The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-09-26

80 49, we
but the announcements that tho road il
coming.
The residents of eastern Montana IRE
greatly interested in the plans of the
Elkhorn, Fremont s. Missouri Valley
Railway company, which has been
showing signs Of activity that portend
we'll for that section of the country. A
Custer county man said there was little
doubt but that the company intended to
build into Montana mex year. "This
has been reported some time, " he said,
land recent developments indicate
that the reports are we'll founded. The
Elkhorn il u part Of the Northwestern
system, Il of the Vanderbilt lines.
and thare IL every indication that it
wants to reach new territory. The line
is already ten miles northwest Of Bell
Fourohe, s. D., an important cattle
shipping point. / have information
which I believe to be correct that the
company anticipates coming into Mon.
tana next year. It's surveys extended
to Powderville, on the Powder river in
Custer county, about forty miles south.
east Of Miles City, If the road is OK
tended into Montana there is every
reason to suppose that it will form a
junction with the Northern Pacific and
in that case it seems probable that it
Will 90 to Miles City. The road as
projected to Powderville and the
country between that point and Miles
City offer no special difficulties in the
way Of railroad construction. In fact,
the line could be built cheaply, once
the right of way was secured. The
Northwestern people have been inter-
esting themselves in the coal field in
southeastern Montana and that ia one
thing that helps to conform this report
Of which ! speak. They have opened
up II promising coal field zeal Ekalaka.
which, / understand, car be made to be
a good producer once a railroad is built
TO some point near 1t. That particular
section Of Montana ships a good many
cattle every year, and 1t is that business
that the Elkhorn Is Oh the lookout for.
Up to this year, the Elkhorn and the
Northern Pacific have had all under.
standing OIL cattle shipping rates, but
the roads are doing business indepen.
IDENTIFY Of each other this season. This
indicates that they are beginning to
fight, and I believe it will end by the
Elkhorn invading Montana territory.
The road. as l said, is a part Of the
Northwestern system, one of the Van
derbilt properties, but I do not believe
that the death Of Mr.. Vanderbilt will
IN any way change the plans of the
company in building into this state If
they have been determined upon"
President G. s. Mellen of the North.
ern Pacific Is mentioned az a possibility
for the presidency Of the New York.
New Haven ~ Hartford railroad. Mr..
Mellen was at n time vicespresident
of the road and 1t ia said he would like
to return to il as president. He took
charge Of the Northern Pacific upon the
reorganization Of the company after the
road passed out Of the hands of the re-.
~ceivers, and under his control the road
has been making rapid strides to the
front.
An attempt was made to wreck q
train on the Great Northern railway
Monday, near Iron siding, about Ave
miles from Helena. Fortunately the
engineer Of q north bound freight,
which preceded O passenger train, saw
the obstruction, which consisted Of
rails, angle bars and ties. fastened {
IN q secure manner across the track, In
to stop his train. It is thought the
attempt was made by some discharged {
employees, who had been hanging about
the railroad boarding house at Mid
Canyon, and whom the boarding house r
keeper refused to feed free. '
1t Ia probable that after Jan. /, 1900 Q
900, 900 or more railroad employees in :
The United States will pay fare when J
raveling over any but the respective g
ines on which they DIRE employed. 8
Not only are railroad men to be barred q
rom a time honored privilege, but b
else, not excepting the infu. a
initial shipper, will be- forced to pay for
iokets, At a meeting OF a committee
representing the largest six railway t.
companies In the country in Chicago 7
1t was decided to recommend 9,
O a general meeting of officials OF all 81
Dads west OF Chicago, to be held in st, is
louis, Oct, 10, al entire abolition of Al
asses and all forms Of free t%ransporta. tt
ION, The only exception to the radi- g
al action Ia employees travelling On v
for their respective companies, p
III June the committee sent out
to the president of every road
this country asking an opinion on the II
roposition to do away with free trans. re-
ortation, including annual passes OK n,
hanged between the officers of differ II
mt roads and employees, OF 400, 900 m
alles OF railroad in the United States
OOO We're voted in favor of the