The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-02
TOSTOP SNAP JUDGMENT.
Northern Pacific Seeks to Prevent
the. Montana Union Gut
ting it on
An Injunction Prayed For In the
United States Circuit
Court.
Another Meeting Of Those Interested In
the Construction of = Railroad
From Helena to Castle.

A specisl train over the Northern Pacific
railroad, which arrived from st. Paul yes
terday morning after \ fast run, had on
board w. s.. Msllen, general manager; ]. A.
Barker, general auditor; ). L. Moore. gem
ersl freight agent, and Lawyer Bliss, one OF
the attorneys of the road. The gentlemen
were closeted part Of the day with Judge
w, E. Cullen, the counsel for the Northern
Pacific at this point. As an outcome of the
conference there was filed in the uulted
States court during the afternoon y bulky
document, which proved to be q petition
asking for a writ of injunction to restrain
tho Montana Union railway doing anything
that would prejudice the rights enjoyed by
the Northern Pacific to the common use OF
that line for its business.
The Montana Union railway, as is pretty
generally known in this vicinity, is an i'm
portant piece of road for both the Northern
Pacific and the Union Pacific, the two hav-
ing common rights over it through a lease
or agreement entered into some years ago
Montana Union by way Of the Logan
branch from the east and by way Of Garri-
son from tho west. Part Of the year y Of
the regular through express trains q the
Northern Pacific passes over the Montana
Union. either going east or west, leaving
the main line either at Logan or Garrison
according to which direction they are
travelling. and passing through Butte
both ways. At other times only one
through express train is used either way
each day. At such times connection With
Butte is made by means of a stab train
over tho Montana Union connecting at the
pass through Helena daily. Besides this
the Northern Pacific enjoya 8 lucrative car
rying trade over the Montana Union be-
tween Butte and Anaconda, and also be-
tween those great mining and smelling
centers and the outside world. The same
rights to the use Of the Montana Union are
ENJOYED by the Union Pacific and its feed
ers. the Oregon Short Line and the Utah
4, Northern. In fact the Montana Union
business which is thus divided up between
the two great roads 10 said to be the hsavl-
est, for the length Of the line, of any rail-
way in the United States. If not in the
world. While it pays two roads to divide
this business, it would make either OF them
rich to have it all. 1t ia apparent from the
proceedings taken yesterday that the
Northern Pacific suspects the Union Pacific
Of wanting it all.
The lease BY which the Northern Pacific
and the Union Pacific divide the business
of this great mining territory contiguous
to Butte expires some time in 1898. Al
ready, it is believed by the Northern Pa
cifc people, The Union Pacific contemp!ates
such a move as will give it sole uss of the
Montana Union and consequently the ex-
elusive control of the business that GOES
over that money-making road. This can
only DO Iona before 1893 by annulling tho
lease or agreement for joint use, which Is a
matter within the province of tbs execu-
tive committee having charge of the affairs
of the Montana Union. That the Northern
Pacific has an idea the executive committee
might do something of this sort Is evil
denced by the fact that they are included
in the INJUNCTION that is asked for. Should
the injunction be granted it will estop all
proceedings looking to such a result, e1-
cept what may be taken through the med
INN of the courts, and give the Northern
Pacific an equal chance with its great rival,
In short, the Northern Pacific wants t.
prevent "snap Judgment" being taken to
its d%etrimsnt.
With tho Union Pacific in control of the
Montana Union the Northern Pacific would
be put to the expense and loss of time and
business consequent upon the building of a
line of its own. 1t would no doubt do this
if it had to. Whether it will have to is q
matter which time will develop. The
Northern Pacific people think they will
not.