Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-10-10
Bo,sE.nrTrE RAILRoAD.
Engineer Rabbit Returns and Tx
plains the Projected Route.

Chief Engineer T. d. Babbitt, Of
the Boise-Butte railroad, arrived in
Boise Friday evening direct from
Butte, after an absence Of nearly
four months, during which time he
has been constantly at work in the
field between Boise and Butte, only
arriving at the latter place on Tues
day last. He was accompanied by
his chief, Mr.. o. l.. Miller, and the
remaining members Of the party.
Mr.. Babbitt informed Statesman
reporter that he had completed what
might be termed a reconnaissance,
and would now go to work with his
field notes and data, and construct
a map Of the projected road, in such
shape that intending investors could
ascertain the amount Of cost APP
proximately, nature Of the grade,
contour Of the road and surrounding
country, and in that way be ena-
bled TO determine with some degree
of accuracy what the nature Of the
work would be. Being asked to
give some idea in brief of the pro-
jected road. Mr.. Rabbit said:
THE road have projected will
extend from Boise to Butte, through
virgin country, rich, believe, in
many of the elements necessary To
make railroad traffic. The road as
surveyed will have a length Of 40
miles, all but about 100 miles being
in Idaho. Leaving Boise City the
road was surveyed up Boise river
and the South Fork To its head in
the Sawtooth range distance Of
l25 miles. From there il extends
north 80 miles down Salmon river
TO Stanley Basin, then east 40 mites
to Clayton; thence north so miles
to Salmors City; and still further
north % miles to the mouth of the
north fork Of Salmon river, which
it follows up to the summit of the
Rocky mountains. where we have
found a very low pass-360 feet
lower than any found in former sur
veys, Crossing the Rocky noun
tains the survey runs TO the north
fork of the Big Hole river in Mon
tana, and thence down the Big Hole
to a station on the Utah Northern
named Divide, distance from the
north fork Of Salmon of "a miles.
The remaining 20 miles distance to
Butte, the projected road will prac-
tically parallel the Utah Northern.
This describes the route to be fol
lowed briefly. and as to the survey
just finished, it is, though a recon-
noisance, very complete one, and
except in absolute &C uracv just
such a one as the road will be bnilt
by. | can, from il, figure out grades
and curves, estimate the cost and
give some idea of the surrounding
country"
Would you consider the survey
practicable2
THE route surveyed is entirely
practit able. and though the entire
road is through what would be
called a mountain country, the cost
of completion would not be excess
i've. OF course there are many
places on the road where the grade
work will be heavy, but there are
also long stretches where about all
that will have to be done will BE- to
lay the ties and rails
Would the road be a good invest
ment even before it is completed en-
tirely?
Il think so. For instance, if the
road were completed from Boise to
the summit of the Sawtooth, I25
miles. it would open up to them one
of the greatest mining countries i'm
aginable, including the mining dis
tricts of Sawtooth. Vienna, the Big
and Little Smoky, and the mining
regions around Atlanta. Rocky Bar.
Pine Grove and Camp Woodrow.
These mines, already so far devel-
oped to be only awaiting the advent
of railroad, would employ mul
titude of men, who in turn would
need quantities Of supplies. Thsn
it would open great bodies of timber
as fine as any that can be found in
the world and from which the rail-
road would receive much traffic.
OF course / am not perhaps fiji
Judge of whether the road project
would pay as an investment, but |
am much taken with the plan. ]
worked steadily from June 18th till
Tuesday, and believe | know the
proposed route. thoroughly. The
hea vest work on the road is where
it leaves Idaho and crosses the
Rocky mountains, the remainder of
the road being comparatively light,
though occasionally there are heavy
4I.-.I,,& No..