The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-11-10
Prospective Hallway Connection Bes
tween Lewiston and Butte.
MEANS Much TO THIS COUNTY.
viii Help Railroad Building Thtough Ouf
Rich Valleys and Develop Mineral
and Timber Resources.

The SIGNAL has for years prophe.
sled the future outcome of the spien;
did resources of Washington Coun-
ty and central Idaho; it has prog
nosticated persistently that the time
was constantly drawing nearer when
iron rails must from natural necessity
penetrate the grand empire Of agri-
culture, mineral, timber and other dis
versified resources lying in the Gen.
tral and western part OF this state
and extending from Weiser north in
to the great Clearwater country and
including Warren, Florence, Elk city
and the great grain belt OF Camas
prairie. In view Of the SIGNALS
repeated assertions in this respect;
the following from the Lewiston Trib
une is of special interest.
Significant movements are now
anoat tending to indicate the early
beginning of work on the Northern
Pacific cutoff from Butte to Lewis
ton, and on the D. r. & N. extension
to the Columbia river.
Among the most important of tue
developments is the presence in Lew
iston of the great railway contractors
who have done most of j. j. Hills
construction work, and their recon-
noissance of the route and character
of the work that is TO be done. The
contractors that built Mr.. Hills
Great Northern are Shepard, Sims q
Co. Peter Sims and H. n Coykin-
| dali of Minnesota, both members Of
this firm, arrived in Lewiston Mon
day and since then have been active-
y examining the route, with Lewis
. ton as the operation base. Accom-
i panied by Engineer Oliver, who To-
: Gated the O. R. & N railway line
/ from Riparia to Lewiston last sum-
mer, and H. 9. Shields, superintend-
ent for Shepard, Sims & Co., these
+ gentlemen drove down Snake river
: yesterday until they met the up steam
er, which they caught and returned
). to the city last night. This morning
they will return on the steamer and
u complete their observation of the
y route.
OF course the presence of these
} contractors means nothing else than
that they are preparing to estimate
e and bid on the work, snd this also
v means that the undertaking has al
:, ready been decided upon and is to be
initiated at an early date. In rail-
X way movements the contractors are
'r not called in until all Of the steps
Is precedent to construction have been
T. settled. So this development is a
- safe indication that actual construc-
tions are not far distant It might
'e not be extravagant to say That Shep-
ard, Sims & Co. have already Deen
n. given the original contract and they
q, are making general estimate to
'" guide them in their preparations.
is At Butte, where tile cut.off is to
tie begin, it is commonly agreed that
vn work will begin very soon and the
s. Western Mining Journal has beer
:, looking into the route through ths
" mountains. 1t says:
Is, "There are three surveyed, posi-
he BILE routes from Anaconda or Missouls
TO the terminal point, all through thu
Bitter Root valley-one up the Ii
IL Lo and down the north fork Of tn
e' Clearwater to Lewiston; one up Los
'm Horse creek and down the Lo Lo forl
~, to the same place, and the third ~
=" -" the west fork of the Bitter Root ant
w down the south fork of the Clear
Gu water. All OF these routes are sale
oi to be practicable and will tap tn
" '"S- richest undeteloped mineral region il
" the United States. 1t is also state,
~ " that the Lost Horse Route is, a
Ill things considered, the most desirable
as it will bring the road near tn
he great Seven Devils country, whic
nd experts say will, when tapped b.
nm transportation facilities, double tn
- mineral output of the west.
er
nd This paper has maintained tina
no Hill would probably be the first rail
nat road magnate strike out from Butt
y, and break through the great chain o
y mountains which divides idaho an,
= Montana. If the program outlines
in the Tribune develops into fact
means that road north from Wei
49, ser will connect with the Lewiston
mol Butte line somewhere near Lo 10 pas
and we will have direct communica
,,o ton with Butte, pdttfng us within
,ve DAYS travel of that market and bffbA