The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-26
HELENA'S RAILROAD FUTURE

Fan trAnClSCQ, NJ DerulOlt, Dulle, lNlNA ~
Springfield, Ill.
HELENA'S RAILROAD FUTURE.
If one will study carefully a correct
map of Montana it will be easy TO dis
cover that Helena occupies a location
which, by reason of physical conforma-
ton, absolutely commands the situation
so far as railroads are concerned.
In Montana railroads must follow
water grades, and nature in this respect
has apparently grooved the surface in
the interest Of the metropolis.
The United States has without q
doubt entered once more into an era oil
railroad construction. The cycle of IN
activity has rolled past and the market
for securities r%e-opened, hence we may
reasonably expect to secure, with proper
effort, within the next three years a o r
siderable addition to our tributary mile
age
The Montana & Canada, as was evil
dent from the first, must of necessity
broaden its gauge and come to Helena.
At Great Falls it obtains neither a local
business nor through connections.
The Burlington now terminates on
the plains of Wyoming and to secure
traffic must seek quickly IA populous and
freight breeding locality. The attrac-
tions OF Castle and Helena will draw the
construction train as quickly as the
tracks can be laid.
The Northwestern, backed by the
Vanderbilt money. is rapidly pushing
westward, and while the objective point
is Portland via Boise City, connection
will be made with the Central Pacific at
Ogden.
A more direct road from Helena to
Cheyenne and Denver is becoming a
necessity, and If a company were organ
lied to build from Helena southeasterly
through the Wind river country there
SCENE no reason to doubt that the
Northwestern would extend substantial
aid in furtherance of the scheme, as it
would lot that road into the Yellowstone
park and the rich centers of Montana.
The same argument may be advanced
in favor of a line to Lewiston and the
Judith BASIN eventually to II (under
the auspices of some eastern line like
the Milwaukee g. st. Paul or $500" line
to Bismarck. occupying the country
midway between the Northern Pacific
and Great Northern. This, if under
taken by the latter road and run to Fort
Buford, would give it a 'cut-off' of con-
siderable dimensions.
In the northwest it is evident that
the Great Northern will be compelled
to connect more directly the Flathead
lake region with Helena and Butte to
avoid the long roundabout haul to AS
%sinaboine, and it is Just as possible that
this will be done by way of Craig and
Cadotte pass as in any other way.
1t is one of the inexplicable mysteries
why the Union Pacific permits repeated
invasions of it's territory at Butte with
out retaliating by building the few miles
of extension required to reach Helena
and Bozeman. This cannot long be
postponed and completes the five new
lines which seemingly will be competing
for business at Helena within two OF
three years. Such a desirable consum.
nation may be greatly facilitated if the
citizens Of Helena, aided by the loca
newspapers, will call attention to the
resources OF the country and urge upor
the companies most likely to be inter
ested the desirability Of the extension
1t should be kept in mind that if tn,
,5prE he MT ncpny1ataI ,rIi1n oy;,,;u.
influences are in force it will have to &,
over until another period of activity set
in. 1t is either within three years o
wait seven.
While no one disputes that those at tn
head of the Northern Pacific line are me.
of unusual ability, past management
have made mistakes of construction i
Montana which operate to tho disaC
vantage of the road.
The object of every road should be
secure the shortest lines between in
portant points, but we cannot avoid NJ
ticing. in this instance, the apparen
disregard by the Northern Pacific of tn
eventuallties IN the shape of local tratfi,
1t has yielded without a struggle to tn
Great Northern the valuable bushes
between Helena and Butte, and is no,
apparently about to repeat the error L
avoiding the direct course between He
ena and Castle. which will be occupie
by the Burlington. A correct a%pprecii
ton of the future would seem to su!
gest that the line to Castle start {
some point on the main track, near lie
ena, with the idea of a future extenslc
from Castle to Glendive, which won,
cover a rich intermediate territory
the exclusion of other roads, besid,
shortening the distance from st. Pa
to the sound more than a hundrt
miles.
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