The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-24
THE LEWISTON CUTOFF
Will Probably Be Built to Mis-
soula Next Year.
WORK IS BEING PUSHED
1t Means Much to Western Montana.
Annual Tour of Inspection-The
Passenger Business Get
ting Heavier.


ton has been the report, which comes
with apparent authority, that the Lew
iston cutoff will be pushed to COM
pletion and will be built on to Missoula
not later than next year. The con-
struction work in the Clearwater coun-
try is being rushed, and T. l.. Green
ough, who is in direct charge of the
he can handle Mr.. Greenough was in
Mssoula a few days this week, and
when asked as to the correctness of the
report as to the completion of the line
upon which he is at work said that he
knew nothing about it further than
that he was being urged to get his part
of the work finished as quickly as pos
sible. 1t ds known, however, that l..
r. Lothrop who located the Occur
d'Alene cutoff, is now in the country
between the end of the line of the new
cutoff and Missoula, with force Of
men, and the natural supposition IS
that he is selecting a route for Fhe con-
tinuation of the line OF Missoula. This
cutoff will be the biggest gain in the
ern Pacific has made since it began the
policy of shortening its track and re-
ducing grades. Its rapidly increasing
overland business and it's evident policy
to reach out and get all it can will
make it necessary to push through this
new cutoff as rapidly as possible. The
report that the line is to be built soon
and that it will probably be completed
to MiSsoula next year, has been receiv-
ed here with much satisfaction, espec-
tally as the present operations seem to
confirm the report. This Will mean
much to western Montana. as it will
open an entirely new country for the
supply cenIters of this end of the state
and will also furnish rich feeding
region for the resources of this part Of
the country.
No particular importance attaches to
the visit of the general officers of the
road during the past week. 1t was
simply the annual tour of inspection,
and a little mOie time was spent on the
Rocky Mountain division than is usual
in these trips. The party went up to
Hamilton expecting to remain but
few hours, but the charm of the valley
was too strong for even them to resist,
and they spent an entire day on the
Bitter Root stock farm, looking at the
horses and the farm. The valley was
a revelation to them, as it is to so many
who see it for the first time. There
has been much said of the wonderful
resources of this valley, but nobody APP
preciates the full Significance of the
conditions that prevail there until he
has seen it for himself. President Mel
len and his party continued their jour
ney westward from here well satisfied
with what they had seen on this di-
vision. 1t is certain that it was never
in such good shape as it is ait present,
4 = to- Lott 10 itn
accordance with the excellent condi-
ton of track and roadbed.
The west-bound passenger business
gets heavier rather than lighter all the
time. Some of the trains that have
passed through here during the past
week have been remarkably heavy and
the rule has been two sections all the
way through. Where the people are
going and where they come from is a
puzzle, but they keep coming and go
ing and the procession shows no signs
of becoming smaller for while yet.
There are many tourists this year who
are taking the trip to Honolulu and the
Alaskan steamers are doing a big bust
ness. Several parties have gone to the
coast within the past week who We're
ticketed through to Alaskan coast
points. They go up and spend a week
on the northern coast and then come
back on the next steamer This makes
a delightful vacation trip. according to
those who have taken it, and there will
be more of these before fall.
Again it has become necessary to en-
large the railway yards here in Ms
soula. The big branch business that is
coming in here, together with what
originates in Missoula, has made it i'm
perative to give the gardiner more
room. There are at times 800 cars in
the yard, and to handle them properly
it is necessary that the yardmaster
be given more room. This is being pro-
vided and two more long sidIings will
be put in. Yardmasrer Anterior is
making an excellent record this sum
mer, despite the disadvantages under
which he base been working, and the
large amount of business that he has
been handling.
The two engines that came together
in the collision at Gold creek last week
are in the shops and will soon be all
right again. The injury to them WAS
not as great as was expected at first,
owing to the fact that Engineer Will
son had his engine reversed and in mo-
ton before the crash came. He stayed
in his cab as long as he could and not
get caught in the mixup that ensued
and, as it was. he had a narrow escape
When he got his engine started back
| ward he jumped. and the approaching
| engine was but car length from the
| pilot Of his engine when he went out
! of the cab He landed in some sticky
mud and could not make good progress
| in getting out of the way. One of the
! dltched cars came after him and missed
| MN by only two feet. Wilson climbed
into his engine as quickly as possible
after the crash and made what rer airs
he could. These We're so effective that
he was able to bring his engine into
M1ssoula without aid and to tow in
| the other.
Master Mechanic Barnes is seriously
i'll and lis confined to his home.
Chief Clerk Mcbride Of the sunerin-
tendents Office is enjoying his annual
vacation in Ellensburg, Wash. His
desk is being held down by J. w. Blu
ford.
Conductor Reynolds is taking a va
cation and is camping on the shores of
| Lake Pend dOrielle.
Conductor John Grant has been or
the sick list for week, but is improv.
ing.
Con A. st. Clair Of Butte has beer