The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-25
IN RAILROAD CIRCLES
The Burlington Will P'.ild Into
Butte.
BUT Is NOT RtrDY YET
Trying to Introduce Newcastle Coal and
Coke Into the Butte M~arket-Sev-
eral New Roads West of
the Missouri.

]. X. Phelan. superintendent OF the
Wyoming division of the Burlington
route, accompanied by Robert J. Kill
patrick. of Fitzpatrick Brothers, on
tractors. arrived in Butte yesterday.
and their presence in the city gave rise
to renewed speculation about the Bur-
lington's extension from Billings to
Butte. The Fitzpatrick Brothers, of
Newcastle, are the contractors who do
all OF the Burlington railroad building.
Mr.. Phelan stated, however. to "A re-
porter for the Standard, that IL would
be a long time before the Burlington
built into Butte, though IL will be ex-
tended TO this city in line
"When the Burlington starts to leave
Billings for Butte or anywhere else"
said he, lit means that the company
must expend at least sos. 900. 900. and
that is a sum not so readily raised at
this time. When we do come TO Butte,
l want to say to you. we will have a
better and a shorter road than n
other line now here. We have picked
out a route that is better in grade n
shorter by a good deal than the North
ern Pacific"
Mr.. Phelan said that the object of the
visit of himself n Mr.. Fitzpatrick to
Butte al this time was chiefly to try
and troduce Newcastle coal and coke
into the market here. The mines and
coke ovens at Newcastle are owned by
Fitzpatrick Brothers and until a few
days ago the product was almost en-
tirely consumed by the Deadwood
smelter. The smelter has been de-
stroyed by fire and a new market for
the coke n coal output is looked for.
Ii is the intention of the owners to in
crease the output and enter the market
i'm this territory in competition with
other companies. which, they claim,
,hav can auncaSGfn11y do M kilnat-
rick was In consultation yesterday with
several Interested parties, and with Mr..
Phelan will go to Anaconda to-day to
look over the prospects there.
mo. there is nothing new in rail-
o matters, so far as the Burlington
is concerned" aid Mr.. Phelan, in an
swer to a question. except that bust
ness with us is exceptionally good.
especially out in Nebraska. and IL will
continue to increase during the spring
and summer. We are going To have a
great show in Omaha when the EXPOSE
ton opens and the Burlington is pre-
pared to haul the people"
Mr.. Phelan's home is at Alliance.
Neb., and he is superintendent of the
largest division on the Burlington sys-
tenn. extending from Grand Island to
Billings.
The building of several new roads is
N'i'NiitlihAto = " "a
river. The Burlington has had surveys
made for a direct line from Deadwood.
:. d., to Newcastle. Wyo.. "A distance.
by the surveyed line. of 80 miles. There
is a heavy coal traffic from the mines
at Newcastle to the smelters at Dead
wood. AT present this traffic has to he
carried by the Burlington around by
way of Edgemont, a distance of l6j
miles.
The present train tonnage from
Edgemont to Deadwood is about 200
tons to an engine. When the proposed
new extension Is completed IL is esti-
mated that the train "a can be in
creased to $50 tons. and this will enable
a reduction Of train crews by one-half.
The Rock Island also intends to build
two important extensions In the South
west: one in Oklahoma, from FL Reno
west, for a distance of about 80 miles
and another from Chickasaw northwest
into Indian territory.
The Nebraska, Kansas & Gulf road
which has lately been chartered, pro.
poses to build an independent line
through Nebraska and Kansas to the
gulf. Its promoters will ask congress
i'm a few days to grant IL authority t.
run the road through the Indian terri.
tory.