Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-04-03
DISCUSSING RAILROADS.
The Montana Central and Northern
Pacific.

The following letter appeared IN a
recent issue of the Helena Herald,
/ under the signature Of Helena" Il
states the railroad situation SO point
eddy and fairly, that we give it space.
"It is decidedly refreshing to note
the interest manifested by the citi-
zens of Helena and vicinity in the en-
terprises inaugurated By the Montana
Central Railway Company, and the
almost unanimous wish INDUCED that
success may crown its efforts. 1t is
quite as refreshing to note the specu-
lation induiged in as to whether any
individual, who ought to be more
than willing that Helena and the sur
rounding country should have the
benefits to be derived from an indie
pendent railroad organization, is do
ing what lies in his power to deprive
us of such benefits by an attempt to
bluff the Montana Central from car
rying out its purposes. The feeling
arising from the almost certainty
that such is the case has been some
what intensified by the fact that since
the uttering of the recent manifestos
from New York, certain persons con-
nected with the Northern Pacific, who
are supposed to talk by the card, have
stated that that company does not
propose to have its territory invaded
by another and competing line OF
railroad" as if the sole right to open
up and develop the country belongs
exclusively to that corporation, to be
exercised whenever it gets ready, or
is melted to do SO by some peeson to
carry out his personal ends.
Nobody ever heard that the North
ern Pacific or any other corporation
or person had any intention to build
roads running from Helena until the
Montana Central announced its deter
mination to build along the Ten Mile
to Rirnini and through the Prickly
Pear canyon to Great Falls, when a
hurried consultation was had in New
York, and the announcement was
made that parallel and competing
lines would at once be constructed.
It is now announced that engineers
are on the ground preparing to pro-
coed with the survey Of the road to
Red Mountain.
An official Of the n. P. is reported
by the press to have recently said:
THE N. P. was first upon the ground
and proposes to carry out its pro
gramme." When was this company
ever upon the ground? The asser-
ton is sheer nonsense He is further
reported to have said: If the Mon
tana Central persists in building its
line there will be two roads out
Persists? Indeed it has a
right to persist, and il being first
upon the ground gives an exclusive
no other road will be construct
ed over its proposed line. The North
ern Pacific has a perfect right to con
these roads, but the belief is
reasonable that it would not have
done SO for some years to come but
for recent local assistance.
The n. ?. is the pioneer road to
Helena, but it was magniticently paid
coming. It owns a belt Of land
500 miles in length and equal to forty
niles in width in Montana, to which
t refuses to take patents, thus avoid
ng taxation. It contributes nothing
whatever to the support Of our gov
srnment. On the other hand, the
Montana Central asks nothing but
air play, and at the same time will
contribute millions of dollars worth
II taxable property to the general
wealth Of the Territory. People will
inally decide that man regardless of
vhom he is, the length Of time he has
been in the Territory, or Of his DO
if he holds any, can safely
'tand in the way of their growing in
erests.
IMPORTANT LAND RULING.
Under the old ruling Of the land