The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-06
AMONG RAILWAY men
The Northern Pacific Is Build
ing Many Branches.
FAITH IN THE NORTHWEST
President Mellen Will Inspect the Work
OF an Army of Constructors-All
Sleeping Car Rates Will
Be Reduced.

Lake in his private car and left for st,
Paul at l o'clock in the afternoon, Mr..
Mellen has been on the Pacific coast on
tour of business and pleasure. While
there he investigated matters pertain
ing to the increased trade to the Orient,
in which the Northern Pacific is so ex-
tenslVely interested, having it's own
rails to the coast and steamship line
to Hawaii and the East. President
Mellen Is an enthusiastic believer in the
future of the Pacific Northwest as is
attested by the great activity the
Northern Pacific is showing this year
in building new branches. On his pres
ent trip he went over the ground COW
cred by proposed extensions in Idaho,
oregon and Washington and on his re-
turn East will inspect the work being
done by an army of railroad construc-
tors on the line to the East.
Mr.. Mellen returned from the coast
by the way of Salt Lake for the pur-
pose OF comforting with the Short Line
officials relative to mutual interests at
Butte and it Immediately gave rise to
the old rumor about an open gateway
at Silver Bow, but President Mellen
stated yesterday that the conference
had reference only to the trackage ar
rangement between the two roads in
relation to the use of the Northern
Pacific track from Silver Bow to Butte
by the Short Line. The latter has had
a lease on the track and a new ar
rangement was made to cover the
trackage rights and traffic arrange
ments which are satisfactory to both
roads, but there is nothing in it to be
given for publication.
Sleeping car rates in the West are
likely ITO be reduced as a result of the
latest move of President Hill of the
Great Northern in cutting $3.50 from
the charge of berth from ST. Paul to
the Pacific coast, says the Chicago
Times-Herald. ut is evident, too from
the expressions of Western passenger
officials that there will be no great
amount of sorrow if a reduction is
brought about. 1t is the general opin-
ion that President Hill has gone out
to fight the sleeping car companies,
and it is agreed that no railroad Off
clal in the country is in better posi-
ton to do so or would put up a stronger
fight.
1.-THE prophecy that a general cut in
western sleeping car rates will be made
is based on the conditions existing be-
tween most of the railroad companies
and the corporations which have berths
for sale. Few transportation cOmpa-
mes, OF the West at least, have con-
tracts with the Pullman or Wagner
companies providing for any share of
the profits from the sale of berths.
They simply haul the cars and pay so
much per mile for the privilege, the
argument being that the extra accom-
notation increases the sale of tickets
The contracts provide, however, that
the sleeping car company must make
It's rates as low as any competing COM
pany. On this clause shall depend the
future of rates for berths
The Great Northern owns it's Sleep
ing car equipment. President Hill had
not to ask any one before he announced
the reduction. His rate from ST. Paul
to the Pacific coast hereafter will be
$40. The rate from Chicago to st. Paul
is $3.50. making a total sleeping car
charge of s12.50 from this city to the
coast. The charge by any of the lines
running through Missouri river gate
ways is SIS, difference of $3.50. IT will
be seen. therefore, that the sleeping car
companies rates from here are higher
than by way of the Great Northern.
That the Missouri river lines will de-
mand reduction under their contracts
is expected.
:" I hope the demand will be made
and that reductions will follow said
the general passenger agent of one of
With fare of $25 from the Missouri
river to the Pacific coast a sleeping car
charge of SIS is too high. 1t is almost so
per cent of the passenger rate"
A railroad man who may cut an i'm
portant figure in connection with the
Great Northern's railroad building
scheme on the Colville reservation and
elsewhere quietly drifted into Spokane
and registered at the Pedicord Satur-
day. The person in question is ]. J.
Mclaughlin of st. Paul. Mr.. McLaugh-
lin is general superintendent of con-
struction on the Great Northern sys-
tenn. When seen by Chronicle re-
porter and asked how things We're in St
Paul. the quiet constructor staidly re-
marked:
mo, I don't know anything about the
Great Northern building into Republic
and 1t wouldn't be business for me to
tell you if I did. I have known men
who talked too much.
There is some competition to get into
the reservation, I understand, and it re-
mains to be seen whether the Union Pa
citic or some other road will get in first.
I don't know much about the Canadian
Pacific but don't believe it is going to
do any harm up there. | know moth
ing for the newspapers"
News has reached Spokane of sur
veying party that is now working north
of Davenport, presumably for the Great
Northern. That something will have
to be done on the Colyille reservation
within the next two months is apparent
from the charter obtained to run rail-
way line down the San Poll River val
ley. This charter cost James J. Hill
about $4,000, and the requirements of
the valuable paper are such that work
will have to be done not later than in
the month OF May. The work that
must be done in the specified time
lies ''to the north of the Columbia
river"
Mr.. McLaughlin's mysterious remarks
about the Union Pacific building onto
the Colville reservation may mean that
the great road which extends across the
central part of the continent is seeking
a good route into British Columbia and
is working towards the boundary line
with that object in view.
Some time ago the Pullman company,
as an experimental measure. introduced
ordinary sleeping car service on the
Baltimore & Ohio railroad befueap Pol