The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-03-09
When the Butte, Elkhorn and Gal
latin Branches Will Be Ready
for Business.
Movements Of the Great Northern
Railway In and Out Of
Montana.
Reasons Why lis Western Outlet Will II,
from Fort Assinaboine Across tho
Flaihcad Country.

Al the close Of 1889 there were numerous
forecasts as 20 what railroad building
would be accomplished the present year.
But little of the work begun last year has
been completed. Probably the mos. I'M
portant piece Of railroad work Of last year
was the completion of the branch road 10
the Rocky Fork coal mines. The Butte
Gallatin branch Of the Northern Pacific.
with its network of sub-branches pointing
out to all the small mining camps of Jefler-
son and Madison counties will he in opera
ton early in April.
The Belt Mountain branch of the now
Great Northern route Is rapidly progressing,
and tracklaying. which was stopped ON ac
count of bad weather. will be resumed also
in April The Great Northern extension 20
the Lethridge coal mines. known as the
Great Falls and Canada. is booked 10 be
completed by September and the locating
engineers have been engaged in their work
for some time. The Northern Pacific cut
of to the Cmur d'Alene region from Mis-
soula is being pushed 10 completion. The
Union Pacific will build its branch from
Deer Lodge TO Champion as soon as the
camp reaches n more advanced stage of de
velopment. The Northern Pacific branch
to Elkhorn from Boulder il expected TO be
finished about May |. Any movement on
the part of the Union Pacific will be watched
with interest, and especially its operations
in southern Montana. While IL can share in
the business IL is not probable that IL will
stand by quietly and watch the Northern
Pacific gradually snatching the growing
cattle and horse shipping and other freight
business of tho counties of Madison and
Beayerhead from its grasp. There are two
projects Of the Union Pacifici one is TO
build from Dillon up the jefferson canyon
to and around to Helena, making this point
the terminus. Another is TO build west
from Garrison TO Missoula to connect with
one of the lines building eartward from the
coast. The Union Pacific. according 70
agreement. has three years in which TO
make up its mind whether il will build
through the famous Jefferson canyon, or
else al the expiration of that time the
Northern Pacific will purchase its right OF
way.
Without doubt the movements of the
Great Northern are what is interesting most
people in Montana at this time. Divers and
snndry unreliable reports have been sent
out as TO this cumpsny's plans and where
its starting point from the west will be.
Helena, Great Falls and Anaconda have
been mentioned as the starting points. but
nothing definite Is known. There is no
doubt Of the company's intention 10 extend
70 Anaconda. The line is already located
from Butte, but Anaconda will be ter
minal The theory that il will build to
Missuula is not predicaied ON any substan-
tial grounds. But that the starting
point will be Fort AssIniboine
there is every reason 20 be
lieve. Not because this is the route pro-
iected oil the railway maps but for reasons
based on logic. IL will be remembered that
Mr.. c. w. Cannon, of this city. recently
went 20 Fairhaven and purchased a large
tract OF land. This gentleman is ON the
INSIDE on matters Great Northern, and
while he has not said so. il il safe 10 as
sumo that Fairhaven will be the port of eii-
try for the Great Northern railway. The
special service of the lSDErESDESr yester-
day gave exclusive announcement of the
important doings of the Great Northern
company in Washington, where il purchas-
ed the Seattle a. Lake Shore road. This
reaches the eastern boundaries of that
state.
Mr.. Cannon was asked by reporter a
few days ago if the Great Northern wonld
build via Missoula. "Now,n snid he. why
should the road go that way when that sec
tion already has road that handles all the
business 1t has. Why should IL build there
when it can go through one of the grandest
stretches of farming, grazing, cattle, coal
and mining lands in the world-that north
of Flathead lake. This is far superior to
any section over which the present line
passes and it is already building mp. II is
the shortest route 10 Spokane Falls, which
il may reach, and as no other railway is
built in that section, il is purely it's OWL,
and that is where the Great Northern will
build If it will build at ALL
As il is pretty generally understood that
the Great Northern will build westward,
Mr.. Cannon's views may be considered as
very reliable, as he il not man 10 give an
opinion on a subject he knows nothing
about.