The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-06-11
RAILROAD RUMBl|NGS,
N,,taua Midland and the Route
II Will Probably
Follow.
r,, Nor, on the Burlington Being
pushed-PrOgress of the
Survey.

rhore has been no little speculation as
Ala nrobable route OF the Montana
,;l,ond now that the Neihart route has
49,, abandoned. 1t is found that the
..odos on that route are all to heavy for
A. most successful traffic. This decision
:. nv no means an abandonment of the
".o;oct nor will it necessarily delay the
tr,,;,dinp of the road. The engineers are
.sr working on other routes and a de-
s,;tc location will probably be made
thin a comparatively short time.
Another objection to the Neihart route
l. tbe snow in the mountains which
wsuld make it expensive keeping the
| road open.
As to the possible routes for the road
there are two which may be considered
nrobable. Both of them leave the Belt
maintain branch at or near Arlington.
One route goes through the Judith gap,
following substantially the survey of the
Darlington to Castle. The other will
take the other side, going up Smith river
and striking White Sulphur Springs and
Castle. This second route is in some re-
sracts the better one as it will take in
tbc coal and timber country in the Smith
river valley. In any event the people oft
Great Falls and of Castle may feel reas-
onablv sure that fall will see the road in
oneratiOn.
In this connection it may be said that
il is currently reported that the Helena
and Castle road project has been definite
IL abandoned. The project involved too
many engineering difficulties, making
the road a very expensive one to build
and operate.
The Montana Midland will in all like
lihood not stop at Castle. 1t is more
than likely that it will go beyond to
Livingston and even TO the Park. Tue
following extract from the Livingston
correspondence of the Anaconda Stand
ard. under date of May 80, will prove of
interest in this connections:
A new chapter is Dol to develop in
the railroad history of this state. 1t is
now generally known that j. j. Hill
practically controls the National park
brunch from Livingston to Cinnabar,
which will soon pass into his possession
by limitation. 1t is the intention of the
Great Northern road to extend its
Niehart branch to Castle thence
to Livingston, whence Mr.. Hill
will be master of the Ma
tional park business by way Of the Gin.
nabar line. Should the segregation bill
pass. this new system will be pushed or
into Cooke City. This will put into
operation one of the most important
lines in the railroad field of the north
west, as it will hold forever the traffic OF
not only the Neihart and Barker dis
trcts, but that of Castle and eventually
Cooke City as we'll. besides controlling
possibly for years to come, the enormous
business Of the park. so long exclusively
enjoyed by the Northern Pacific.
THE BURLINGTON.
The surveyors are still at work IN the
Burlington extension. \ route dow
the Little Horn has been surveyed and
party 81 seventeen is nov at work neal
Billings. North of the Yellowstone
party is at work on Carriers creek. a:
is known the located line from Grea'
Falls passes through the Judith gap ant
follows the Musselsheil river, ending iii
the air about forty miles from Billings
The corps of surveyors now at work un
der the charge of Mr.. Pease are locating
line about seven miles north of the Ole
location, They were at work a shor'
time ago on Careless creek and Swim
ming Woman creek, and following tina
route would strike the gap a little norti
OF rhe present line.
The management Of the road has is
sued orders to push the work in Wyom
ing to an early completion and it is more
than likely that in another year a lont
lump will be made right into the hear
Of Montana.