The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-23
WILL SURVEY The Line.
The Commercial Club Committee
to Have the Road from Helena
to Castle Located.
Gen. w. A. Havon Will Start tho
Work Within the Next
Ten Days.
It Will Cost Ten Thousand Dollars and
the Results VIII Go to tho Highest
Bidder.
..... H.-r eF-"7HF rH-. Il. [-Fu S

committee that il Il survey would be made
for a line from Holenn to Castle, and the
result shovel that such a road could be
built without extraordinary difficulties. the
money would be forthcoming to build 1t.
This proposition looked to tho placing Of
tho money for the survey in the hands Of a
repre- sentative of the syndicate making the
offer. The committee, however. decided to
have the survey made under its own auspices,
the field notes, plats and other data to be
its property. When the survey il COM
pleted the results will be the property of
the syndicate that builds the road, the
money the committee expends in the sur
way to be deducted from the bonus paid.
IN arranging the matter this way the idea
is to leave the field open for all bidders.
thus getting the best bargain for Helena.
White Sulphur Springs and Castle.
Gen. W.. A. Haven. who was the chief en-
Rlneer for the Northern Pacific branch lines
in Montana, will survey the line from Hell
ena to White Sulphur and Castle. lie has
his assistants engaged, and in ten days the
work will begin. The starting of this sur
vsy practically settles in the affirmative
the question whether or not q railroad will
DO built from Helena into Meagher county.
It is known beyond question that there is q
feasible route to White Sulphur and Gas
tie, the principal problem to be solved
by this survey being whether it is by
Whites or Confederate gulch. The work
will cost between $1,000 and 1O,000.
The committee feels greatly encouraged
at the liberal responses made by MANY of
the property owners, something like $780,
600 having been received. The owners Of
acre property have as u rule done we'll. but
there are a great many who have either re-
fused point blank to give a dollar, or put
the members of with various excuses. The
building of the linz will increase the trade
of the merchants to y large extent, but 80
for they havs not responded as literally as
it wns believed they would. The COM
mittee realize that some of them have a
valid excuse for staying out. and these have
not been asked. But there are quite a
who are we'll able to Join in the
movement who have not done 70. There
are some large property owners, also, who
of the road, who have not contributed.
None acknowledge being hard presseu
financially, or alleRe inability to contribute.
Many say they are in other enterprises, as
for instance y. w. Beattie. Mr.. Beattie
had an engagement to meet the committee
at the montana club, saturday
evening last. He did not keep
the appointment, and yesterday Mr.. Par
chen, one OF the members. received a letter
from him dated at Butte, saying he was uu-
expectedly called away. As to n subscrip-
ton to the Castle road he said: But I neg
to say that our mining engagements for
1892 are such that we must decline any sub
scription to the Castle railroad. Under
other circumstances l should deem it our
duty to do So"
The committee will receive subscriptions
in land as we'll as in cash. and the members
arc still at work, and will not cease until
have given every one who is able the
to prove just what he or she
is willing to do to push Helena ahead.
There are names already on the list that
never appeared on one before, show
that the impol tance of the enterprise
is fully recognized. It is possible that the
entire amount of the subscriptions may
not be nee ded, and again it may. At any
rate when the committee has finished, the
lat will be published, and then the public
San judge who has the best interests of
at heart.