The Livingston enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1914, 1886-02-06
PRICE 10 CENTS
An Important Railroad Enterprise.

Central railway. The incorporators are c.
A. Broadwatcr, n. Kessler, G. W. Cannon,
= W. B. Raleigh and cx-Gov. B. F. Potts
The road will be constructed from Helena
t to Red Mountain. Marysvillc, the Sand
Coulec coal country and Great Falls. OPP
erations are already commenced and will
continue uninterruptedly during the sum-
, mer.
Commenting on the above dispatch the
St. Paul Globe says: There is deeper sig
, niticance in this news than appears ON the
surface 1t really means that the line in
. dicated in the dispatch will be built at
once and, further, that the western end
will be extended to Butte and the eastern
end to a connection with the Manitoba
system, and still farther east with Mani
8 toba extension from some point ON the
north and south line to direct eastern
connection with Lake Superior at Duluth.
1t is fact we'll known that J j. Hill is
the principal owner of the Sand Coulec
coal mines, of the water power Of the
Great Falls and of 10000 acres of valua-
blc townsite property around the falls. 1t
is perhaps sequel to negotiations which
have been pending between J. j. Hill,
Dennis Ryan, c. A. Broadwater, Paris
Gibson and others that there is an intimate
relation between certain mineral and land
ed interests and the stock industries and
railway development in this direction.
The scheme IS one that was outlined in
the Globe months since, though scarcely
in the way the above dispatch mentions.
Last May J. J. Hill and Dennis Ryan, at
the instigation of C. A. Broadwater Of
Helena and an old Minneapolis man, Paris
Gibson, now of Benton, Montana, went out
it was stated, to inspect the valuable water
power OF the Great falls of the Missouri,
some distance above Benton. and the coal
lands adjacent to Sand Coulee. not far dis
tant from the falls and Of easy access.
The falls constitute water power of from
three to five times the power Of the falls
of ST. Anthony at Minneapolis, and much
more easily adapted to milling and manu-
featuring purposes. A town site had al
ready been secured by Mr.. Hill and Mr..
Gibson some two years previous, also some
very valuable water-p power frontage at the
falls and along the rapids. When Mr.. Hill
returned his contemplated extension Of
the Devils Lake branch was first rumored.
For some time since, it is said, this pow
crful syndicate has been scripping large
tracts of land about the Great falls Of
Sand Coulee and securing valuable coal
lands and mineral properties. 1t is claim
ed that the coal taken from the Sand Cou-
lee mines will make fine grade of coke,
which could be chearly supplied to the
smeltcrs at Wickes through the medium
of the Helena & Great Falls line when
built, and the smelters at Butte and Ana
conda through, connection at Helena with
the Northern Pacific and at Garrison with
the Utah & Northern and narrow gauge
branch of the Union Pacific The great
est drawback would he the brcakage of
bulk at Garrison, assuming that the pro-
l>o H>yu-
ever this might be obviated by the laying
| of third rail on broad and narrow gauges.
The bulk of the coke now used in these
smelters is brought from Pennsylvania
and costs about $22 per ton. 1t could be
furnished from Sand Coulee at about half
this price provided there was no break in
bulk in transit This has been proved by
test coke made at and shipped from the
bituminous mines at Timberline. The
demand for coke In Montana is rapidly
growing. This great territory is develop
ing into the mineral treasure-house of the
nation, and it seems happy provision of
nature that coal should be discovered in
the territory from which coke may be
made for the use of smelters in treating
the rich ores of the vast mines now only
in the incipient stages of their develop
ment 1t does not require the spirit of
prophecy to foretell the future of this ter
ritory, nor to anticipate the extension of
the Manitoba system as outlined above.
The facts which the Globe has heretofore
published exclusively, and which were
made the subject of levity by antique
contemporaries, appear bound to verify
themselves The acts of Mr.. Hill have
been very secret, and others interested
have been very discreet and reticent re.
garding his manouvers, but the Globe has
kept the public informed of them and will
continue to do so. The extension from
Crookston to Duluth is looking less i'm
probable every day.
Robert Lynch Suicides.
A special dispatch to the Helena indie
pendent dated Assisibolne, M. T., Feb. 4,
says: Robert Lynch, a representative of
the Montana Cattle Co., of Miles City.