The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-15
FRISCO TO HELENA.
Straight Line Of Railroad Proposed
with Boise City as the
Center.
laho interests Looking After a
Northwestern Market for
Fer Products.
hen Completed 1t Will Also Give the
B%urlington . Route From Chicago
to the Pacific.

E1ien Completed II WIFI Also Give the
Burlington q Route From Chicago
to the Pacific.
eraking a point near Boise City, idaho, as
10 center, and drawing a circle with a
[aius Of less than 800 miles, on the ciroum-
hence will be found the four principal
Eies OF tho Pacific coast. the northwest
Id the middle west-Helena on the north
let, Salt Lake ON the southeast, San Fran
boo ON tho southwest. and Portland on
lie northwest. This vast stretch of coun-
N, rich in mineral ana agricultural pro-
kots, is traversed by but n rail-
lad, tho Oregon Short Lime, which
Etends in a southsasterly direction
ON Portland to Salt Lake. 1t is now pro-
psed to have another, running in a north
ksterly direction from San Francisco
trough Boise City to Helenn. Already a
he 10 projected from Boise City to Helena.
is proposed to extend it in the other
~reotion from Boise to San Francisco. The
|rsgon Pacific has built about 100 miles Of
bad eastward from q point or the coast
Nidway between San Francisco and Port
nd. The Oregon Pacific people propose.
the line is built between Helena and San
Franoiseo, to extend their road farther
hstward to Boise, so as to get into this north
lost country. Ths Chicago q Northwestern,
hitch is already built toa point in Wyom-
liz, likewise promises to continue west
lard to Boise as soon as II can secure an
inlet to the coast independents of the Short
line and the Central Pacific. With the
Brepon Pacific, the Northwestern, the
hort Line, and the Helena, Boise and
Frisco line forming the spokss of a wheel
b which Idaho will be tho hub, that state,
wyoming and eastern Oregon will BIO we'll
with railroad facilities. But there
! another chapter to the story. While the
bad through Idaho is working in a north
hsterly direction toward Helena, the Bur-
|ngton system is making for the Same OBJ
bctive point. II the two systems should
mite, the Burlington will not only have its
|wn road to the northwest, but a direct line
b the coast.
o. L. Miller, of Boise City. is the origina-
br Of the project, which is backed by both
and western capitalists. He already
Jas a party of engineers in the field making
reconnaissance between Boise City and
he Montana line for what will be known
ID the Montana, Idaho IL Pacific railroad.
The route, 10 far az mapped out, ia from
Boise City by way of the Boise river across
be Saw Tooth range at the head Of that
tream and 100 miles from the starting
'oint. Then the line strikes the Salmon
liver and traverses that fertile valley a dis
ancs of 200 miles to the mouth of the north
ork, Then it CROSSES the continental di-
lido to the north fork of the Big Hole, and
hence enters Montana by q line not yet de-
ided on, but which may come by way of the
surveyed line between Dillon and
Helena. Mr.. Miller il nov in Helena look
no up the commercial side of the venture
nd the most practicable route inside of
his state.
From a commercial standpoint Mr.. Mil
or thinks the new roa should be n sue
"Southeastern Idaho" he says, "as
vsll as the valleys along the streams fol-
owed by tho road, is rich in AGRICULTURAL
and oertainties. The country
# vegetables, hay and grain, by the mill
ions Of tons, can be raised. There are i'm
nense quantities of yellow pine and fir
imber, and scarcely ten miles of the route
where there is not a mining camp pro-
lucing gold, silver, copper and galenu ores.
lost of these camps have stamp mills, and
M of them smelters, in operation, using
oke that is shipped in at 1856 a ton, having
0 be sent 100 miles by wagon. Many places
annot smelt thoir ores because there are
lot enough variety of metals to make it
tic work them in the smelters near
". In such cases the ore has to be shipped
and as it ia expensive pack
on the backs of mules
n hauling in wagons, an ore that
nays less than three or four hundred dol
ars docs not pay to ship, but is left on the
to await cheaper transportation or
improved facilities for smelling. So it will
away to other smelters or the coke
or working it on the spot must be brought
II at great expense. There are large fields
# coal in the vicinity of the proposed rail-
cad, but they have not yet been developed.
The road will pass near the famous Dels-
mine and the Seven Devils district can
10 reached by a branch. Boise City is in
N agricultural territory, and can become a
arge producer of canned and manufactured
es and wooden mills, with railroad faoili-
les and the proper market for these wares.
'ifty pcr cent. OF the grocery trade
# Montana comes in from San
francisco. As the proposed route will be
miles shorter than n other. it can
this business with advantage to
and profit to itself. Large guam
lGleb Oh nay duu grain uTe HOW DToukub llLO
Montana from Kansas and Nebraska. Yet
within $50 miles of the center of the state
. agricultural lands from which millions of
,ons of products can be shipped in at from
,ne-tenth to one-1ifth the cost.
"Boise CITY now has no transportation
except what it gets over the short line from
Oregon or Salt Lake. With 4 new road it
be made the metropolis OF that re-
zion of agricultural country through which
he line passes. 1t will have fine depot and
ard facilities at Boise, the city holding
acres Of ground for the first
which comes in. All the towns
.long the line are willing to give a right-of-
.ay. Nothing will be done this winter ex-
,ept the commercial investigation and the
surveys. By spring we will have the road
'eady to start work in grading and laying
rails.
salt Lake city ia liable to make an Of
for the same country, which they can
each by n branch line from either Ketcham
II Pocatello."
Oysters any style at Sam HERBS.