The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-10-15
The Road Is Aiming 10 Secure a
TermIna on the Pacific Coast.
TO THE YELLOWSTONE FIRST
A Call ior Bids for The Construction
Ofa Branch Line From TalOOka
10 Cody, Wyoming.

PoBt.InlelllEenoer
The burlington within a few week
win begin the construction OF its roat
westward with the Pacific coas, an III
ultimate destination.
II IL just seven ycars ago this fal
that the nrst rumor Of che Burlington
westward extennon was published
throughout the west. Every ycal
since that time ono or two good Mor,
lee have gained ouroney. but not unit
. Few days ago was anything given out
oftleIally.
a week ago last Saturday bids wert
called for from the general superin-
tsndcniA oiiice In Chicago for the con
Htrue,lon of branch line from Taloo.
kA, Mont, to Cody wyo.. and on "a
the eastern border OF Yellowstone
Park. s~ts,
According 10 tho survey made by a
corps of burlington engineers this past
summer the branch will begin AZ ia
looka on the main line near Fort Gus
Ter and proc ,'d up to and crossing Pry.
or creek, al lla head. Then Il will fol.
low around Pryor mountain on the
wes' side. thence southwest 10 the val.
Icy os shoshone river, thence up the
north sldo " the shoahono 10 a point
abou, mile west OF corbett and into
Cody After leaving Cody tho right.
ot'way winds around Cedar mountain
on the south side up tho south fork Of
the ShouhOnc river oroaaing a, Jack
sons Hole and on TO the Yellowstone
This 10 ~ far as the construction IL
contemplated al this time. Those in an
official position state. however. that the
prcsen, activity Is but the flrst step on
the part Of the road TO securing ter
minal Oh tho Pacific coast. II ls point
cd out tina, the new construction does
not In any sense open up now coun-
try. but on the other hand passes
through district already tapped by
other lines and therefore the conHtruo-
tlon will mean nothing else than the
beginning Of a eoas, extension.
The plan OF survey. however opens
Up now route and one heretofore
never spoken OF aA u prospective CON
tinontal line. The present Western
terminus OF the Burlington is Billings.
Mont. whore connection II made with
the Northern Pacific on transcontinont-
al business Some two years ago a
survey was gnRde from Billings. taking
the line to Butte. then parallelIng the
Montana Central TO Great Falls and
westward dividing the territory with
the Great Northern and Northern Pa
olnc. This took the road through the
Judith basin. one OF the richest dis
trlcts In nil Montana and yet undevol-
oped by any road.
The entrance to the basin was only
by narrow pass through the Belt
mountains, Before the Burlington
could secure the pass President james
J, Hin. Of the Great Ncrthern. fileh on
Il and at once gang OF men were put
20 work gnldlng and laying track
about half n mile long, This effSctpal-
ly caused the Burlington to abandon
the northern route and much specula-
tlon has been indulgsd in since as to
how II would get to the West
II Ia apparent TO all who understand
the situation that the action Of Presi-
dent Hin In the Judith gap has forced
the Burlington TO build westward and
abandon Montana 10 the Great North
ern and Northern Pacific on the north
and south. II will also have the effect
OF taking Billings on the main line
which, with the completion OF the
Yellowstone Park extension, will turn
southwest at Talooka,
The intentions Of the road after the
Yellowstone extension is completed are
known only in general office circles
but under officials are confident that
before long the Burlington will have
terminal on the coast, HH