The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1886-03-31
RAILROAD RUMBI,Es.
Vice President Oakes Says the N. p
Will Build a Branch into North
ern Montana From Helena.
ing Its Line, There viii be Two
Roads Out There; We are De-
cided in the Matter and
Intend to go Right
Ahead

The fact is now evident that the North
ern Pacific is engaged in playing q tre-
mendous game of bluff, or that the COM
pany has fully decided upon building
branch railroad from Helena to Fort Ben
ton. regardless of Montana Central opera
tions, reason, common sense or anything
else. Vice President Oakes has spoken
on the subject and his utterances are not
as sphinx-like as those Of Mr.. Bonner and
Gov. Hauser; he speaks right out in meet
in', as the following from the Pioneer
Press Of late date will go to show: s'The
announcement that the Montana Central
HAD begun beg nfessk upon is line has created
the impression that the Northern Pacific
would not build it's proposed Ten-Mile
creek branch road. Mr.. Oakes said yes
terday that the impression was erroneous.
The Northern Pacific, he said, some time
ago decided upon branch road to run
south from point on the main line, a lit
tie west of Helena, up the Ten-Mile creek
to Rimini, in the Red mountain district.
North from the point of commencement
this branch will be built down the Prickly
Pear to the great falls Of the Missouri.
The fact that the Montana Central propose
building in this locality will not cause any
change in the Northern Pacifc's pro-
gramme. The Northern Pacific was first
upon the ground and proposes to carry
out its programme. AS Mr.. Oakes said
yesterday: IF the Montana Central per-
sists in building its line, there will be two
roads out there. We are decided in the
matter and intend to go right ahead
Gen. Anderson, chief engineer of the
Northern Pacific, Yesterday sent j. B.
Alexander west. Mr.. Alexander will
take force Of surveyors with him, and
at once commence the necessary surveys
for this road. So soou as a permanent
location is made, grading will be com
menced and the line will be completed as
fast as is practicable. The new road is to
develop the mines Of the district through
which it will run"
d. A. Larson, of Billings, has received
a contract for grading two miles of the
Montana Central
Forty new coal cars have arrived at
Dunmore for the N. w. @. & N. Co. This
number with what they already have will
give them facilities for shipping between
700 and 800 tons of coal per day. Two
more new passenger coaches are expected
hortly.-Lethbridge News,
It is claimed that the Montana Central
management has definitely decided to
adopt the Missouri river route.
Two large fiat -bottomed boats or barges
were loaded on wagon this morning and
taken to Stubbs' ferry for launching ON
the Missouri. They are for use of the
Montana Central between here and Great
Falls.-Herald.
The Montana Central tunnel, now in
course of excavation in the lower Prick1y
Pear canyon, is upwards of 500 feet in
length. Green, the contractor, is pushing
the work from both ends with all possible
vigor.
Kirkendall & Co. have upwards Of twenty
miles Of grading contracts on the Montana
Central trunk line and several miles of SIM
liar work on the Rimini branch. Supplies
of all kinds in the prosecution of these en-
terprises are furnished by Helena mer-
chants. Picks, shoyels, carts, scrapers
plows, drills, powder, fuse-all implements
and material used in construction road bed,
blasting rock, ETC., are purchased from
Helena dealers. 1t is estimated that at
least $4,000, 900, expended in labor and
supplies, will 60 into our monetary circu-
lation the present season. Herald.
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