The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-01
HAD A BRIEF MEETING
Short Line Officials in Butte for
Conference.
THE SILVER BOW GATEWAY
General Manager Bancroft Says There
Is Nothing in the Story-The Short
Line Doing Big Alaska
Business.

General Manager Bancroft and Gen
erai Traffic Manager Eccles of the Ore
gon Short Line, arrived in Butte yes
terday from Salt Lake and had brief
meeting with President Meilen and
other officials of the Northern Pacific,
but the alleged important conference
relative to new traffic arrangement
and the opening of the Silver Bow gate
way. about which there has been some
talk has not yet taken place, ana
when it does take place it will not pc
of so very much Importance after all,
according to what Mr.. Bancroft said
last evening to Standard reporter.
He was asked about the meeting, and
he replied that they had seen Mr.. Mel
len only long enough to say How do
you do?" to him, but would probably
see him again before leaving Butte.
Mr. Bancroft also declared there was
nothing in the Silver Bow gateway
story.
There is nothing in ii. absolutely
nothing" he said. and then he also de-
! clared that the presence of Mr.. Mellen
| in the city had nothing 10 do with the
/ visit here of himself and Mr. Eccles.
I'VE are simply making a general tour
/ of investigation over the road, eX-
| planned Mr.. Bancroft.
on other matters Mr.. Bancroft talked
more freely He said the Short Line
+ was doing a great business at present,
/ especially in carrying people in going
/ to Alaska, the daily average number
! of Klondikers going over that line in
connection with the Union Pacific and
/ Western being about 100.
People are going in large numbers
to the coast" he said, but they will
I hardly all go to Alaska. The number
going into the Klondike has been esti-
! mated as high as $4,000 to 900, but |
, think 10000 will be more nearly the
number because there Is not sufficient
means of transportation for anything
like the number it is generally estimat-
ed will go TO the Klondike-
While the southern roads are not adj
vertising low rates Mr.. Bancroft said
they are generally meeting the rates
of the northern roads.
1t is likely that Messrs. Eccles and
Bancroft will meet Mr.. Mellen to-day
when matters of mutual concern will
he considered. During the greater part
of yesterday MIR. Mellen was in con-
suItation with General Manager Burns
and General Passenger and Freight
Agent s. B. calderhead of the Montana
| Union relative to the future manage.
ment of that road, and it was after
wards announced as quite positive thai
there would be no change in the man
agement. Relative to the probable
/ consolidation of the freight offices o.
the two roads and the depots. the Off
Gals were not prepared to speak posi-
lively At 80 O'Clock Mr. Mellen ant
party and MIR. Burns started on tril
over the Montana. Union and will re
turn to Butte to-day. The heads 0
the various departments of the North
ern Pacific who are accompanying Mr.
Mellen yesterday made tour of inves
tigation over the line to Anaconda AM
over the Stuart branch and will con
, tinue on TO Garrison.
Auditor Martin of the Northern Pa
efic was engaged yesterday in trans
ferring the accounts of the Montan
Union road to the former.