The semi-weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1891, 1890-12-06
PROGRESS IN RAILWAY BUILD
ING.

The Railway and Engineering News is
out with its annual review Of railway con-
struction in the Rocky Mountain states,
which shows that the work has been very
active during the year. For the year end
ing Nov. 30, in the states west of the 10th
meridian, 1,404 miles of track were laid,
as against Cos the previous year; while
under construction there are 2,611 miles,
against 1909 in 1889.
During the present year in Montana
1855 miles of track were laid rs against
1888 the year before, and there are now
34S miles under construction or contract.
The surveyed lines upon which work be.
gins early next year aggregate $50 miles.
and other projects of promise are com
puted at 730 miles. In the matter of
track laid during the year Montana eN-
ceeds all the states, with Washington
next. The latter has G01 miles surveyed
or under contract for next year.
OF the railway construction work the
News thus reviews the situation: The
most active construction is confined to Il
comparatively small section Of the terri
tory shown on the map, and it is being
done by a few great companies. In other
words the construction is mainly comret-
tive. The Northern Pacific, the Great
Northern, the Union Pacific, and to a less
extent the Southern Pacific companies
are struggling for supremacy in the rich
agricultural, timber and mineral lands of
Washington and Montana. OF the total
mileage now under construction and Of
that on which track has been laid this
year, in the three states of Montana, Ida
no and Washington, "a per cent and 80
per cent respectively is the work of the
Northern Pacific, Great Northern and
Union Pacific companies; and of the total
mileage coming under these heads in the
ten states and territories included on our
map, A per cent of this years tracklay-
ing and 40 per cent of the mileage under
construction is the work of the same
companies.
Taking up the work of these companies
somewhat in detail, it is seen that the
longest and in some respects the most I'M
portant extension is that of the Great
Northern company to the Pacific coast at
Puget sound. This extension starts from
the main line at Assiuabolne, Mont, and
runs west to a connection in Washington
with the Fairhaven and Southern rail.
raod, a branch of the same company's line
a distance of $50 miles. The work of con.
structlon and survey is in progress al
along the line, and barring ONE excep-
tional delay it will probably be rapidly
pushed to completion. In connection
with this extension the company is also
building a line from Portland, Ore, to
New Westminster, B. G., about 800 miles,
under the charters of the Falrhaven and
Southern and Seattle and Montana rail
way companies.
The work Of the Northern Pacific COM
pany is confined largely to branch lines
into the mineral fields of Montana and
Idaho, and penetrating the timber and
agricultural lands in the Pugetsound dis
trict tributary to the cities of Seattle and
Tacoma. The Seattle, Lake Shore &
Eastern railway, recently purchased by
the Northern Pacific company, is being
rapidly extended to %aconnection with the
Canadian Pacific branch south from Mis-
sion Station at the boundry. 1t is also
probable that the extension of the same
road east to a connection with the Central
Washington railroad will be constructed
IN the course of a few years.