Great Falls tribune., 1889-12-11
GREAT FALLS TRIBUNE.
.. WEDNESDAY,, DECEMBER II. 1889.
SEMI-W EEKLY
RAILROAD FACILITIES.

Great Falls is we'll provided with rail-
road facilities. 1t is the western termln-
us of the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Mani
toba railroad, commonly called the Man
itoba, This railroad system is well known
as one of the greatest in the west. 1t
radiates from the twin cities of St. Paul
and Minneapolis, whence it extends to
Duluth and West Superior, on the east,
and to the growing towns of the Dakotas
on the west. In its northward course the
Manitoba system traverses the interior OF
Minnesota and the rich lands of the Red
river valley, as we'll as the Canadian prov
ince of Manitoba 1t thus connects Great
Falls with the main arteries Of trade. At
St, Paul the Manitoba meets the great
trunk lines that extend to Chicago or st.
Louis and Kansas City, while at Duluth
and West Superior the Manitoba connects
with the Duluth, South Shore q Atlantic,
as we'll as with the great steamers which
navigate the chain of lakes from the
Zenith city to Buffalo, where the Erie
canal provides direct waterway to the
seaboard at New York.
Great Falls is also the northern termin-
us of the Montana Central railroad, which
is part of the Manitoba system, This
railroad connects Great Falls with Hell
ena the Montana metropolis, and Butte,
the greatest mining camp on earth. The
Montana Central follows the Missouri in
great pagt on its way to Helena, trayers-
ing fertile districts. 1t goes through the
Boulder valley on its route to Butte, pass
ing through rich mineral districts and
lands which will in time prove productive.
At Butte the Montana Central connects
with the Montana Union, which in turn
connects with the Union Pacific on the
one side and with the Northern Pacific
on the other. =--5
These railroad connections will be fol-
lowed early in 1890 by the construction
of railroad from Great Falls to the Pa
citic coast This great trunk line will be
part of the Manitoba system, or more
properly of the Great Northern system,
in which the Manitoba and its allied lines
are merged. Along tire route of this
great IRON highway are rich mineral and
agricultural regions, now almost inaccess-
ible to the prospector or farmer. Its
route will include portions of Idaho and
the rich. we'll watered state of Washing
ton, which is favored with growing cities
and that great inland sea, which is callec
the Mediterranean of America.
Great Falls is connected with Salf
Coulee and its extensive coal fields by ,
railroad II miles long. This road ensure
abundance OF coal for factories and gen
eral use, for it reduces the cost of freight
which is so important factor in the de
velopment of coal deposits.
The city is also provided with shor
line which connects it with the works O
the Montana Smelling company and thu
Rainbow falls Of the Missouri. This roa'
enables the smelter of that company t
procure direct from the mining region
ores and fuel and to ship readily to tn
east the bullion which its furnaces pre-
duce.
Early in 1890 the Belt mountains rail
road will be in operation. This rallroa
has been built to connect Great Falls wit
the mining regions of the Belt mountain
including the well-known camps OF Ba
ker and Neihart This railway opens u
q broad tract of productive land and
heading toward the Judith region whic
greatly needs railroad transportation.
1t way be seen from the foregoing d.
tails that Great Falls has within te
wears attained high rank as a railroad Gel
tire. Miners and manufacturers, tarme
and business men will find that the raj
road builders have provided them vii
facilities which they can turn to accoul
with gain to themselves and to the who
country. .-