Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-13
JEFFERSON CANYON.
-
rHE aBSURD C4NARDS OF A VAR
rHERE D1ss1PArED.
The Facts as Regards the Union Paciic's
the Road to Retain Its Rights inlJ sfer-

son Canyon.
&c. Kinney, the resident engineer Of the
Union Pacific, road returned Friday
afternoon from the Jefferson Canyon,
whers the supposed war between the
Union and Northern Pacific roads has
been in progress. When asked as to the
status OF the .'combatants," he laughed
out and said he had been amused by the
fuss raised by the press over nothing. 1t is
bosh about the Union Pacific having sent
an armed body OF men to retake posses
sion oil their work in the canyon. The
facts are these:
The line OF the Union Pacific ftom Dillon
to Helena was surveyed and a charter
granted for it in 1851. This was before
the Northern Pacific reached the Terri
tory. The papers claiming the right OF
way were filed in Washington and Helena.
in compliance with statutory require
ments. About $3.50 Oo a expended
upcn the work of grading the line, of which
about $500 was laid out in the Jeffer-
son Canyon. Altogether there were about
fifteen miles graded. But the Northern
Pacific was heading direct for Butte, n
both roads came to a mutual understand.
ing on the subject. The Union Ia
cifc agreed to complete it's line
of the Utah & Northern TO Garrison while
the Northern Pacific agreed to abstain from
coming directly into Butte but went by
Helena instead. Each road thus had in
direct access to the points in the Territory
it aimed at first to enter directly. The
Union Pacific allowed the work on it's In
tended line to Helena to remain in statu
quo, but the rights it possessed remained
intact, because the proper legal officer had
never taken steps to have them declared
lapsed.
But with the entrance Of the Montana
Central into Butte g. new factor presented
itself which proposed to take away the
Butte field entirely from the Northern
Pacific. 1t became necessary for the
preservation of the existence OF that
road, as far as regards Butte
business, that it should have direct en-
trance into Butte. When this Intention
was made public, the Union Pacific con-
Guided to complete the line to Helena from
Glen, properly speaking, on the U. q N. In
order to lose no time, Resident Engineer
Kinney was directed to go ahead with the
rock work in Jefferson Canyon and restore
the work already done there which had be-
come out Of repair through its remaining
untouched for several years. Accordingly,
about thirty days g Mr.. Kinney put a
party OF thirty or forty men on this work.
They were strung OVER the six miles OF the
canyon in parties OF three or four men
each, when the Northern Pacific decided to
endeavor to get possession OF the work done
by the Union Pacific.
The Northern Pacific had surveyed q line
through the canyon but had filed no papers
at Washington claiming a right of way.
There is plenty OF room in the canyon for it
to parallel the Union Pacific line on the
same side Of tie river, n just as much
room Oh the other side to run a similar line
to that held by the Union Pacific. But
here was a chance to ave fifty thousand
dollars worth of work. So a party of fifty
men or 30 was sent in before whom the
small parties Of the Union Pacific had to
retire one after another. When this became
about15O men here and in Helena, aud be-
fore such a force as this, the Northern Pa
ciic party had no alternative but to re-
treat.
I'VE didn't want any fighting" said Mr..
Kinney. 1T is all bosh about our sending
bands OF armed men there to retake our
ground. l would O put guns into the
hands of such men as | sent in there under
any circumstances. We had a few guns, |
probably half IL dozen shotguns, in the
hands of the men in charge of the gang.
We proceeded perfectly legally. We had a
Sheriff Of Jefferson county in
charge to enforce our lawful rights and
maintain the preservation of the peace. I
told him we did not want any fighting. We
said to the Northern Pacific men, This is
our ground. We. want it and have the
force to get it if necessary to exert it, They
saw the force OF the argument and moved
away"
"And have you nov possession OF all
the Union Pacific right of way in the can
yon?"
"AIl but q mile or so. We think we will
take it when we want, though, OF course. l
don't want to be understood as making
any blow about it. It's just the same as
in the case OF a private individual whose
title to u piece OF ground is clear. He has
ID right 10 use force, if necessary, to main.
tain his possession. The Northern Pacific
has no right as yet in the canyon, having
fled no papers in Washington setting forth
the ground it claims, while the Union Pa.
ciic has. Therefore, the latter has got
rights to enforce-peaceably If We can;
forcibly il we must. The few guns in our
party are more for effect than for use. /
sent over $50 pick handles for the boys,
and told them to pound the other fellows
with them ii they didn't give way peacea-
bly,, but they were not required"
The construction OF this line from Dillon
alter the line of the Utah & Northern !
between there and Melrose. From Dillon
it's course is down the Jefferson river to the
Missouri river. The Big Hole joins the Jef- |
ferson at Twin Bridges. and by build
ing a connecting link from Twin
Bridges up the Big Hole to Melrose, the
heavy grade at Apex can be avoided at the
expense OF a circuit of about eighteen miles
in distance. Mr.. Kinney intimated that it
is probable this may yet be done. The
branch TO Helena from Dillon will not be of
benefit to Butte. 1t will rather make
the building Of the Nor hern Pacific cut off
from Gailatin in absolute necessity.