The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-25
ARE TAKING No CHANCES
Preparations Made for the May
and June Floo14
DIVISION IN GOOD SHAPE
Grade Revision and Track Improvement
Well Under Way-Heavier Steel
Is Being Laid-Worlz on the
MissCula Yards.

Missoula April 24-The railway peo-
pie on the Rocky Mountain division are
just getting breathing spell after their
eXertions during the high water of the
early part of the month. The expert
ence was a new one for this division at
this time of year. The first rush Of wa
ter seldom causes the difficulty that re-
suited this year, and there are some
pessimists who reason by ratio that the
flood that is certain to come in May
remain as a record breaker for many
years. On the other hand, there are
others who assert that they have seen
more snow in the mountains than there
is this year, and it has come off with
out doing much damage. These are the
two extremes, and the public may take
its choice The railway people are talk
ing no chances however. and are maxi
ing every possible preparation to have
things in shape to stand almost any
kind of flood that may come. The
work of repairing the damage already
done has been followed by a general
strengthening of the line all along the
waterways, and while it is not possible
to predict with accuracy what water
will do, it is safe to say that the di-
vision was never in better shape to re-
sist the rush of water than it is at
present. The bridge department and
the trackmen have had a lively time of
it east of here this month. all the way
from Silver Bow canyon to Bonita. The
water got all over the Montana Union
track. and at places on the main line
had things very much its own way for
a few days. But the cold wave checked
the rush of the melting snow, and the
trouble has ceased for time, anyway.
Already the work of grade revision
and track Improvement is well under
way on this division. The Montana
Union roadbed and track is to be made
equal to the demands that will be made
upon it in the way of fast time and
heavy loads. Grades are to be cut down
and heavier steel LAID till the line will
be as good as any track on the road.
This will take a big force of men, but
the start has been made and the work
will be pushed along as RAPIDLY as pos
sible this summer. On the main line
the work is being taken up where it
was dropped last fall. and will be done
in the same thorough manner that has
characterized the work Of previous sea-
sons in this department.. Crews of Japs
and Italians are being sent out all the
time from here to work on the branches
or the main line, and in a few weeks
there will be an army of trackmen at
work on this division. The early start
that is being made this year indicates
that the company intends to get as
much work done this year as possible.
The work on the Missoula yards is
getting along in good shape, and the
Improvement is already noticeable. One
new track is finished and the changes
that are to be made in the east end of
the yard will be taken up this week.
When it is completed there will be no
more unsghtly lines of broken cars
strung along beside the main track, but
this work will he done so as to take the
car repairing to the north side of the
main line. Supervisor Weed still re
ports go per cent finished" on the big
coal dock that has been under cOnstruc-
ton for so long. This has been the re-
port for three or four weeks now. and
it looks as if it would hang at go per
cent" for some time, though the car
penters are working all the time.
The land department of the Northern
Pacific will have a large force of in
spectors at work all summer. Two
large parties have already gone into the
timber west Of Missoula and more are
to follow. John Hunt and Aus Hartley
have been out with their party all WIN
ter and are still at work between
Spring Gulch and st. Regis. Most of
the new inspectors have come from the
timber country of Minnesota, and there
are now nearly so of them in the woods
in this country.
The Occur d'Alene branch is now one
of the busiest lines on the Northern
Pacific system. From Hus0n, 30 miles
below Missoula, to st. Regis, where the
river of that name empties into the
Missoula, the sawmills are all in opera
ton and are shipping large quantities
of lumber The Occur d'Alene mines
are sending over big trainlOads of ore
and concentrates in addition, so that
the trains from the branch have been
! heavy for two weeks, and will be much
| heavier as the season advances. The
| branch has been fortunate thus far in
the way of washOuts and slides, and
| the trains have been running on sched-
| ule time.
| With the exception of the two OF
| three days that the track was out neal
| Garrison, the business between Ana
conda and Butte and this section of tn
| state has been we'll taken care of, il
| spite of the serious delays in the over
| land service. caused by trouble on TIN
eastern divisions. Superintendent Rus
! sell has run extras or else has taken thu
| business on fast freights so that The
delay has not been serious.
There is renewed talk Of a new tim'
card in the near future. It is said tina
as soon as the hi~h water troubles ar
| over the overland trains will be mad
| lighter and a faster schedule inaugu
rated. Nothing official has been mad
public. however, in this connection.
One hundred bicycles must be sold d
once Eighteen dollars to 500. Ora W