The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-02
THE WORLD ON WHEELS.
How the Deal Between Van Horne
and Vanderbilt Interests
Montana.
Work on the Neihart Extension to
Be Commenced BY the
Contractors
An Exaggerated story Of Destination Do
MED by Ofioials OF the Montana
Central.

The reported traffic arrangements be-
tween the Cananian Pacific and the New
York Central railroads will have a greater
Influence on the railroad business of Mon
tana than a first glance would seem to indi-
cate. It means another transcontinental
road to compete for the traffic in this state,
and one, too, which is not amenable to the
interstate commerce Law. It has puzzled
railway men to guess just what particular
use the Canadian Pacific would have. be-
You'd acting as feeders. for the various
roads it has gotten control OF in the past
two years, which run from points on its
road into the United States. Now that the
Van Horne-Vanderbilt alliance is al as
sured fact, it is easy enough to see how
these feeders will aid the plan of the Cana
dian road to capture a large part oil
the trade of the United States. As
regards Montana business, owing to Its
close alliance with the Great Northern, 1T
will be able. just 80 soon as the latter's Pa
cifc extension is concluded, to cut into the
business of the Northern ard Union Pa
ciics, and with the New York Central con-
nection can offer as good service to the At
lantic seaboard rs these roads. When the
road between Great Falls n the Gait
coal fields was first under consideration,
the design was to make it a broad guage.
This, however, was modified to q narrow
guage, with the understanding that just SO
soon as the time came when it would be de-
sirable, it was to be changed to a broad
euage. The opinion of the railway men is
that the time has now come, and that be-
fore snow flies the Lethbridge road will be
changed to a broad guage. just SO soon as
this is done, a man can get on the cars AT
H. VI~~A., 1n~~ ot~onf 1oynnf II NnW Nnrk
city, and make but II change of cars be-
fore arriving in Helena. This change will
be at Dunman, from the Canadian Pacific
proper to the Lethbridge road, which latter
would undoubtedly run its cars over the
entire Montana Central system. The next
point where the Canadian Pacific taps
United States territory is Portland, q road
from that city to. a connection with the
Canadian Pacific now being in course OF
construction.
The Vanderbilts for years have been seek
ing what they now have in this Canadian
| Pacific allianoe-a direct line from the At
lantic to the Pacific, with branches and
state, and the power to dictate to the vari.
Gus Pacific lines. When it is recalled that
more than 1000 miles of railroad are abso-
lutely controlled and operated by the Van
derbilt family, it will be realized how fear
full this alliance may become. The roads
which are advertised as the "Vanderbll'
system'' are the New York Central d Hud'
son River, the Michigan Central, the Lake
Shore and Michigan Southern, the Cleve-
land, Cincinnati, Chicago Il St. Louis, the
West Shore and the New York, Chicago 4
st. Louis. These six roads with their LEASED
lines and the Rome, Watertown d Ogdens.
burg, which was purchased by the Wander
bits a few days ago, have. 1900. miles o
line and represent a capital stock Of more
than $15O, 100000. Their bonded indebted
ness will aggregate nearly $500, 600, goo
The part Montana business will play II
this deal will be no minor one. her trade
being among the most profitable which {
railroad can have.