The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-13
He WILL MAKE A SUCCESS
Superintendent Russell Takes
Hold of the Division.
THE BITTER ROOT SERVICE
Passenger Business Continues to Be Re-
markably Heavy-Snow Has Kept
the Trackmen Busy-To Re-
new the Double Service.

Mssoula, Dec. 12.-Superintendent
Russell. the new head of the Rocky
Mountain division Of the Northern Pa
cific. has been in his office all day to-
day. getting hold of matters and pre-
pairing for the work of conducting the
affairs of this, one of the hardest diyi-
sions to handle on the whole line of the
company. His friends believe that he
Will make a successful executive officer
and his appointment is received by the
business men Of the city with general
satisfaction Mr.. Russell has been so
long connected with this division and is
SO FAMILIAR With it's needs that he ought
10 have no difficulty in correcting exist
ing evils il the remedy is within his
power. He knows personally the men
who are his subordtnates and knows
what to expect from them, so that he
has none OF The difficulties To contend
with that a new man would have in en-
tering upon the duties of the office. The
division is in good shape, both as To
track and business, and MIR. Russell as
sumes the duties under most favorable
conditions. That he Will be successful
in his administration his friends have
no doubt, and he deserves the congrat-
ulations that he has been receiving to-
day.
Mr. Russell said this afternoon, in
speaking OF the local conditions: Il
have been looking into the situation on
the Bitter Root branch 10 see IL we can
not relieve the people up there of the
droubles that they seem to nave Win
their mail service. We are holding the
branch train here every day until the
arrival of the through train from the
East, so that the mani may be handled
without the delay of "A hours that
would ensue If the branch train We're to
be sent out on time always. How it is
that, under this arrangement. the mail
misses so often, ] cannot yet discover,
The fault must be somewhere else than
at this point, as the record of the trans
fer clerk for the past week shows that
all of the pouches and sacks from the
through train We're delivered properly
to the mail agent on the branch train.
We will investigate the matter thor
oughly, and will remedy the difficulty II
possible.
The passenger business on the main
line continues to be remarkably heavy
and is now increasing with the rush OF
people TO get home for the holidays.
The westbound train all this month mas
been uncomfortably crowded, and ii has
often been impossible for passengers 10
find seats between Garrison and Mis-
soula. on the eastbound trains the
traffic is also very heavy, and seems TO
be increasing. If ever the road needed
a double passenger service, 1t needs one
now. With the present heavy business
il is almost impossible for one train to
properly handle II. The trains nave
been close to schedule time for a week,
but il is a wonder. as they have all
been very heavy. AS to the rnmors of
IA double train service that have been
afloat Tor some weeks, the officials here
deny any knowledge of such a plan and
are of the opinion that no such service
will be inaugurated before spring. All
indications point to an increase III
through business as soon as spring
opens, and the road is making active
preparations TO handle il when 1t
comes. The speedy renewal of the old
double service that was SO satisfactory
would he hailed with delight by the
patrons of the road in this region.
The alternate snawstorms and chi
hooks have kept the track men busy
for the past month, and they have had
all sorts of slides and Hoods to contend
With. There have been some brisk Skin
mishes with streams all along the west
ern districts of the division, but the
men have held back the streams IN
good shape, and there has been no sefi-
Gus delay since the ae-up of last
month, when traffic was suspended for
&c hours. There have been numerous
slides reported all along the west end
and on the Occur d Alene branch, hut
no accidents have resulted aside from
the freight wreck of Friday night. when
Engineer Rhiem was sent over the bank
this side of Perma with his engine anu
nine cars. The engineer was the only
one who was injured and his wounds
were not as serious. lie Is able TO bt
about all right. The cars that We're mol
all smashed have been hauled back on
to the track and the wreclSers are al
work on the others now. The track was
blocked only for short time. The rec
ord WAS a good one, and IL IS fortunate
that the damage done was no greater
1t might easily have been much worse
All along this division the tie enntrae-
tors are at work getting out the supply OF
ties for next season. There Will be a large
number of ties put in next summer 10
complete the work that was begun this
year. There are more small contracts TINS
winter than usual, most of the large con-
tracts of former years having been
changed or dropped. There are several
Missoula men who are interested i'll this
work this season, some of them Ter the
first time. IL Is the general opinion that
this distribution Of money through small
contracts will result in benefit to the To-
cal dealers.
The Occur dAiene branch has made a
good record during the past week, IN
have not been very late ii any time. The
reports to-day at division headquarters
state that the snowfall on The divide
yesterday and last night MAS very heavy
and that il is still showing. There has
not been as much snow as usual up there
this year. but the present indications arr
that there will be enough before many
days. Al Saltese the snow Is two or three
feel deep and IL is deeper than that on
the summit. The rotary. however. keeps
the line well open all Of the time and
there has been no delay from snow this
year.
Missoula has been more or less inter-
ested lately IN the renewed reports CON
corning the removal of division head
quarters from here. but there So, ms to bf
no authority back of thr reports and not
much stock is taken in Them There has
been a report too, going the rounds feI
some time 10 the effect that THE Rocky
Mountain division Is 10 be abandoned en-
tireiy and divided up between thr taahe