The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1895-03-30
\ Few Instructive Facts Con
corning This Magnificent
System.
A LARGE ARMY OF EMPLOYEES.
Like Trained Soldiers, Every
Man Must be Found
at His Post.

The public seldom pauses to consider
the enormo amount of labor required
for the successful operation of Il great
railway system. And more seldom still
thinks of the extreme vigilance required
of the leading officers in organizing the
grand army of employees. An ~illustra-
ton of this wonderful theme, an object
lesson for our common consideration, is
seen in our midst, when the train comes
in on the Neihart branch.
The Great Northern system, differs
from other transcontinental lines in hav-
ing been built wholly by private enter
prise. Beginning operations with a few
miles of track, 1t has steadily pressed its
westward way until within a very few
years the system has spanncd a continent
and is looking both eastward and west
ward, by steamer lines TO another world.
The system comprises today the foil
owing railway lines: Great Northern,
Montana Central, Eastern Ry. of Mime
sofa, Wilmar and Sioux Falls, Duluth
WATERFOWL and Pacific, and Pacific
Coast lines. Besides these a line of
steamers under the same system ply the
great lakes and communicate with the
Atlantic seabord.
The opening of navigation in the Col
umbia river on the 25th inst. witnessed
the starting of a line of steamers from
Wenachee to ply the channel Of that
river for transporting the freight and
passengers of this road.
There are also steamers running over
the navigable portions of the Kootenai.
The road contains 44SS miles of track
touching at S52 stations including cities
and towns. Although built through a
sparsely settled country, there are today
100000 people living at the stations
touched by this road, and probably
double or treble the number whose
homes are adjacent to it. 1t traverscs a
region of vast resources and the great
growth that region will enjoy in the
next few years is evident to the most
SUPERFICIAL observer, furnishing study for
the watchful contemplation of the resi-
dent.
This road employees between 5000 and
10000 men. Its list of agents and oper-
ators is astonishingly large. Its train
crews, yard men, shop men, not over
looking the section men, are a vast army.
Wonderful, not only in point of aggre-
CATION, but most of all in mode of or
ganization. If an engineer or "a con
ductor is away from his post the train
can not start. If an operator is absent
or makes a mistake, disaster follows.
Faithful to his trust, each and every
man stands at his place, giving orders,
and acting under orders. 1t is a mighty
moving, living system.
The Great Northern employs a large
number of agents, district and travelling,
having a branch Office in almost every
leading city of America and Europe.
That a great railroad could stand against
competition, and thus grow to the colos-
sal proportions of the Great Northern,
without a dollar or an acre from the
government is the marvel of the century
and perpetual monument to the great
generalship and mastery ability of the
or men to whose efforts the project
owes its phenomenal success.
Last week the following improved
train service was instituted on the
eastern railway of Minnesota, between
st. Paul, Duluth and West Superior.