The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-25
IT HAS MONEY ENOUGH.

has been talking more recently To a
reporter for the Portland O~r.gonian.
MI. Mellen is general manager of the
Northern Pacific railroad. When he
talks about the company's affairs, he
talks by the card; he is more ready to
talk i'm Portland than he was in Butte.
Mr.. Mellen says that the Northern
Pacific Railroad company has made a
great deal of money of late and that IL
proposes to strengthen the road in its
prosperous career" This is in direct
line with the story that the company
proposes TO spend so-and-s0 many mil
lion dollars for railroad construction
i'm Montana this year. Probably the
of the road can raise the
money for this work: the Northern Pa
cific always has ways and means in
Wall street-it always will have as long
as il can put Thomas b. Reed, speaker
of the house of representatives, and
other influential members of congress
behind its land-thieving operations: be-
cause this immense domain, in Mon
tana alone, will be worth within ten
years more money than the cost of
construction of the Northern Pacific
with all its branches from end TO end.
That Mr.. Mellen's people will spend
a vast sum of money this year in rail
road construction, the people of Mon
tana will readily believe. The policy
Of the road is To spend a certain num-
Der of hundreds Of thousands a year.
The common people have nothing to
say as "a the manner in which this
money shall be spent. yet the plans of
the railroad are a matter or vital in
terest to the local public. and il makes
all the difference in the world whether
the railroads millions are wisely in
vested or foolishly wasted.
Two years ago the branch from Hell
ena TO Boulder was built. The money
might as well have been thrown in the
sea for all the good il does. Wise rail
road management would have con
demned the route before "a yard of
earth was graded. The line lies rusting
i'm idleness to-day. There isn't "A shadow
of doubt that il was built in order 10
give annual p~ickings to contractors
who are in the railroad ring and who.
knowing the end from the beginning.
realized that the idle branch was de
signed in the first place 10 run from
nothing To nowhere.
Then the Northern Pacific people
built the liomestake tunnel branch.
IL was constructed in the worst season
of the year, the excuse for this being
that traffic could not endure
aast1 A.
months. Yet the road is an
idle, useless thing to-day. with
the summer more than half spent.
Months after the final acceptance of
this branch by the railroad company.
Mr.. Mellen told Butte's shippers that il
was not safe for through trains. and he
followed this with "A song and dance ms
needs and Wishes confession which
leaves Butte to believe that he is dis
honest outright or utterly unfit TO rank
as manager of the corporation whose
policy he helps 10 dictate.
Undoubtedly the Northern Pacific
has made a great deal of money of late,
as Mr.. Mellen says II has. There is no
estimating the millions this company
will be worth If, in robbing the public
domain in Montana. IL can manage 10
get through with every congress ms
smoothly as il has worked the present
house of representatives under Speaker
Reeds guidance.
And this thieying corporation. dazed
with the prospect of millions IL can
hardly estimate. treats the splendid
city OF Butte as the casual pedestrian
would treat the yeriest cur.