Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-13
Il HOMESTAKE CHOSEN
cHIEF ENGTxEER KESDRIcK Sc
LECTs THAT ROUTE TO GALLATIN.
For the Reasons That It is Six Miles
shorter and Costs Less I'm Construction
Than the Pipestone--The Line to be
Finished by Thanksgiving,

| j. w. Kendrick, chief engineer OF the
Northern Pacific, accompanied by N. w.
Haven, engineer Of Montana branches, and
Engineer McHenry, directly in charge OF the
surveying parties in the Homestake and
Pipestone passes. returned to Butte yester.
| day from an inspection of both locations.
Estimates OF cost OF construction, together
with profiles and maps OF the entire line
from Gallatin to Butte have been prepared
by the engineers of the Northern Pacific
and were submitted to Mr.. Kendrick yes
terday.
According to the arrangement, Mr.. Kend-
rick met Messrs. Williams, Maillet and
Ray, the committee appointed by the
Board Of Trade to submit the profile and
maps of the Pipestone pass lately COM
pleted by Mr.. Ray. The meeting took
place in Mr.. Ray 8 Office at noon, when Mr..
Kepdrick announced to the gentlemen that
he had decided to recommend the adop.
ton of the Homestake pass for the short,
line from Butte to Gallatin. He also
| showed the gentlemen profles OF the route,
showing comparative distances and eleYa-
| tions from Gallatin to Garrison via Mullan
route and by the Homestake route, and
Il O6uhblu W ouUU0 Via AOWt1uU6yt ~ lHC'
| stone and the Homestake passes. The re-
suit shows that the Homestake pass route
to Butte is the shortest line by which the
Northern Pacific can build to this point.
1 The distances are as follows:
Miles
Gallatin to Butte via the Homsstake So
Gallatin to Butte via the Pipestone.. rs
Gallatin to Butte via the LoWlands.. 102
The elevations are as follows:
Mullan crossing
Pipestone
i Lowlands ,66S
MIR. Kendrick demonstrated to the COM
mittee that, taking this data into consider
| alton and the fact that construction work
on the Hon.estake was no heavier than
that on the Pipestone. the altitude less,
the distance six miles shorter, while, ac-
| cording to his estimates, the cost OF build
ing the road via the Homestake was $142,.
600 less than via the Pipestone, he was
justified in recommending to the Board OF
Directors of the Northern Pacific the selec-
tion of the Homestake route and its i'm.
mediate construction.
1t is generally known that Mr.. kendrick
has full control of the selection OF the
route. and his recommendations will be
carried out immediately. The committee
were thoroughly satisfied, and were pleased
to learn from Mr.. Kendrick that he q
already placed his order for 66-pound steel
rails. Mr.. Kendrick left in his special car
for st. Paul at $50 yesterday afternoon,
and win proceed to New York after remain
ing one day there.
The advantage the Northern Pacific will
gain by the building OF this line will b. very
great. The company is now Strengthening
out the main line in Minnesota between
Dauh, ~, nd + itt1o Falls with tho nhionf of
reducing the mileage twenty eight miles.
This shortening up of the main line added
to the mileage of what will be known as the
Butte Short Line will make the Northern
Pacific the shortest line to points east.
The distance from Butte To st. Paul will
then be q little shorter than from Helena
and as compared with the Manitoba 100
miles shorter, while it will be $40 miles
nearer to Chicago than by the Union
Pacific.
It is understood that in q few days adj
refreshments will appear in the local press
asking for bids for the grading and furnish
ing OF ties on the Butte Short Line. The
building of this road will be Of very great
advantage to Butte and Boze man, opening
up, as it will, one OF the finest agricultural
valleys in the Territory, giving it an outlet
for it's products and access to q market
here. as well as affording transportation
for the product OF innumereble mines to-
day practically worthless by their inability
to ship ore to reduction works. Mr.. Ken
drick estimates that the line can be COM
pleted by Thanksgiving.
In the course of conversation with the
committee, Mr.. Kendrick convinced the
gentlemen that any engineer who will COM
pare the several routes shown by his pro-
files would unquestionably select the Mul.
Ian crossing as the best for the interest OF
the Northern Pacific railroad, and showed
by the data that Chief Engineer Anderson
and Division Engineer Dodge were correct
in selecting that route.
The distance from Gallatin to Garrison
by the Homestake is three miles shorter
than by the Mullan, so that in future it is
not improbable that Butte will be on the
main line of the Northern Pacific system.
The Butte Short Line will cost in the
~neighborhood OF one and three,quarter
millions irrespective of terminal facilities.
1t is understood that the Commissioners
appointed to appraise right of way for the
Northern Pacific in the southeast part OF
town will have the report completed by
Saturday.