Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1888-02-18
4 CENTER.

are of vital importance III those in
dustries whose products must seek
distant markets. With these points
in view, we append some details re-
garding the position which Great
Falls holds as a railroad center.
In the first place, Great Falls is the
western terminus of the Saint Paul,
Minneapolis & Manitoba railroad,
commonly called the Manitoba"
which is widely known as an extern
sive, well-managed system, that earns
about SS,0O0,0 900 a year and traverses a
rich, productive country in Minnesota,
Dakota and Montana, connecting i'm
portant towns and extending steadily
with the growth Of the country. Mr..
Hill, the president of this railroad,
and some of the large capitalists as
ISOLATED with him therein are the
principal owners of Great Falls, and
have taken a warm interest in its ad-
vancement. The founding Of Great
Falls and the development of its great
industrial resources have been linked
with the construction Of the Montana
extension and that of the Montana
Central railroads. This city serve
as a terminus for each Of these roads,
and is expected by its trade, reduction
works and industrial products to sup
ply a large part of their traffic. Great
Falls was founded first, and the new
roads were constructed in accordance
with it's interests, which were identi-
cal with those of the Manitoba system.
The Manitoba railroad, as already
indicated, connects Great Falls with
Saint Paul and the network of rail
road lines that concentrate there.
The track is we'll constructed and the
grades are light. The distance by
this route is l,O73 miles. The freight
rate for merchandise of the first class
is So, which is IS cents less than that
by any route from Saint Paul to Hell
ena. The Manitoba has, in fact, die
tated the rate to Helena and caused
the general reduction which is now
in force.
The Manitoba railroad affords the
fullest facilities for procuring raw
material for manufacturers by way OF
the great lakes and Duluth, or from
Saint Paul, Chicago, and the east gen
orally.
In addition to this great trunk line
is the allied railroad, the Montana
Central, which is closely connected
in interest with the Manitoba. The
Montana Central is now open from
Great Falls to Helena (97 miles,, and
is in ourse of construction to Butte.
It will also have branches to the min
ing regions of Sand c%oulee, the Belt
mountains, Marysville and Rimini.
This important trunk railroad con-
meets at Helena with the Northern Pa
citic railroad, and at Butte will meet
the Union Pacific and the railroads di-
verging therefrom. When completed,
the Montana Central will traverse the
most populous, wealthiest and most
productive region of Montana. The
Marysville and Rimini branches will
develop large traffic with these i'm
portant mining regions, while the
branch from Great Falls to Sand
Coulee GA miles, will facilitate the
development of the great coal fields in
that district.
The extension Of the Sand Coulee
branch to the Belt mining region,
| which includes the camps at Neihart,
| Barker and Yogo-all rich in mineral
deposits-will promote the develop
ment of a vast region and give a pow
/ erful impulse to farming and trade,
as we'll as to mining and kindred
| pursuits.
The relative position of Great Falls
to the country that lies between it
| and the Pacific coast insures that a
| railroad will be built from here IN
that direction. The city may also re-
gard as part of her commercial terri
tory the extensive British provinces
which lie north of her. Great Falls
will naturally be the starting point
for the railroad that will connect
Montana with that vast region.
PROGRESS OF M0N7AN4.