The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-12-29
MILES CITY WANTS IT
And Thinks the Montana Railroad
Is Coming to That Place,
Sure.
IT'S AN N. P. SCHEME
And Will Be the Main Line. While
Billings Will Be on u
Branch.

Yellowstone Journal: Very unosten-
tatiousy there is railroad creeping
along eastwardly through Meagher
county from Martinsdale to Merino
seemingly with no objective point, but
impelled by an energy that demands
that grading and building shall be done
even in this inclement season. This
is the Montana railroad. Ever since
it's inception it has been a puzzle and a
mystery to the public. Half dozen
years ago it started from nowhere
without funds and seemingly without
reason for its existence, hut though
born in the throes Of great financial
panic it has plugged. along year by
year, and from its inconsequential start
at Lombard, mera station OH the
Northern Pacific between Toston and
Townsend, it has stubbornly but quiet
ly progressed through the rough foot
hills of the main range of the Rockies,
until it is now emerging into the open
valley of the Musselshell with nearly
one hundred miles Of completed road
behind and plain sailing ahead. Here.
tofore this has been known as "Har
lows road" and to the general public
Harlow" has seemed sort Of harm.
less crank with mania for building a
useless railroad through an unsettled
country and with the peculiar ability
of being able to enlist capital in his
peculiar scheme. No one else could
have kept up the work of construction
year after year on such an unsubstan-
tial basis as 'grub and time-checks
but Harlow, but in due course the time.
checks were taken up with money and
confidence in everything but the prac.
ticability Of the enterprise was restor.
ed. Even the operation Of the con-
structed portion of the road has until
lately been Of Il most perfunotory char
aoter. 1t looked as If the mysterious
Harlow was running it for fun, having
borrowed lot of discarded rolling
stock from the Northern Pacific for the
exploitation Of this peculiar fad.
OF late, however, this aspect Of the
Montana railroad has changed. Equip
inents have improved; the road-bed has
been subjected to finishing touches and
there has been an intention evident OF
securing in it's employ some first-olass
railroad talent. These things seem to
have given birth to the able-bodied
rumor that now, that the hard work is
over and the smooth and open valley Of
the Musselshell reaohed, the spectacle
of some rapid railroad construction will
be witnessed as the Montana" stretch.
es out for junction with the Northern
Pacific at Miles City, distant only one
hundred and ninety miles due east as
the crow flies and over the country
where railroad building is dead easy.
Once Joined at Miles City, SO rumor
says, the Montana railroad will become
the Northern Pacific and the out.off
thus effected. shortening the distance
some seventy miles, will become the
route of the new fast train while the
accommodation will continue to plug
around via the slow coach villages ct
Billings, Livingston and Bozeman. 1t
is great scheme and looks perfectly
reasonable. 1t also dissolves much of
the cloud of mystery that has hereto
fore enveloped Mr. Harlow, suggesting
where he got his money from and how
he was able to draw OH the junk yards
of the N. p for debilitated rolling
stock Furthermore, it goes to show
that the N. P. peuple have not been
asleep during the past few years and it
reasonably suggests that while they are
in the mood to make ''out offs" they
will possibly turn their attention to the
one between Dickinson and Terry
whereby, it is said, some forty miles OF
distance can be Topped off. President
Mellen is reported to have said the
other day that the N. P. could spend
twenty five millions Of dollars on i'm.
provements and not have to 20 into the
strong box Of the company for the
money, meaning, presumably, that
there was that much surplus already
set aside for the betterment Of the road
II this is SO. we may reasonably look
for great improvements on the popular
transcontinental in the next few years.
Meanwhile. keep your eye on Mr.. Har-
lows mysterious Montana railroad-a
most non n.oommittal name, too-and
note where it, comes ont.
Mrs. Fred Awe and children left last
week for Genoa. ILL.,, for an extended
visit. Mr.. Awe has been there several
c,,d kl,s,,lxu cow;ouo1v ~ lOOotiOO