The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-29
GOOD As A HORSE RACE.
Railroad Men Are Watching the
Mountain Streams.
UGLY LITTLE TORRENTS
They Appear to Be Behaving Remarka-
bly, Well This Year-Where Trou-
BILE Is Expected-The New
Time Gard.

Missou1a May 2S.-These are the days
when the railway men are wondering
what each "a hours will bring forth. The
mountain streams that have disagreed
BILE habit of changing at moments no.
tice from calm rivulets to angry torrents,
are the cause of most of the anxiety. On
the Rocky Mountain division there are
several of these streams-Gold Creek,
Silver Bow creek, Lightning creek, st.
Regis river and the lower course of the
Flathead and Clark's Forks rivers. These
streams are the most treacherous on this
part of the line. Canyon creek, in Idaho,
is another. All of them. however, have
behaved remarkably well thus far this
season. They have made several angry
dashes toward the danger line, but have
receded each time before any damage was
done. with the single exception of Silver
Bow creek, which some time ago tore up
all kinds of track in the canyon. Each
time that the water in this section has APP
preached the danger line a cold wind has
checked the rise and the danger has been
averted IT may be, however. that before
these lines are in type some one of these
streams will have made a squirt and have
torn out some good roadbed and track.
That is where the excitement comes in.
It is as good as a horse race. You never
know how it is coming out.
The officers of this division, however. are
not losing any sleep over the siuation
Close watch is kept of the rise and fall
of the water and all preparations are
made to fight it as soon as it becomes
threatening. The water fighters have
had an easy time for week, despite
their expectations. The places on this di-
vision where trouble is most likely to oc-
cur are those near the streams mention
ed above. Lightning creek has been the
most dangerous stream on the division.
but this ugly little torrent was a couple of
years ago SPAWNED by new steel bridge
and it is not thought that there will be
any serious trouble there this season. An
other spot where there is likely to be
trouble, if anywhere, is at Lloyd, on The
main line. just west OF Garrison. Here
the Deer Lodge river runs close to the
track and the water has two or three
times this year been dangerously close to
the rails Only once, however, has il
caused any delay in tratnc. and that was
slight. The Occur Alene branch Is
threatened with slides and washouts along
the region where the mountain streams
| are so abundant and are running so full
| The St. Regis has in past years cauSeG
| much damage on this branch. but the
| track along this stream has been so care
| fully protected during the past year OF
| two that there can be no repetition of the
| extensive washouts that formerly TOOK
| place there. This stream has made ons OF
two threats this spring, but each time The
water has dropped back without dons
| any damage. There has never been
| spring when this line has been so fret
from delays as at present.
New time card or not-that is the ques
| ton that is being discussed along thu
road While there have been repeated ru
mors of a new card that will make somt
important changes, there has been M
| official information on this score, and i
| may be that the rumor has started from
| the fact that it is about time, judging
| from the length of time that the last TIVE
| cards were in effect, for Il new one to b.
| sprung. While the present card has. az
| rule, given excellent satisfaction to tray
| elers, it does not seem to be popular will
| the railway men. There are too man.
| trains. Locally the card is not as gener
| ally satisfactory as was the last summe
| arrangement, when there was one through
| train and one local between the Bite
| Root and Butte. This was the best ser
| vice that Missoula ever had. 1t is posi-
BILE that the rumored change which ha
| it that one through train is to be dropped
| will result in the renewal of this loca
| service. But all of this is "brakemal
| talk" and is as yet without any officia
| confirmation whatever.