Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-03-27
Railroad Rumble.

we have heretofore invariably observed,
which is simply, never to tell more than
we know about anything. If in the
future we are enabled TO catch straw
wewill take pleasure in giving it to our
readers:
The people of Cheyenne are in earn
est in their effort TO have railroad
built tn the north from that city. 1t IL
well known that a practical route exists
by way Of Red Canon and Custer to
Deadwood. The people Of Custer and
Lawrence counties should take an ac-
tive interest i'm the construction of such
road. 1t was recently learned that the
b. &. NJ. road will make an effort to
secure the subsidy offered by the people
OF Wyoming. This company has had a
! representative in the Hills looking over
the route from Red Canon. He came
quietly and it was only by accident that
his business became known. The recent
contracts let by this road in Nebraska
show that the company has decided on
building to the north. They had sur
veyors at work last fall below Buffalo
Gap along Horse Head creek. That
they intend to push further explorations
this summer is known from contracts
made with parties to furnish transporta-
ton, etc. The movements of the com.
pany thus far have been conducted with
great shrewdness and secrecy, but from
information obtained it is certain that
it intends to fight for a share of the
Black Hills and north Wyoming 6usl-
NESS. A road from Custer City along
the divide TO the head of Whitewood
| Gulch can he built for less money and
with less grade than along the eastern
foothills. If it is true that the road
| from Cheyenne is to be built by the b.
Il NJ, our people should join hands with
Custer county and Cheyenne and give
the company all the encouragement
possible. The b. & NJ. is one Of the
most energetic and successful companies
in the west, and if they start they will
get here in short order. They do not
stop along the line to speculate in town
lots at every village they pass through.
but they do build railrods and fight for
and always get their full share OF the
business. Down Whitehall and White
wood gnlches to Deadwood there is an
easy grade, and no difficult engineering
| to overcome. Such road would give
us an outlet to the Pacific coast. We
could ship thousands Of tons of ore via
Cheyenne to the Denver smelters. 1t
would develop all the rich country west
Of the Black Hills. the salt wells, oil
| fields, and coal banks Of northeastern
Wyoming. The cattle trade of north
eastern Wyoming, western Dakola and
southeastern Montana, would be within
its grasp. 1t would reach the richest
country in the United States now with
ont railroad transportation. The board
Of trade of this citv should lose no time
in communicating with people of Chey-
enne and Custer, and making united
effort in obtaining the construction of
the road on the line herein indicated"
We clip the following from the Dawes
County Journal which we accept as a
straw, indicating the direction Of the
wind, and we feel assured that some
thing more substantial than straws will
be bourne upon the air of the Southern
Hills at no very distant day. The pre-
cursory symptoms in the near future
will be Of such definite character that
baed hay itself would be inadequate to
express the measure Of its assured real
ization:
"Some very decisive moves on the
part Of the b. & NJ. X. II. have come to
light during the past few days. The
spring is just opening in the southeast
ern part of the state, and the ground is
hardly yet in condition for grade work,
but the near approach Of active grading
operations has set in motion the pre-
| llminaries for extension. These move
ments are branching out to SO grand
scale as to rouse the greatest anticipa-
tions and liveliest hopes of those who
wish to see this northwest country the
scene and center of great railway opera
tions and competition. These days are
heavy laden with rumors-rumors
which arise from quiet and private
points which are considered reliable
and the fact that these reports are ac-
cepted 80 fully and with such readiness
and confidence in all quarters, freights
them with the greatest of Importance in
the concerns Of Northwest Nebraska,
Chadron, the Western Hills and North
ern Wyoming.
The surveyors have been for some
time persistently working levels on the
different passes from the south into the
valley of the White river, and are now
working toward the northwest into
Wyoming. The route indicated by all
these movements and reports would ex-
tend from Grand Island up the Middle
LoIp valley, and through Sheridan
county into the Box Butte country or
south Of Dawes county, crossing the
Running Water the route would cross
the Pine Ridge at the Chadron pass,
and make junction with the North
western road at Chadron. Then Cross
ing the White river and striking north
west through the Hat Creek Basin, the
line would cross the Cheyenne and
probably pass through Custer City. From
thence the road would pass around on
the west 81 lie of the Black Hills through
the great tin, coal and oil districts of
northwestern Wyoming"
The representative Of the B. & NJ r..
R., who was in town last week. stated
that his company would surely push
into this country this season. and that
the probable route followed would be to
cross the +. f. 4 M. V. railroad east Of
Chadron, making a crossing of the
latter's Black Hills branch at this city,
and thence through the Southern Hills
to some point on the west, probably
lSundance.-News