The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-17
BUTTE NEWS.
LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING
Burlington's Actions Stir Up a
Hornets Nest of Gossip.
THERE'S EXTENSION TALK
The Pacific Short Line to Go Into Hills
Hands, So Rumor Says = Lead
ing Topics in the Rail-
road Circles.

Faith in the intention of the Burling-
ton to extend it's Billings branch is
growing among the people along the
proposed line, and the newspapers es-
pecial1y see something encouraging In
the present movements Of the Burling-
ton officials and surveying parties. The
Helena Independent, in noticing the
signs of an extension of the road
through Montana, makes the following
observations:
THE citizens of Helena in 1889 rails
ed a fund and surveyed and located
railway line from Helena to Cactle by
way of Whites gulch. at cost of
about $4,000 About the same time,
after several years of careful surveying
investigating the entire country for
distance of 300 miles north and south
of the National park, the Burlington
filed it's maps of definite location with
the interior department. The Burling-
ton had completed it's line to the Black
Hills and was looking for the most
feasible route to the mines, with an
ultimate view to low grade line to
the coast
80 the located lines We're filed with
IHe lulSilOI department anu Gull NC
seen on any maps issued by the de-
partment. They include a line from
Billings to the Missouri river at Lom-
bard-or Painted Rock-and a line to
Great Falls. From Painted Rock sew
eral lines were run to Butte and down
the river to Helena. The cost of these
locations was about 5000 per mile and
gave the right of way over public lands
for three years. 1t was the evident
intention to reach the mining traffic
at Butte. Helena and Great Falls, but
the Barring failure came, earnings be-
gan to fall off and there was so much
talk about sage brush bonds that
the Burlington decided to abandon
temporarily its comprehensive plans of
extensions and only complete its line
to a connection with the Northern Pa
cific at Billings.
THE line was completed to Billings
in 1894. The Castle railway surveys
We're turned over to r. A. Harlow and
in 1898 he started to grade from Hell
ena to the Missouri river. intending
to build to Castle after he had COM
pleted 20 miles of grade, the location
of the Burlington having lapsed, al
though it could easily have been re-
newed. Evidently by some understand
ing Mr.. Harlow located his line on the
old Burlington survey and commenced
to build from Painted Rock to Castle.
The line was completed two years ago.
1.-THE distance from Billings to Hell
ena by this route is somewhat less than
by the Northern Racific- and is about
225 miles.
THE S. miles already built and the
% mile section for which Cook &
Woldson have the contract. together
with the 20 miles graded from Helena
to the Missouri river, make an aggre-
gate of no miles. There remains only
115 miles of line to grade to bring the
Burlington into Helena
The portion constructed is the most
difficult and expensive to build, being
through the mountains. The line from
Billings to Martinsdale is along the
Musselshell with no large streams to
cress; in short, about the cheapest line
in Montana to build. The section from
Lombard to Helena is down the river
and equally easy of construction. The
Burlington could fill these gaps in 80
days
1.-The line from Painted Rock to Butte
is about the same distance as to Hell
ena, and while entirely feasible, would
require more time to construct. The
magnet that attracts railways is heavy
freight traffic and passenger traffic is
a minor consideration. There is no
place in the United States where more
initial freight originates than at Butte
and the large traffic and high rates
make Butte the Mecca of all railway
lines anywhere within reaching dis
lance of it. The rumors have been cir
culated that the Burlington intended
to build via the National park to Butte
or south Of the park to Butte Any one
at all familiar with the country north
and south of the park knows that such
a line would cost a prohibitive figure
and must have heavy grades; actual
knowledge of the country is not nee
essary. A glance at a large scale map
of Montana and Wyoming is sufficient
to convince the average man of the
extreme difficulty of such a line. The
line surveyed and located by the Bur-
lington from Billings to Butte is not
only the shortest, cheapest and would
have the lowest grades of any line in
Montana, but it can be built in the
shortest possible time. Why should
the Burlington build a line to the Ma
tional park for a three months passen-
ger business when it can. by building
less road and a cheaper line, get the
Butte and Helena business. The freight
business out of Butte alone for a
month contributes more money to rail-
roads than the entire park travel in
year.
1.-THE Burlington lines now on the
map are the ones that 1t will follow
on its Montana extensions. If it is
true, as reported, that material is be-
ing collected at Billings and survey par
ties are in the field the whistle of the
Burlington engines will be heard in
Helena in the near future The Bur-
lington has recently sold 1000 900 of
IA 1E 6n