The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-03-15
PICKED UP FROM THE RAILS.
Excursion to Forsyth-Must Drink No
Booze.

....|Ei "r -.SH.| Ma.f#. OOUkCs #E=. " H-f-s ID. H=
One of the fastest runs that lave
been made by the homeseekers' excur-
sions in Montana was made last
Wednesday on the Northern Pacific
railroad between Billings and Living
ston. The train ran 116 miles in 1856
minutes, including a six-minute stop
at Columbus for the watering of two
engines, a six-minute stop at Grey
Cliff for the same purpose and stops at
Big Timber, Springdale and Laurel.
Strictly speaking, the run Of ll6 miles
was made in about 1876 minutes. No.
IL, the homeseekers' excursion,
reached Billings early Wednesday
afternoon. The train consisted of 10
coaches and was a double header. The
first l6 miles from Billings to laurel
was covered in 16 minutes and 40
seconds. Billings to Columbus, a dis
lance of 40 miles, was made in 46
minutes. 1t is an uphill pull from
Billings to Livingston and the run is
considered to have been made in re-
m%arkably good time. The train left
Billings at 3:4O in the afternoon and
reached Livingston at 6:15 p. m.
A meeting of the Wool Growers as
ISOLATION at Basin last week was at
tended by a representative of the Bur-
lington & Missouri railroad, who an
nounced that the railroad would be
completed and in running order to
Pryor gap by May !, and that he was
authorized to notify the wool growers
of this country that Mr.. Packard, the
Burlington merchant, would superin-
tend the hauling and freighting of all
wool and deliver same on board the
cars at Pryor gap for 10 cents per hun
bred pounds less than the article could
be freighted to Red Lodge for, SAYS
the Cody Enterprise. He further an
nounced that the Burlington & Mis-
souri, would haul the wool from the
Gap to the Billings market at the same
price heretofore charged by the North
ern Pacific railroad from Red Lodge
to Billings, to-wit: So per car.
The regular weekly homeseekers ex-
cursions passed through Billings yes
terday afternoon and this morning,
and as on former occasions the cars
we've crowded to the steps with people,,
who are coming west to lookup loca-
tions. The Northern Pacific train car
ried 10 cars accommodating about 400
persons, while the Burlington, which
arrived here this morning, delivered
over to the Northern Pacific about 600
others. Today's Northern Pacific
train will likely be composed of two
sections, there being more homeseekers
to go through than there were yester-
day. There is always a ~perceptible
falling off in the passenger traffic
about two or three days before the ex-
cursion days, as the people generally
wit in order to get the benefit of the
low rates.
Nothing has been learned by the
Billings officials as to the intentions Of
the road regarding a new passenger
depot OF improvement of the present
one. At one time last year, when the
freight depot was decided upon, it
was limited that the passenger depot
would be greatly improved and a bag
and express depot would be erect
ed. It IS almost needless to comment
OH the condition of the present depot,
for those whose business brings them
in touch with it know that it is en-
tirely inadequate. The waiting rooms
are small and the ticket office is
smaller. The express office is large
enough for about to persons to move
around in with anything like comfort,
the baggage room is so often
with trunks and mail that it is
impossible for the baggageman to
stick his foot inside.
The Northern Pacific has planned
for excursions to Forsyth in May,
when 1000 ranch horses will be sold
at that place. Every purchaser of a
carload of horses will receive free
transportation for himself from St.
Paul to Forsyth and return. The
ranch, which has bred thou
sands of grade horses, will be the prin-
cipal seller, though if the demand be
good the stock from other ranches will
be brought in. St. Paul horse dealers
will stock up heavily, and if the army
decides to purchase there, enough ami
can be bought in Montana to
half a dozen regiments.
X x .u
The Northern Pacific railway has
notified Missoula authorities Of it's in
tention to build depots along the
Mountain division during the
summer at an expenditure
above $50, 600. This amount includes
a new depot for Missoula, which will
something like $50, 900. The de-
pot at Wallace, Idaho. will cost So, 900.
There will be a small structure at
Bonita. The Missoula building will
be of stone. Its appointments will be
modern, including a we'll equipped
%Ononino room for emn1ovos