The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-07-20

way for a considerable distance west
of Kalispell and has also purchased
several rights of way through land
in the immediate vicinity of Libby.
The right of way agent of the Great
Northern was at work at Libby about
two months ago, when Mr.. Hill made
his famous flying trip across the con-
tinent, and upon the latter's return to
st. Paul ordered all work on the cut
off south of the present line stopped
and ordered the engineers into the
country north of Kalispell, being con-
WINGED that the country on the north
could be gotten through more easily
and which gave better promise for
the future in the way of developing
into revenue producing territory
Granting that the new line will go
to the north it will probably be the
means of placing the division at Col
umbia Falls instead of at Kalispell,
where it now is, and will make the in
termediate division at Libby, instead
Of at Troy. It would also be the
means of placing Kalispell, the county
seat, on spur of the main line and
will probably make of Libby a county
seat of county which will in the
near future be made out of the west
ern part of Fla1head county.
This northern line will pass
through one Of the largest bodies of
virgin timber to be found in the
state, which is exceedingly valuable
and about 60 miles in extent. There
Is big market in the Butte mines
for this timber and the Great North
ern under the name of the John
O'Brien Lumber company. has one of
the largest tie-making and tie-pickling
plants on the entire system located on
Flathead lake about IL miles south of
Kalispell. The new line would be in
splendid position to furnish that
mill with logs in the future. On the
other hand, while there is some tim
Der on the southern cutoff it is not
to be compared with that found in the
northern part Of the county. Then
again there is another factor in IA
vor Of the northern route, and that
is the promised development in the
oil fields in the country surrounding
the Kintla lakes. 1t is confidently
anticipated that these fields will be-
come enormous producers.
The great reason for the desire to
get as far north as possible is, of
course, the fact that there are i'm
mense bodies of coal just across the
international line which is much de.
sired by the Great Northern, both for
it's own use and for distribution to
territory tributary to it's lines. This
coal is of the finest quality of the
kind, and from tests made on the en-
gines of the road it was found that
greater energy could be obtained
from one ton of the Crows Nest Goa
than from two tons of the kind now
used. There are less ashes and clink
ers, making it easier for the men anG
cheaper for the road. 1t is also a de
sirable coking coal.
BY the construction of the route tt
the north of the main line, making {
junction with the Kootenai rive
branch. it will give the road both tt
the east and west haul for the Goa
from the Crows Nest fields. The pro
posed line will make the road from
Columbia Falls to Libby little long
err than the old line, but it will enabl,
the company to avoid two of thu
heaviest grades on the entire system
and do away with the maintenance O
Haskell Pass tunnel. These grades
are is per cent and together ar,
about 40 miles in extent. On the new
line up the Kootenai river the grad,
does not exceed three feet to the mil,
and on the pass from the Stillwate
to the KOotenai it is expected the en-
gineers will be able to find a grad
OF not to exceed z per cent, lessen
ing of over half. The new line will
probably be over a hundred miles il
length and its construction will cos
: the company considerably over 81
100000
. The contract for grading the frs
: thirty miles has been let and outfit
are strung along the river cutting tn
right of way and getting ready for tn
: graders. Men and implements are be
ing brought into Jennings on ever
train and it is the desire of the CON
pany to build the line in the least pos
sible time.