Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1888-07-14
GREAT FALLS TRIBUNE.
SATURDAY, JULY IA, 1883.
Semi " eek|y
GREAT FALLS TO BUTTE.

the Montana Central. This is
natural. The Montana Central and
Manitoba long since secured Butte a
reduction Of about one-third in the freight
rates from Chicago, St. Paul and the east
in general. The opening of the road rem
ders that gain permanent and ensures
other advantages. In the first place, the
new division links Butte with the Mani
toba system, and thus gives the Silver
City direct, continuous route to both St.
Paul and the great lakes at Duluth
Railroad connection with St. Paul implies
communication with the entire railroad
system Of the country at a place where
competition is keen between the Milwau-
kee, the Burlington and Northern, the
Chicago, St. Paul and Kansas City and
the other trunk lines which connect the
twin cities with Chicago, St, Louis and
places of like commercial and industrial
importance. A direct, all rail route to
Duluth insures Butte all the facilities
which that port affords for the cheap
shipment Of her products The wonder
full growth Of navigation on Lake Superb
or has provided Duluth with the amplest
means for inland navigation. Her wheat
shipments have caused the construction
of splendid vessels, such as the Northern
Light-built recently for the Manitoba
railroad-which carry immense cargoes
at low rates to Buffalo, whence they are
forwarded either by railroad or the Erie
atian at the sanhnart]
or elsewhere. This route is much better
than that to Chicago, where Butte products
must go to obtain like steamboatfacilities
Duluth is fully 400 miles nearer to Butte
by railroad routes than to Chicago
Transportation to that port implies tho
400 miles between St. Paul and Chicago
while under the new Great Falls route
freight will be forwarded to St. Cloud and
then direct without change Of cars ovel
the new Manitoba branch direct tc
West Superior and Duluth. When the
projected Crookston and Milaca divis.
ion of the Manitoba system is completed
tbs railroad will be still shorter and more
DIRECT, but at present time and money are
saved by the route which we have out,
lined and Butte has reason to rejoice
thereat.
Butte will profit likewise by the means
which the new route provides for obtain.
ing goods from the east. St. Paul, which
has long desired to cultivate business
with her, but was cut out by the Union
Pacific and other combinations, which re.
suited in decided gains for Chicago, will
now be in position to trade direct with
the Silver City, which is heavy consum.
er of dry goods, hardware and groceries
This gain for St. Paul will not preclude
ample facilities for traffic with either
Chicago or the seaboard by way of Du-
luth. For machinery and other heavy
goods, the water route will be well
adapted, for the steamers touch at lead
ing lake ports and convey goods cheaply
on their voyages to the head of the lake
at Duluth.
Apart from this through traffic Butte
will profit by the direct communication
which the new route will give her with
Helena, Great Falls and the immense
country north of us, which has Just been
thrown open for settlement. The Butte
extension moreover gives that city ready
access to the almost unlimited water.
power at this place as we'll as to the coal
mines at Sand Coulee. This must result
in union of interests that will benefi,
both cities and render them leading fac,
tors in the development of all Montana.