Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-05-08
THE RUMBL|NG OF THE RAILS
Freight Traffic Is Rushing Spring
Work on the Roadbed II Going
Forward Daily.
Numerous Minor Appointments Along
the Line Of the Road-The
Wool Season.

There is no sign of dull times at the
freight depot of the Montana Central at
this place. The arrivals of general mer-
chandise consigned to merchants in this
city are largely in excess of the average
of other years at this season, while there
is veritable boom in freight con
signed to the country merchants in
Lewistown, Stanford, Utica, Gilt Edge,
Choteau and other points in the terri
tory surrounding Great Falls. So much
freight, consigned to these, points has
been received recently that it is now a
matter of a good deal of difficulty to
procure freight trains to haul the goods,
most Of the freighters having work
ahead.
The wool men at this season are be-
ginning to look forward to the market
ing of the next seasons crop of wool.
Quite number of flock owners from the
Judith basin country have re-
Gently been in the city, and the
general opinion seems to be that the
clip this season will average more per
head than last years clip, and that the
wool will be OF better quality. The wool
men were we'll satisfied last year. both
with the market and the accommodations
afforded them by the courteous station
agent, p. j. Pheeney, and from all inui-
cations the shipments of wool from
Great Falls this season will exceed the
high-wa'er malk of last season, when
-,lt rF
shipped. One danger which threatened
the wool interests of certain sections of
northern Montana has been entirely re-
moved and that lis the ecab which was
brought into this section from Wyoming
early this spring with consignment of
rams 5y the prompt and energetic
measures taken by II. II. Nelson, who
Was deputiZed to look after the matter
by Governor Richards, this pest has been
entirely stamped out and it is not be-
lleved that sign of ii viii be found
when shearirg comes,
The appointment Of W. W. Finley as
second vice president Of the Great
Northern, with active charge of the op-
Grafton Of the road, excited good deal
Of interest among railroad men here
Mr. Finley was originally chairman Of
the national interstate commerce con-
mfson and left that position to become
general traffic manager of the Great
Northern After holding this position
for year or more ne resigned to take
the position OF vice president or general
manager of the southern railway system.
He now returns to the Great Northern
as second vice president. Just what
scope he will have in this position is
matter of curiosity among the rairoa
men here he is conadered one
of the best-posted men in the
United States on traffic rates. 1t
is considered probable that in the
position be will act as an assistant to j.
j. Hill, the president of the road, and in
his absence will be virtually the execu-
tive officer of the road. The first vice.
president, Col. w. P. Clough, devotes
himself principally to legal and financial
matters pertaining to the system. To
some extent, it is probable that Mr.. Fin
Icy will be in charge OF matters hitherto
under the direct management of G. H.
Warren.
w. H. Wingate has been appointed
operator at the headquarters office of the
Montana Central here to take the place
of Howard Wood, who has been granted
leave OF absence.
E: J: Bolton, formerly an operator on
the Illinois Central, has been appointed
operator at Silver in place of M. E.
Burchfield, who goes on vacation.
r. j. Anderson has been appointed
night operator at Boulder in place of V.
r.. Ross, who has resigned.
c. A. Schultz has been appointed
operator at East Helena in place of j.
A. Maher, who has resigned.
M. j. Fitzgerald has been appointed
night operator at Fort Benton in place
OF J. Carroll, who has resigned.
The distribution of ties along the
whole line of the Montana Central is
now going on very rapidly. Two train
loads day are being distributed and
this portion of the spring work will soon
be completed
A feature of the spring work this
year is the improvement of the roadbed
by the filling in of a large number OF
small trestes with rock taken from the
/ cuts in other portions of the line, A
good deal Of rip-rap work along the river
ovIr tD l.