The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-03-22
FORK COAL FIELD.
The Product in Great Demand by
Two Transcontinental Lines
OF Railways
The Northern Pacific Branch
Would Seem to Be q Profit
able Venture.
Interesting Interview with Frank Lang.
ford In the Columbia Falls Column,
bian ON the Subject.

Frank Langford came in last weck from
Spokane for a few days visit with his
family. said the Columbia Fails Columbian
of March 16. In speaking OF tho outlook
west Of M, he said: The spring trade ia
opening very dull In the west, ~diaappoint-
ing the merchants. and especially the rail-
roads. In Spokane the Great, Northern
seems to be feeling 1t most, ~ that road Is
getting practically none of the large traffic
expected. owing to It's failure to carry out
the pledge of Nj. Hill in the matter Of
rates. OF course the fight is between Spo-
kane and the sound. Spokane has the
geographical position with reference to the
trade east of the Cascades. and the sound
cities and Portland have had tho trade.
owing TO the greater interests OF the rail-
roads on the ooast. and the cheap rates OBJ
tainable by way of the ocean on a large list
of commodities.
Zone, without some thought on the sub
ject. would hardly believe that the effect Of
this water route for freight from the east
TO the west way around Cape Horn, would
be felt clear back to tho heart of Montana.
Here is a case. The jobbing trade of the
C9ur d'Alenes. which is a largo one. be-
longs naturally to Missoula. and under the
new adjustment OF rates. Missoula and
Spokane were placed in q position to COM
mand that trade, but the Union Pacific,
having a long circuitous route to Spokane
and no line at all to Missoula, turns around
and makes an extremely low ratio from
Portland to the Cnur d'Alenes. Portland.
already having the advantage by ocean
competition. on q long list of goods upon
which rates less than the class rates to 5po-
kane. or even Missoula, apply from the
east, now has q large share of the Ceur
d'Alene jobbing business. Trade in the
Cuur d'Alene il very dull, however. owing
10 the shutting down of the Bunker Hill
and sullivan mine and the anticipated
$50 far as the Great Northern is con-
cerned, it expects to gain In Seattle and
other coast towns what ii is losing in
Spokane; but from the report of the chief
engineer of the Great Noxthsrn it seems
from Spokane to the coast for al least
another lyear. on account of the road hav-
ing been'located. against the advice Of the
engineers, in river bottoms, and fats, west
OF the Cascade mountains, that are flooded
and partly washed away at least twice each
year, in addition to the land slides. and the
long heavy grade witch back in the Cas-
cade mountains. The proposed tunnsl two
and one-h miles long has not yet been
started.
"Grest Northern chief engineers know
inRly remarked recently that they have. in
the true sense of the term so generously
used by Mr.. Hill in his we'll known speech.
"a water grade from the time they strike
water at Wenatche. on the Columbia river,
east OF the Cascades, to Seattle, and that
the Great Northern has just fairly begun
kh, CONSERVATION of that nQYt NJ ifQ lima
although the rails were laid i'll tim for the
Worlds fair business"
Being asked in regard to the future mar |
ket west of us for the products of tho Flat
head country, Mr.. Langford stated that SO
far as Washington ia concerned the market
for the Flathead products will be small, ex-
ceptinR for coal. The St. Paul Globe Of
Feb. 6 contained an Inter esting article on
the Flathead coal fields, under the head
ing, Jim Hill and the Great Northern will
not, after all. control. the great coal folds
of the Pacific northwest"
9TH market for Flathead coal will net
be confined to Montana. 1t ia less than 250
miles from the North Fork coal mines to
the Ceur d'Alenes. the greatest silver-lead
mining district in the world, and about the
coming scarce in the Cnur d'Alenes, and
the present price is $3. 80 to 81 per cord at
the mines in car lots. Rock Springs coal
cost IS. Is and Montana coal 81. Mine
owners and dealers say il they could get a
good Goa! at IS or 500 20, ton hue; GOAL
a large trade already. and the develop
ment of the dry ore mines of the Cmur
d'Alenes is being prosecuted vigorously and
will require the erection Of smelterH here.
Ore is already assured.
'There was consumed in Spokane last
year AZ. 900 cords OF wood and %. 600 tons OF
coal, at $3.50 to SIS for wood and Sc to $3.50
per ton for Roslyn coal on cars. The
Union Pacific il buying large quantities of
Roslyn coal from the Northern Pacific. de-
tives in Washington and Northern Idaho.
1t is of fair but not extra quality. The dis
lance from Roslyn coal mines to spokane
is 800 miles. There is no coal mined on the
Northern Pacific between Rocky Fork.
Montana. and Roslyn, Washington. a dis
are nearly 1000 miles moro of important
branch roads of the Northern Pacific. The
Great Northern has no coal between Sand
Couleo and tho Puget sound. The dis
lance from Sand Coulee to Spokane is $50
miles md covers oil tho heavy grades on
Cascade mountains. That part of the line
from Columbia Falls to Bleckfoot md
from Columbia Falls to Libby crossing ex-
tremely heavy divides, consequently tho
North Fork coal will strike the Great
Northern where ii is badly needed for
" -
THAT road has now under consideration
two propositions to secure ooal to carry its
trains over the Cascade mountains. Ono Ia
30 make Il contract with tho Northern Pa
cihc to furnish it Roslyn coal, tho other is to
ncquir coal lands of its own in the vicinity
of Roslyn and develop its own mines. This
latter would be difficult owing to the fact
that the Northern Pacific already controls
the situation there. In either case an or
pensive branch rond will be necessary to
h Ahn flrA0f M hans -. H.
II am reliably informed that under thu
present conditions il will cost the Great
Northern as much for tho next two wears
for locomotive coal to operate it, roads
from HAVE. Montana. to the sound 40 the
total revenue from that part of the line,
traversinR. as it does, tn totally undeveloped
country at n time when ca ital and travel
are directed from the west"
Buoklen's ArnIoA SAlve