Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-31
GROW III IN OMAHA RAILW AVS
Illinois Central Becomes n Factor in Oity's
Transportation Affairs,
ONE OF The BEST YEARS EVER KNOWN
nCttcrmCnt of RundbCd-, Equipments
and Terminals and Prospective
improvements tdnt Near
Much Tor Future Omaha.
We OF The BEST YEARS EVER KNOWN

respect. Inc last year has witnessed the
accomplishment of much which should
work to the welfare Of Omaha as a distribu-
ton center.
The advent cf the Illinois Central opens
to Omaha a vast territory tributary to the
lines of this great railroad system, extent
ing TO Chicago, southeast to Louisville and
south to New orleans. The line to Omaha
properly begins at Tara, on the main road
six miles west Of Fort Dodge. The distance
between Tara and Omaha is 1870 miles. The
grades on the line Nowhere exceed twenty
six feet to the mile and the curves are very
light. The rails are of eighty paunl
steel, the roadbed is thoroughly ballnstcd
and the physical condition is Of a high
standard. By the induction of the Illinois
Central into Omaha Minneapolis and st.
Paul are brought nearer to this city by some
thirty miles by reason of the connecticn
made between the Minneapolis 6 St. Louis
ana the Illinois Central at Fort Dodge.
Union Pacific Affairs.
The last year has also been of great i'm
p]ortance with the Union Pacific. Improve
ments in the equipment Of the system have
been numerous, the passenger and freight
service have been enlarged and the running
OF fast trains has been brought to "A nicely.
Several million dollars more will be OK
pended on the roddbed to bring ii to the
condition Of perfection which the executive
officers have in mind. Arrangements are
under way for a route which will in some
way obviate the use of Sherman hill, a
steep grade, precluding the possibility OF
fast time through Wyoming. y cut-off will
also be completed during the coming year
which will avoid Piedmont hill, in western
Wyoming.
During the past year the Oregon Short
Line and the oregon Railway & Naviga-
ton company, the western branches Of the
Union Pacific, have come under the direct
supervision of the parent system by the
transfer of Union Pacific stock for the out
standing stock of these two systems. Sepa-
rate executive heads are maintained over
the three systems, but it is believed that
this will gradually be superseded by the
entire system coming under the control of
the executive officers of the Union Pacific.
The Union Pacifc's new union depot at
Omaha was opened December l. It's cost
with the attendant improvements in track
age facilities passed the 5000, 900 mark. The
main building is $50 feet long, and an aux
iliary building 200 feet in length is imme-
diately in the rear. The union depot is
used by the Union Pacific, Chicago & North
western, Chicggo, Rock Island & Pacific.
Sioux City & Pacific, Chicago, Milwaukee &
st. Paul, the Omaha & St. Louis and the
Illinois Central railroads. The number Of
regular passenger trains using the new
depot daily is: Arrivals, forty-hve; de-
partures, forty-three.
The Burlington has within the last year
made several great improvements to its
system in Nebraska. Surveys have been
made for extensions of its line to Hart
vile, Wyo., and to Brush, Colo. These ex-
taDcioDc pytauH cprtb from, A1linnpn Nah
and are Identical as far as Bridgeport, on
the Platte river. Then one line branches
off and follows the northern banks of the
Platte to Hartville and the other proceeds
south to Brush. The line is already com
plete and in operation as far as Bridge
port.
A new factor in Omaha railroad circles
has been brought in by the Inauguration Of
operations by the Omaha Bridge and Ter
minal company, which owns a bridge across
the Missouri river, connecting Council Bluns
and Omaha. This company is temporarily
furnishing the Illinois Central access TO
Omaha for its freight trains and also pro-
viding it with freight facilities with its
warehouses both in Council Bluffs and
Omaha.
The Omaha, Council Bluffs & Suburban
railway, whilo not a railway in the s]trictcst
tl4op VI IL 'IlN' lil tfluS llDIt u lue
nature Of a street car line, will be in opera
ton during the coming months. Work
has already progressed toward the laying Of
rails from Omaha to Council Bluffs and
thence to Lake Manawa, and equipment for
a modern electrical railroad has been
ordered.
Northwestern System.
The lines of the Northwestern systematic
Chicago & Northwestern, the Chicago, st.
Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, the Fremont,
Elkhorn & Missouri Valley and the Sioux
City q Paciic-has enjoyed a year OF I'M
precedented prosperity. These Northwestern
lines, together with the Missouri Pacific,
have enlarged and improved their depot ia
~cilities at the Webster street station. The
NorthWestern's new construction completed
during 1899, opening up new trade territory
for Omaha, exceeds all others. New lines
constructed during the last year and now
ready for operation are as follows:
Miles.
Kirkman, Ia, to Harlan, Ia..".."".. $50
Burt, la, to Sanborn. MINI ............ 81. 70
Wall Lake, la to M~2ndamin, la, and d.,
Sanborn. MINI, to Nesta, Minu........ 2G. 10
Mankato, Mimi, to New ulm, Mimi. 2i.oO
Wabeno, Wis; to end Of track C5a23
miles beyond Leona, WisD"......... li.32
Total, ',,,,,,,, ,...,,.,.,,.. go, II
On the Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapolis &
Omaha:
Madelia, MINI, to Fairmont, Mimi. 29.83
Bingham Lake, Mimi, TO letters, MINI. 1S,S7
Grand total, 29S,62 miles,
The addition OF these 1885, miles will
make the total approximate mileage of the
Chicago e Northwestern in operation with
the beginning Of 1900, S,2S3.O2 miles.
other Railroads.
With the Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul
and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific the
year has been profitable. Like all the other
roads operating out of Omaha the capacity
Of their freight and passenger facilities has
been taxed during the last few months to
the utmost.
The Missouri Pacific and the Omaha & St.
Louis are improving the physical condition
Of their systems and during the ensuing
spring their lines will be laid with new
eighty-hye-pound steel rails. These two
were accorded unusual PASSENGER patronage
during the year.
II is given out unreseTvedly that two
more railroad companies expect to extend
their lines to this city--the Great Northern
and the Minneapolis & st. Louis. The
former road, through its president, j. j..
Hin, has long been anxious TO get foot
hold In Omaha. and the FIRST stem has bean