Great Falls tribune., 1890-01-11
OUR RAILROAD FACILITIES.

Crest Falls is we'll provided with rail-
road facilities. 1t is the western termin-
us of the st. Paul, Minneapolis l. Mani
toha railroad, commonly called the Man
itoba. This railroad system is we'll known
| as one Of the greatest in the west. 1t
ra,liates 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 "f 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, rs 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 Superiorthe Manitoba connects
with the Duluth, South Shore l. 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 a 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
eaa the Montana metropolis, and Butte,
,he greatest mining camp On earth. The
Montana Central follows the Missouri in
great part. on its way to Helena, travers-
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
Al 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.
These railroad connections will lie fol
lowed early in 1890 BY the construction
of II railroad from Great Falls to the Pa
citic coast. This great trunk line will lie
part of the Manitoba system, or more
properly of the Great Northern system,
in which the Manitoba and its allied lines
are merged. Along the 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 Vi Washing
ton, which is favored with growing cities
and that great inland sea, called the
Mediterranean of America.
Great Falls is connected with Sand
Coulee and its extensive coal fields by Il
railroad "A miles long. This road ensures
abundance Of coal for factories ard gen
eral use, for it reduces the cost Of freight,
which is so important Il factor in the de-
velopment of coal deposits.
The city is also provided with sllolt
line which connects it with the works of
the Montana Smelling company and the
Rainbow falls Of the Missouri. This road
enables the smelter If that company to
procure direct from the mining regions
ores and fuel and to ship readily to the
east the bullion which its furnaces pro-
duce.
EARLY in 1890 the Belt mountains rail
road will be in operation. This railroad
has been built to connect Great Falls with
the mining regions of the Belt mountains.
including the well-known camps of Bar
ker and Neilart. This railway opens up
Il broa! tract Of productive land and is
heading toward the Judith region which
greatly needs railroad transportation.
A charter has been obtained by Donald
Grant, the great railroad builder, for the.
l;reat Falls and Canada railroad which
will connect this city with the coal
fields at I.ethbridge and thence with the
Canadian Pacific railroad system. This
railroad will be built early in 1890. On
its way to the British line. it will provide
railroad accommodation for a fertile
region much of which is still open for
settlement.
1t way be seen from the foregoing de-
tails that Great Falls has within few
years attained high rank as railroad CEN
ire. Miners and manufacturers, farmers
md business men will find that the rail