~squarely in the face, and to ask if
this railroad talk will really material
ize. That the future success Of the
Northern Pacific, SO far as Montana
is concerned, will depend largely upon
its branch into Northern Montana, no
one eau deny who is at all familiar
with tho immense resources Of this
country; but that the managers of this
great company regard it as essential
or expedient to make Helena a termin-
al point for such d branch, no one can
for a moment believe. The Northern
Pacific company is supposed to build
and operate lateral lines in all cases
whore they will produce the greatest
benefit to the trunk line If SO, why
should this company bald its North
ern Montana branch from q point on
its main line 50 far west as Helena.
If we except the coal traffic that North
ern Montana will have with Helena
and the Deer Lodge Valley about all
its other freight and passenger traffic
will be with the East, and the
first railroad that connects Northern
Montana direct with with the East
will take the bulk Of the business.
1t would seem unreasonable to any
oae examining the map of Montana
that the N. P. Company would tap
Northern Montana from the West.
It is one hundred miles from Great
Falls to Helena and one hundred and
forty miles from Fort Benton to Hell
n From Helena to Billings it
is 233 miles making 1872 miles from
Great Falls to Billings via Helena,
and 372 miles from Fort Benton to
Billings. Now the distance from
Great Falls and Fort Benton through
the Judith Basin to Billings is only
225 miles and is direct a route East
as will ever be built from Northern
Montana by any company. The grades
are no more difficult by the Judith
Basin and Billings line and it certain
ly passes through acountry unsurpass-
ed in natural resources. The North
ern Pacific company cannot ignore
these facts and its financial condition
would seem not to warrant them in
choosing war and losses to peace and
fair profits. Northern Montana will
hail with delight the building of q
branch from Billings to Great Falls
and Fort Benton; but it will look with
suspicion upon two parallel roads be-
cause as the country can sustain but
one, consolidation or a pooling of the
business will be the result. The men
who stand behind the Montana Cen
trail r certainly entitled to much
as but for their enterprise
Montana would not have re-
the benefits of a railroad for
many years. It is not at all likely
hat these mel will be moved from
heir purpose, as they are among the
'trongest:men of the country, whom
newspaper threats and a lively stream
If kilograms from Montana men in
New York cannot intimidate. We
ook upon it as the surest guarantee of
he rapid settlement and develope-
nent Of this Territory that the largest
md best part of it is not to be left at
he mercy OF. one. railrord company.
e reflects little credit upon some of
our leading Helena men that they
SO earnestly advocate a policy
which would place that portion of
iontana which lies East of The Rocky
divide under the control Of
ne railroad corporation.