The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-01
GETTING RID OF BRIDGES
Some of the Improvement Work
on the Northern Pacific.
PRESIDENT MOHLER STAYS
He Has No Intention OF Leaving the o
R. & N.-Heavy Business on the
Line-The Burlington Will
Build Across Wy ming.

During the past year the Northern
Pacific has disposed of 230 timber
bridges, aggregating 26,S19 lineal feet,
by filling. Twelve bridges of timber
were replaced by steel girdles, amount
ing to 1,224 feet and one timber bridge
by steel trusses, 204 feet, making
total of 243 bridges improved or filled,
aggregating 2S,249 feet. or 5.35 miles.
On June 30 there existed 1924
bridges and culverts, with an aggre-
gate length of 452.752 feet, or s5.75
miles, which includes 1915 steel, iron
and stone permanent structures, hav-
ing an aggregate length of 32.405 lineal
feet; 1866 Howe combination trusses,
trestles, pile bridges and culverts of
an aggregate length of 42O34T feet.
The purchase of the Montana Union,
Washington Central and Spokane & Sc
attic railroads, and the construction of
the Souris River, Clarks Fork, Bay
lord & Ruby Valley, Lewiston extern
sion and Hoquiam branches added
Ills bridges and culverts having an
aggregate length of 3O,s4s feet, or 5S4
miles. The construction of culverts
through entertainments required SIS iron
pipe culverts Of various diameters, one
concrete aFCn CulNeTL anu Hpe SlOIle
box culverts.
To June 80 this year there have
been replaced 2.715 timber bridges, ex-
elusive of culverts, having an aggre-
gate length of 359,154 feet, or 6S.O2
miles. Fourteen steel bridges with ma
sorry piers, authorized during the pre-
ceding year, have been completed. Au
thority has been given to build IA steel
bridges during the present working
season, and the work is now in prog
ress.
You may deny reports of important
official changes on the Oregon Navi
cation, says prominent Union Pa
cific official. President Mohler has nc
immediate inteption of leaving the
| company for service with the Big Four
or any other road. and the company is
anxious to retain Mr.. Mothers serv-
ices as president. The report that E.
H. Hartman would become president
of the Oregon Navigation following his
recent election as president of the Ore
gon Short Line, is authoritatively de-
MED. The cases of the roads are diff
ferent. The president of the Oregon
Short Line, unlike the president of the
Oregon Navigation, is not the operat-
ing head of the system The purpose
of the Union Pacific board to unity the
financial heads of the three properties
has been accomplished by the election
of Mr.. Hartman as president of the
Oregon Short Line and at the same
time chairman Of the Navigation
board. The operating heads of the
Oregon Short Line and the Oregon
Navigation have not been changed.
and are not likely to be changed at
least for long time. Nor is a con-
-centration of" the operating forces of
the three properties into one head
quarters in, immediate contemplation
In a general way the statement is cor
rect that the unification of the three
properties will be brought about grad
ually. Before leaving here President
Moher stated that he had not consid-
cred any proposition from Big Four
or any other railroad. Speaking of
general conditions, he said:
Our position has been improved by
The completion of our new Walulla
Riparia line along the water grade
up the Snake river. This line enables
us to increase our train haul four
fold We avoid the heavy grades at
Alto on our old line. which will now
be used simply for local business. Cen
eral business conditions seem improv-
ing right along. We We're never
buster. never felt better, and the out
look was never brighter
1t is announced that the Burlington
railroad recently awarded contract
to Messrs. Fitzpatrick Bros. & Collins
of Beatrice. Neb., to construct the
grade for a line of railroad from Ia
lOoka, on the AlilanCe-Billings line, to
| Cody City in the Big Horn basin, work
upon which will be commenced as soon
as force of laborers and teams are
gotten together.
1t is also announced that the North
ern Pacific is about to let the con-
tract for line Of road through the
basin and is making every effcrt to
reach that section first. The building
of one or both roads would open to de-
velopment one of the richest agricul-
tural, mining and stock raising sec
lions in the West
In an interview at Cheyenne D. S.
Guild, general western supply agent
of the Burlington system confirmed the
reports which have been circulated re-
Gently to the effect that the Burling-
ton will build across the state of Wyo-
mong.
Il am not in a position at present"
remarked Mr.. Guild, ito say exactly
what the objective point is that is de-
sired to be reached in our western con-
nections, but for some time we have
had the matter under considera ton,
and when the route is finally decided
upon work will be pushed with all pos
sible haste Branches will be built
connecting with all of the principal
mining and agricultural districts, and
I apprehend that in a few years Wyo-
ming's mineral product will compare
in amount most favorably with those
of any other state"
Little evidence is reported to be
shown of the truce announced last
summer between the big railroad COM
panies disputing for right of way in
the Clearwater district, says the Min
neapolis Times. Since the truce the
Northern Pacific and Oregon Railway
& Navigation company are reported to
be even more active than before in
carrying out their original plans. En-
gineers of either road have been seen
daily, if report is true, in the ,disput-
ed territory, and a week has not pass
ed without some important develop
ment in the unfolding of the plans
that will intimately give the Lewis
ton valley two transcontinental lines.
The latest DEVELOPMENT is contained
in the fact that T A. Clark. the North
ern Pacific engineer, is now making a
n IN