The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-09-06
HAS SIGNIFICANT LOOK.
Activity in Burlington Circles That
PortenGs Much.


That the Burlington company has
In contemplation plans of a nature
involving greater movements than
any yet made public in connection
with the extension of it's service and
mileage is beginning to be believed
by many who have been keeping
themselves informed on passing
events. When the company began
construction of it's line into southern
Wyoming and continued that con-
struction in a dil ction pointing to
Salt Lake as the immediate point
aimed at it was t ken for granted
that in time the Mormon capital
would be left behind and the road con-
tinued until it should find an outlet
on the Pacific coast. Then came the
coalition with the Morgan-Hill COM
bine and work on the line, which at
present has it's terminus at Guern.
sey, was discontinued. Further north,
however, work was not stopped and
the Toluca-Cody branch is rapidly
nearing completion.
To any one familiar with the coun-
try and with the operations of large
railroad companies it must be appar-
ent that no matter what the changes
that may have occurred since then
it never was the original intention to
permit the two roads to remain at
the termini which now mark them.
While both are in territory which
must be considered as fruitful of
promises of large and r~emunerative
traffic, the business which is to be
obtained by their extension is sufic-
iently great to offer strong induce
ments to continue and tap the rich
country which still remains in front
of them . That this is now strongly
contemplated is the opinion Of many.
Certainly recent events are calculat-
ed to give force to this opinion. An
event considered portentuous is the
recent visit of officials of high degree
Of both the Burlington & Missouri
and the parent road, the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy, who were at
Sheridan and also went out on the
Toluca Cody line and over the one to
Guernsey. Their visit was not made
for pleasure, as was made apparent
by their actions and the few remarks
they permitted to drop occasionally.
Another thing which is regarded
as augurng we'll for an extension of
the Burlington system to Salt Lake
is the reported friction between the
Hill interests and the Hartman peo-
pie, who control the Union Pacific.
Chicago dispatches say that Hill is
backing Senator Clark in his con-
struction of the San Pedro road, an
enterprise that the Union Pacific has
been fighting bitterly ever since it's
inception. Should the report of the
Hill-Clark entente prove correct it
would go to show that the SUPPOSE
tons concerning the .Burlington's con
resumption of work on it's
western extension were we'll found
ed. From Guernsey to Salt Lake, as
mapped for it's line, the Burlington
would be following an almost air line.
Arrived at Salt Lake a junction with
the Clark road would be the most
natural thing in the world and the
Burlington would practically have a
through line from lower California to
Chicago, not to mention it's connec-
ton in the southwest, say at Kansas
City, st. Louis and the many other
points it reaches in that portion of
the country.
Whether it will be done, of course.
cannot be said now, but it would be a
comparatively easy matter to contin-
ue the line from Cody south and tap
the main line to Salt Lake. Such a
system would make the company mas
ire of an immense area of rich and
productive territory and it would not
only create new business, but would
also cut seriously into the earnings
of the Union Pacific. If the breach
between Hill, who is said to have the |
backing Of Morgan, and Hartman is
as wide as report has it, then it may
be taken for granted that the Bur-
lington will not be allowed to remain
at Guernsey and that it will be con-
.structed as originally planned-to
Salt Lake.
Mr.. G.. A. Stillman, a merchant CT