The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-20
ALL ROADS LEAD TO HELENA.

The people of the northern end oil
Deer Lodge county are very much
pleased with the prospect of a railroad
from Avon to the Flathead country. II
was suggested in The INDEPENDENT sew
eral months ago that the Northern Pa
cifc would find such a line necessary in
order to hold it's own in hat section OF
Missoula county to be tapped by the
Great Northern extension and a possible
route was pointed out. Missoula recog-
= nized that in case the Avon
branch was built it would seriously af-
feet her trade with the Flathead coun-
try. and an effort was made to raise a
sum sufficient sum to secure a line from
that city. There was a backwardness
in signing the subscription paper, and
then an engineer who went over the pro-
posed line reported that it was almost
lmpracticable. Now an engineer corps
is looking over the Avon route, and from
the reports which have come IN during
the past week, it seems that so far no
%stupendous difficulties have been en-
countered. One of the principal OBJ
jects to be gained by such a line is the
traffic arising from the immense coal
measures now being opened in the Flat
head country. This coal, it is thought,
will be very valuable for the smelters,
and it has been found that the route by
way of Avon will save sixty miles in the
haul east, as against the Missoula
branch.
In addition to giving to Helena direct
communication with, and a large share
of the trade of the Flathead country
this Avon cutoff will open up a large
and valuable lumber and mining section
in Deer Lodge county, which will also
become tributary to Helena. The
Biackfoot and Nevada valleys, rich in
stock and agricultural products, will
also be tapped, and.the benefits to the
residents there will be fully equal to
those derived by the people Of Helena.
In addition it assures the railroad a
good business at the very start.
Within thirty days there will be in
Helena forty or fifty representative
business men from Omaha. They come
to look over the city and state and to
increase their trace with the northwest.
They will undoubtedly recognize the
possibilities of the state in a commercial
way, and when they return to their
homes will leave no stone unturned to
induce the rapid building of the Bur-
lington railroad into Montana and to the
capital city. The pushing, progressive
men of Helena will do their portion of
the work to the same end, and who can
doubt the result? This Burlington line
will tap Castle, the rich Judith country.
Smith River valley, White Sulphur
Springs, and a vast mineral, grazing and
agricultural country, whose trade is
now scattered, will be brought directly
to Helena.
But those are not all. Within a
month the rich Occur d'Alene country
will be directly tributary to Helena.
The offer of President Cakes to give the
business men Of that section an excur-
sion to Helena has been accepted in
such a spirit that there is no doubt of
their kindly feeling toward and desire
for closer relations with Helena. They
are actuated by the feelings which in
duce the desire on the part of Helena
for closer relations with Omaha; while
the Helena people want the more direct
communication with Mullan. Wallace,
Gem, Frisco, Burke, Osburn and Ward
ner for the same reasons that Omaha
does with Helena. The people of the
Occur d Alenes will be. able to ship us
their ore at less cost and get their goods
cheaper than now. Helena merchants
will have another market opened to
them.
Another twelve months will witness
such a step forward by Helena as will
surprise the most sanguine.