The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-31

| cine Bow station. The distance over
this route is 90 $40 miles, while over the
old line ii is IS $40 miles, a saving of Il
miles. The line cuts out Wilcox hill,
which is a very heavy grade. The cost
of these two lines is roughly estimated
a Sl,500.000. and calls for the removal
of upwards of 10000 900 cubic yards of
dirt and rock.
THE grading contracts call for the
completion of the work by Oct IS. and
the work of having the rails and bal
lasting the roadbed will follow as rap
idly as possible, SO that the new line
will be in use for traffic by Dec. next.
In addition to these two cut-Offs
there are several more in contempla-
ton. The first of these is from Allen
Junction, six miles west from Medicine
Bow, through the mining town of Han
ma to Percy. q distance of about 80
miles. and avoiding the heavy grades
on Simpson hill, as well as saving sew
eral miles in distance. The cutoff will
leave Carbon off the main line but it
will probably be two years before the
new line is built
To the average layman it would seem
from the frequent announcements Of
reduced running time by the various
Pacific coast lines that there could
hardly be more room for curtailment of
the time schedules, says the Minneap-
oils Times. But it is now stated that
the Canadian Pacific is soon to make an
other big cut in its train service be-
tween Montreal and the coast, both
east and west. 1t will shorten the run
by 10 hours, making the through trip
in SO hours. This will of course shorten
the time by the Soo-Pacific route which
touches Minneapolis. The details, so
far as the 500 is concerned, have not
yet been arranged, but the Minneapolis
road will take full advantage of any
opportunity offered by its Canadian
connection for a reduction in running
time.
In line with this announcement is the
rumor that the Northern Pacific is too
confident of its own ability to allow the
Great Northern to run as close to the
Northern Pacific schedule as it is doing.
Every time the Northern Pacific has
made reduction in running time the
Great Northern has followed suit, even
though 1t has to strain itself severely to
keep up the pace. 1t is now said that
the Northern Pacific will take full adj
vantage of its magnificent track and
rolling stock and put them to a severe
test in time reduction that will put
Eastern flyers in the shade. The gen
eral opinion of railroad men is that the
Northern Pacific can beat any line from
here to the coast when it comes to fast
running week after week.
A Northern Pacific official in talking
with a representative of the Wall Street
Journal says:
Reports about our purchases are
greatly exaggerated. We have bought
20 passenger coaches and 10 mail cars
and so locomotives of the big type, and
also placed an order for 100 freight cars
to be delivered next fall, That covers it.
The purchases are just what we find
necessary to keep our equipment suf1i-
clent. We have not bought passenger
equipment to speak of for four years
The report that we have decided on en-
tensive improvements at Tacoma is
premature 1t Is true we have to do
something there to secure increased ia
cilities. We intend to build some new
warehouses, but our plans are not ma
tured.'
Regarding the Clearwater Short line
he said:
we are getting along magnifcently
and expect to have the work completed
by Aug. |. 1t is amusing to see how
persistently the Western papers talk
about our trouble with the Oregon
Railway & Navigation. There has been
an unnecessary amount Of misrepresen-
tation. The Oregon Railway & Navi-
cation is not within 100 miles of cur