The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-11
lRTHWEsT RAILROADS.
precedented Activity in the Young
States of Washington, Nom
tana and Idaho.
Big Army Of Laborers EN-
ployed and Calls for
More.

More.
-thern Pacific, Great Northern and
Union Pacific Doing the Work-Per-
sonal Railroad News.
What a great empire the northwest IS,
khow! That mighty builder Of cities,
Illness and homes-the railroads. now
|nQ extended over every foot of ground
N here to Puget Sound that gives prom
of a future. Probably the greatest
BY of railroad laborers ever employed at
time ia now employed in railroad con-
action in Montana, Idaho and Washing
It would be conservative estimate to
that 10000 men are engaged in these
ties and there is work for a. many moro,
there is unanimous complaint among
contractors that they cannot secure men
70 to work. The Northern Pacific on its
llan- Idaho cutoff has at least 1900 men
work and il continually calling for more.
Great Northern company finds it diff
I to secure men, though laborers can feel
of work for the next two years on that
broad. No less than 1000 men have been
pped to railroad camps from Helena
hin the past thirty days and there is no
son for any man in Montana being idle.
md while the present outlook shows ex-
sive railroad construction, the future
in two years and less Montana will be
Dying a railroad boom that will put
sent operations in the shade. The year
10 will 90 down AZ year of great ac-
ity and prosperity and 1891 will exceed it
these honors. Instead of two, Montana
| have four transcontinental lines of
lway and probably Eve. for at no distant
railroad will be running north and
it'll through Montana. The advent OF
icago and Northwestern is assured and
liklihood of an alliance between the
madam Pacific and the Union Pacific
lroads joining the Calf lines with the
ah and Northern, both of which are now
15O miles apart is among the probabili-
some idea of the work going on in the
rthwest may be cleaned from these fig
ss which illustrate the growth Of rail
do in Washington, and Montana IN 1872
i undoubtedly exceed these figures:
les Of railroad Sin the state and on
auary l, 1880, there were LII miles. of
ich about 400 were built during the year
80. An estimate states the number of
les that will be constructed in the state
q year at 800, and during the year 1891 at
100, making a total of 2,517 miles January
1881, and 3,517 miles January !. 1892.
The manner in which dirt flies on the line
the Union Pacific railroad between Port
i'd and Seattle is new in the annals OF
.orous railway building. From 1000 to
loo men are at work throwing up the grade
Tween Vancouver and Kalama, and more
IN would be set to work, but contractors
nnot obtain them. One contractor ad.
rtised for 600 men, while similar mum.
re- are wanted at different points along
line. At the least calculation oOl
ms are at work few miles below Van
1ver. and all available dirt moving ap
ances are vigorously sought and util.
ID. The line is about cleared the entir'
stance to the sound and several miles O.
ade completed from the Columbia rive
notion. Camps are distributed only ,
" hundred yards apart the entire dis
ace. The grade is being completed il
,tions, many of which are already Joined
acre are ten camps between VancOuve
ID Burnt creek, distance of two miles.
Mr.. Bouscaren, chief engineer and secre
ry of the Montana Northern railroad, i
the city agitating the plan Of building
ilroad from Great Falls to Choteau, say
70 Great Falls Tribune. "A meeting of tn
iizens of Choteau was held last Tuesda
ening and it was decided to offer the rail
ad liberal Inducements in the shape o
nds. The scheme is rapidly assumin
finite shape and the prospects for tn
rly building of the road are fatterine
le projectors Of the enterprise are enthu
astio over the matter. They have goo
ounds on which to base their faith that tn
ad will be profitable. Choteau and vicin
Y one tho center of more irrigation compa
es than any other section OF the state
arge sums Of money are being expende
canals and bitches and in short tim
% vast benches of fertile land will be con
rted into fields of waving grain. Whe
is is accomplished there will be no ques
on as to the profits which q railroa
ould derive from this country.
Contractors King d Dickinson have thre
sntracts with the Northern Pacific con
any, aggregating $250,0o0. They hav
lungs of men at work near Kalama, Wash
here they are blasting out 100000 cubi
ards of rock. The contractors for gradin
ae line from Chehalis, WASH, to Willsl
arbor, Webster, Relso & Co., of Portland
re-, have completed three miles Of graz
q, and have about i've miles of right {
ay cleared. They have three camps, or
BAR the junction of the Chehalis and NJ
aukum rivers, where there are fifty team
I'd about seventy five men; the second ha
mile west of Claquato, where there
10 same number of men and teams, an
he third camp. about six miles west
hehalis, where the men are clearing Il
Rht of way. The Chehalis river is crosse
iree times in the FIRST nine miles. III
,ntractors make q complaint similar
lat made by all the railroad contractors
Washington that they cannot engage near
many men as they have work for.
It is reported that there is a good pro
sct Of revivinR the project of building Il
llensburRh and Northwestern railroa
hich is to connect EllensburRh with Il
kanogan mines. The roadbed was grad
or distance of ten miles in 1880. TIL,
,me the fire which swept away the bett
art of Ellensburgh, and as the projecto
{ the road were residents Of that city a
ictims of the confiagration, they We
ompelled to drop railroad building VIII
aey rebuilt their stores and dwellil
ouses. Now that Eliensburgh is rebu
is raiiraad project has been revived.
said that j. Z. Caldwell, Allen G. Mas
nd others will take up the project whe
Ia I'D h-v 10 0oky n