Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-21
SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR THE RAILROADS
Business in Montana Has Been Very Iieayy--vaSt
Amount of Construction and Repairing
Has Been Done.

For the western railroads, especially
those operating in Montana, the year
1900, has been a most successful and
gratifying one from every point of view.
Business on all the roads has been es-
pecially heavy and the losses incurred
from washouts, wrecks and other causes
have been comparatively light. A vast
amount of construction and repairing
has been done on the road beds and it
has been necessary for all roads to in
crease their equipments to meet the de-
mand growing out of the steadily in
creasing business. The passenger traffic
has been larger than in previous years
and the efforts of all lines to induce
settlement in the northwestern states
has made a material difference in bust
ness. In Montana the opening Of new
lines has created much new business for
the railroads in which all have partici-
pated.
The railroads have shown liberal
policy in the matter of improvements in
Montana and this policy will be con-
tinue if not hindered by adverse legis-
lation. In some of the eastern states
where periodical and senseless reforms
are popular, legislation has been enacted
that makes beggars of railroad corpora
tions and makes improvements impossi-
BILE. Some of the ines in the east are in
wretched financial condition and as a re-
suit the people do not and cannot get the
service they seek. In Montana people
believe in the great American principle
of fair play and railroads have been
given almost a free hand. The results
have been good and the people have seen
that railroads are not the grasping cor
porations Performers" try to paint them.
Although by Legislative enactment they
are privileged to charge a maximum
passenger fare at the rate of five cents
per mile, which is not excessive in a
mountainous country like Montana, they
de not avail themselves of the privilege
but on the other hand nave voluntarily
made a uniform rate of four cents per
mile. In the matter of freight rates the
railroads are disposed to act fairly and
even literally, doing all in their power to
increase their business and charging the
lowest possible rate that will yield a fair
return on the investment. AS an in
stance of this may be cited the fact that
word has already been received that a
new freight schedule will go into effect
on the first of the year which will be a
reduction of the present schedule.
Good feeling prevails between the peo-
pie and the railroads in Montana for the
reason that they meet one another half
way. INdllIoouS lool AISlA o.SSo W
damaged or lost freight promptly and
without a murmur and they should be
credited with many charities of which
the public seldom hear People who
have through their own fault and neg
lect been injured by trains and the wild
ows and children of men who have lost
their lives are substantially recognized
by the companies, even when no legal
objection exists. But few cases reach
3 the court and these are generally unjust
and exorbitant claims. The history of
litigation goes to show that such claim
ants are usually defeated in the court OF
final adjudication although a seeming
victory may be theirs in the trial court.
Young lawyers and bad advice are po-
tent factors in railroad litigation.
THE GREAT NORTHERN.
7eral officer of the Great Northern real
road in the person of Archibald Gray,
who is assistant general freight agent.
General Freight Agent G.. o. Somers, of
st. Paul has two assistants-Mr. Gray
in Butte and J. A. Sargent in st. Paul.
The coast territory is looked after by
j. w. Blabon, western traffic nag at
Seattle. Other local officers in this dist
riot report to Mr.. Gray on freight n
traffic matters. He has the authority to
decide all questions relating to freight
and traffic in this district, thus avoid
ing the trouble which other lines labor
under in referring matters to head
quarters. Butte is a branch OF the st.
Paul general freight office and MI. Gray
looks after the Montana Central rail-
way and the Great Northern interests
generally in Montana.
MI Cxoof Nyorfhorn ovnanda6 on work.
complete or under construction during
the fiscal year ended June 30 of this year
g.. 500, 900 on the entire system and the
work is still in progress wherever the
weather will permit. OF this amount
$500, 900 went into the Montana Central
railway company and over $2O0,OO into
the Seattle and Montana railway COM
pany. This includes all changes in the
line, reduction of grades and curvatures,
the replacing of wooden bridges with
steel structures etc. Over eight miles OF
wooden bridges were replaced by heavy
steel construction or solid earth embank-
ments and the cubic yards of earth
moved was nearly equal to grading sou
miles Of ordinary railway.
There is talk of another mammoth
change on the Great Northern line
through the Rocky mountains, that may
be started next year. ~ ~ 1900
donment of the Haskell pass, through
which the line now runs, to another pass
recently discovered to be accessible for
railroads. This c~ontemplates the re-
building of 80 miles of railroad at a better
grade which will permit a material saw
ing Of time and reduce the cost of haul
ing.
The Cascade tunnel which has already
tcost over half a million. will soon be
completed and shorten time and reduce
expense. The change of the terminal
facilities at Spokane is ar important
piece of work now in progress. New
yards will he built and there will be 2,0OC
feet of double-track bridge construction
which will bring the Great Northern in