Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1886-09-10
THE GOLD BELT RAILROAD
This Excellent Scheme About to Assuuo
Tangible Shape.

iIMEs' OF constructing a narrow
gauge railroad line from HALEY r.
the Gold Belt section of country, i,
at last promising to take practiea
shape. From information receive h,
the ZINES yesterday and, by reason
OF the press of convention proceed.
ings, crowded OUT of its columns. it is
more than likely that an Eastern com.
pany, we'll supplied with the neces.
sary means, and already owner of 9
considerable number of good mines
on the "Belt," will either this season
or early next spring, not only push
forward work upon the claims. bu,
construct narrow gauge railroad
from HALEY to the scene of opera.
tons.
The supervision Of these schemes
for there are two programs) will be
left with Professor Murphy, aided BY
Jaoez Chase. The one scheme is to
open the mines and get out the gold
bearing ore; the other is to build the
line of transportation which will Sc.
cure the shipment of ore to a locality
where 1t can be reduced at profit.
The narrow gauge line can be
built at cost of about $4,000 per
mile. The plan is to charge 50 cents
per ton for transporting ore to the
mill, which will be located on Wood
River, almost within pistol-shot of
HALEY. This location is selected
chiefly because of the fine water
power obtainable here and also be.
cause of the almost water level route
for the track.
Out in the "Belt" and Smoky Sec
lions there can be no mills operated
except at an enormous cost of fuel.
Here there is vast waterpower rum
ming to waste unvexed to the sea.
This saving in the exploiting of the
ores will, of itself, at once nearly fill
the cost of fuel and go long way
toward building the railroad track.
1t is difficult Just now to enumerate
the benefits that will accrue to HALEY
and, indeed, to the mine owners in
the Smoky and Gold Belt country.
The first benefit is that vast quaint
ties of gold-bearing ore, which now
cannot be operated at paying profit,
will find paying market, and thus
make busy a section that is now prac-
tically idle.
Another benefit that will follow is
the fact as shown by all experience in
similar enterprises, that the invest
ment of capital in the stock of the
railroad company will return a rich
reward in interest and the increased
value of the stock purchased.
Another benefit is the renewed &C.
tivity all along the Wood River coun-
Try that would follow upon such an
extensive enterprise, and the quick
ening of trade of all sorts in Haley.
Here especially would the "boom" be
felt. 1t would not be a transient
"boom" usual in small mining camps,
but, based upon the well-nish mex
haustible beds Of gold-producing ore
in the sections named, the activity in
all classes of trade and industry
would be measured in its permanency
by the vast volume of the ore obtain
able. Merchants would find active
sales for all sorts of wares; mechanics
would be in demand at all times; la
borers would be never without work,
and the scattering of money neces-
sary to carry on such q grand enter
prise would bring and keep "good
times" for all industries.
Still another great benefit to the
community Of Alturas at large would
be the fact that the construction OF
this road and the mills with houses,
etc, necessary for their complete oper-
alton, would bring to the list of taxa
BILE property of the county a large
item that would help to pay off the
debt of the people.
1t is proposed to hasten the road
tracks completion and to build at
first a 1Oe-stamp mill of the latest
pattern. Men are behind it who pos,
sess money and pluck and the TIMES,
for the one .hundredth time, bids the
projectors all hail! and the project
od-speed!
Don't Experiment.