The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-11
Movements OF the Great Transcon-
tinental Lines in the Puget
Sound Country.
Report That the Northern Pacific
Has Purchased Gray's
Harbor
The Northern Pacific Will Push Its Mis-.
soula Extension From This Side
Personal Mention.

execution, and the Puget Sound region will
be before long network of railways. II
seems to be only question of short time
when the northwest coast will command
nearly all the shipping and commerce trade
of China and the Asiatic countries which
San Francisco now en- joys. But the great
northwestern roads will soon control the
business. The Great Northern will have q
line of steamers plying between Puget
Sound and China by the time it shall have
time is not far off.
The citizens of Olympia want the North
ern Pacific railroad to pass through there
on its contour to Gray's Harbor. It is In
indirect route, but the people of Olympia
have subsidized the company to the tune of
about 100000, and at meeting held on
Monday by the citizens and Northern
Pacific officials the citizens signed bond
pledging the money.
The Seattle papers report that the North
ern Pacific has acquired control of Gray's
Harbor by purchase. The road was owned
by the Port Blakeley Mill company. On
July Jas. Mcknight, general counsel, and
J. W. Kendriok, chief engineer of the North
ern Pacific, visited Port Blakeley, evidently
on business connected with the road, but on
their return declined to give any informa-
ton. Immediately following their return
to Seattle, Manager McNeill, of the Oregon
Improvement company. and Capt. J. B.
Libby. of Tacoma, visited Port Blakeley,
but on their return were as mum as oysters.
Day before yesterday Manager O'Neill was
accompanied to Port Blakely by President
Elijah Smith, with the avowed determine
ton of purchasing the road. and again yes
terday Manager O'Neill and John L. How
ard, general manager of the Oregon I'm
provement company, visited Port Blakeley
with the same design. All of the parties
connected with the transaction refuse to
give any information; but from appearances
it is safe to say that the Northern Pacific
has purchased the road. It is evidently the
design of the Northern Pacific to huild from
Olympia to Kamilche, and thus have two
lines to Gray's harbor, one from Centralia
and another from Olympia.
During the past week the Northern Pacific
company has changed its tactics in con-
struction work in the CBur d'Alenes, says
the Cceur d'Alene Miner. Nearly all of the
force employed on Nine Mile, with teams,
scrapers, carts, ETC., has been transferred to
the Mullan extension and is now working
between Mullan and the summit.
The company has decided to push the line
through from Missoula rs fast as men and
money can do it, and with the force at work
over 5000 men-it is confidently expected
that the last rail will be laid not later than
September Is.
When the main line has been completed a
large force of men will be thrown into Nine
Mile canyon and the Wallace L. Sunset rail-
road will be built within thirty days. 1t is
generally conceded that the Custer mill
| 49, L1A IS e.
son unless the Union Pacific should force it
to build further, which, considering the
amount of work the Union has to do in
this vicinity, is looked upon by some as
doubtful.
The Northern people have still small
of way. and will probably maintain the
same until ready to resume operations on a
more extensive scale. This il likely to take
place at any time after September l.
The work from Wallace to the forks of
the creek is not heavy, and with anything
like force of men can be built in a sur
prisinely short time.
1t is an assured fact that the Wallace L.
Sunset railroad will be built to the Custer
mill before the snow flies. The Northern, to
compete with the Union Pacific, must have
an eastern connection to operate its present
branches advantageously, and hence the
great rush to connect with main line at
| Missoula.
Spokane Spokesman: L. G. Dillman re-
turned yesterday from a brief trip through
the Kootenai country in company with n
party of St. Paul capitalists. He stated
that he met three contractors who were in
vestigating and examining the survey re-
Gently completed by the engineers for the
line of the Great Northern railroad, Thew
were looking over the preliminary line es-
tablished through the Kootenai valley and
Bolder creek. Mr.. Dillman considered this
Northern will be built to this city in the
near future.
party of Great Northern contractors
headed by Peter Simms of the firm OF d. G..
Shepherd d Co., arrived in the city Sunday
and remained until yesterday, when they
took the west-bound train. They have
been traversing the proposed routes of the
Boomers Ferry. They are looking over the
routes for the purpose of making bids or
the line to this city. It is generally con-
coded that work on that line will begin at
an early date. In few days the contrac-
tors are expected to return. and from here
they will go again to the FlatheRd valley
and then through the Rockies.
There are about 200 men and 400 teams
at work on the Tacoma, Olympia & Gray's
Harbor road. About $50 men are also al
work on the Chehalis d Shoalwater Bay
road, but the, force will be increased to 33t
or 400 mon in the course of few days
While the Gray's Harbor road will be com
pleted through to the harbor by January
1891. the Chehalis l. Shoalwater Bay roal
will not be completed before one year from
now. As for the Gray's Harbor road, while
it will in all probability be completed tt
the head of the harbor by the first of mex
year, the line to Ocosta may not be inishe
until February or March. Work on all O
the company's extensions is progressin,
very satisfactorily.
, General Manager w. S. Mellen and Gen
eral Superintendent Kendrick, of tn
Northern Pacific are expected here in a fe'
days. They went down the Rocky For
} railroad Wednesday. Assistant Generf
r Superintendent Dickinson left Yesterday I
' join the party and it is expected they wi
q pay Butte visit.
The following appointments approved b
Traffic Manager Hannaford of the Norther
: Pacific are announced: H. E. Still, diyisio
a freight agent with Office in st. Paul; r.
= Eva, travelling freight agent east of Il
: Missouri river; vice II. Il. Still, promoted
y The Nor thern Pacific railroad announc
: by circular that the agency at Cabine
4 Idaho, in the Rocky Mountain division h,
q been discontinued, and an agent has bes
"a appointed at Heron, Mont. which was 70
q merly flag station.