The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-12-26
Will the Montana Railroad Build
to Billings or a Point
Eastward.
IS PUSHING TO MERIN0
But Will Not Stop THERE'S the N
p. or Burlington Behind the
Enterprise.

Speculation is rife in the northern
country as to The destination Of the
Montana railroad, the line which runs
from Lombard, on the Northern Pacific,
to Castle and Mnrtinsdale. and which
is now being built to Merino. IT, Billings
people are also becoming much inter.
ested in this railroad for. il it should
build into this-efty, it would be great
thing for the town. And, on the other
hand, II 1t should build past Billings
and connect with the Northern Pacific
at some point east, it would be a dis
tinct disaster to this city in oonse.
quenoe Of diverting the northern trade.
This newspaper does not pretend to
know what are the intentions OF the
people behind the Montana railroad.
but it does know that the company has
recently taken on new life, that it
seems to have plenty Of money, is build
ing railroad as il it means business and
that the line is not liable~to stop at
Merino. John Reese of this city Of the
firm of Waltz & Reespf who have a con.
tract for twelve miles Of the grade into
Merino, says that the chief engineer Of
the line makes no secret Of the fact
thnt as soon as the road Ia completed
to Merino, a contract will be let TO con-
struet it twenty or forty miles farther,
and he also says that work Is being Wig
orously pushed Oh the Merino exten.
sion, the contract calling for the COM
pletion Of the line early in July.
II II was known who is putting up
the money to build tho line, it's destinA-
tion might be easily guessed. The COM
pany owning the road Ia at present an
independent organization, the president
being Philadelphia man, while M. A.
Harlow of Helena ia vice. president and
the executive b officer. There are those
who argue that the Northern Pacific is
behind the enterprise, IN support Of
which they point to the fact that N.
P. iron IL being laid on the new road.
that 1t is operated by N. p. rolling
stock and that Robert RRntoul, for
years travelling freight agent Of the
Northern Pacific has jnst accepted po.
sition as traffic manager Of the Mon.
tana railroad. The people who con.
tend that 1t IN Northern Pacific enter.
prlse-that is some Of the m-olaim
that the road is headed for Billings;
that the N. r. il interested In centering
all the wool and live stock Of the north.
ern country, muoh~of which now goes
to the Great Northern railroad, at
Billings; that the northern route will
in future be the direct freight line TO
Butte, because II will be shorter and
avoid the heavy grades Oh the main
line.
This Is the roseate view Of the matter
for Billings, but there Ia another that
is not quite so bright. II the Northern
Pacific is behind the Montana railroad,
1t il possible thnt it will strike the
main line at point east Of Billings,
say Forsyth, for instance, from which
town survey w4s made several years
ago into the northern .eeuntry. The
people who suggest --t4rfs possibility say
that the Northern Pacific would not
build the branch into Billings because
it is competing point; that, the
northern business being once brought
here. the Burlington would have as
good a chance as the Northern Pacific
for the long haul of the wool and live
stock to the eastern markets. But
right here the advocates Of the theory
that the N. P will build the branch
to Billings, step in and say that II |
would make tha-local freight rates to
this point SO low, in consideration Of
securing the long haul east, that tho
Burlington would be shut out Of the
business.
Some people also argue that 1t Ia the
Burlington that Is behind the Montana
railroad, and that the branch now
under construction is the first link In
its proposed line from this city to
Butte. They say that the limo Ia being
built on the Burlington survey and
from the time the Montana railroad
was first started, it will be remember.
cd, 1t has been claimed that 1t was a
enterprise. II 1t is. tho
road will undoubtedly come to Billings
and, Of course, will very materially aid
this city.
Again, 1t 10 argued that 1t Ia the
Northwestern that Ia behind the Mon.
tana railroad; that that great system
nas survey from Bell Fourche to the
Northern Paqifo at Forsyth and from
here II Ia TO push northward for a
,oast connection with the Great North.
srn.
The Gazette, AZ we have said before,
loes not claim to know anything about
he destination Of the Montana railroad !