The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-11-21

year the uncertainty in regard to the
| building of the Columbia Falls and
Jocko cutoffs that has prevailed for
the past year will be settled and the
residents of Flathead county, and es-
pecially of Kalispell will know just
where they stand By the first of the
year, and perhaps before that time,
work will be in progress on one and
| perhaps both of these roads. Just
which one will be commenced first
is uncertain, but on account of the
urgent need of the Great Northern
for coal, the chances are that the
road from the Falls will be the first
one to be built. However, if enough
men can be secured for both roads
work will be started almost at once,
and this being the case, the next year
will witness an era of great activity
in railroad building in this county.
Judging from the difficulty expert
enced by the contractors on the mar
row gauge line from Shelby Junction
| to Great Falls to secure sufficient
men, it is not at all likely that enough
laborers can be secured to build both
| the Columbia Falls and Jocko
branches at the same time
There have been recent indications
that some movement was contem-
pated in regard to railroad building
| in hi1 Nv hou
rife as to what really were the inten-
lions of the company. The arrival
of Mr.. DesBrisay, the right of way
man of the Great Northern railroad
in Kalispell last week was taken as
an indication that definite steps were
soon to be made, and SO it has proved.
A report from st. Paul states that
Chief Engineer Stevens ana the other
officials of the Great Northern have
decided to push the road from Col
umbja Falls to the Jennings branch
to an early completion, and despite
the handicap of winter, work will
soon be commenced. There is a vast
amount of preliminary work to be
done before actual grading COM
mences, and this it is understood will
begin soon. The road from the Falls
is designed for coal hauling especial
| ly, and the ma Ii line Win be as at
present.
One advantage gained by the build
ing of the new road will be that coal
will only have to be hauled over Gre
mountain range instead Of two, as at
present. There will be far less ex-
pense incurred, and coal can be
| placed in Butte, Anaconda and other
Montana cities in much less time
than at present The officials of the
company claim that the Importance
of Kalispell as a railroad center will
not be impaired by the building of
the new road, but that, On the con-
trary, this city will experience an era
of prosperity in the next few years
greater than any in the past. 1t is
intimated that there are other i'm
provements to be made here in the
coming year that will greatly aid in
the up-building of the city.
The road to the Northern Pacific,
which is also to be built will follow
the survey made last summer. 1t
will not leave the main line at Col
umbia Falls, as many think, but will
start from this city, going via Som
ers, Holt and the east side of the
lake There is no doubt of the con
struction of this road, as it will be
used in getting the coal from the
Crows Nest mines quickly to mar
ket. The chief idea of the railroad
company is to get the coal from the
Canadian mines on the market as
we'll as for its own use, and nothing
object.
y When work does commence on the
Columbia Falls branch it will begiI
at both ends, at the junction with the
Jennings branch and at Columbis
Falls. 1t is possible to do this, as
supplies can be hauled by way o.
the Jennings branch to the place o.
beginning at that end. Before the
grading can be commenced, the RICH
of way will have to be cleared Of tim
Der, and this alone will consume
much time. Work can also be done
in the rock quarries throughout the
winter, and everything will be il
readiness when the condition of the
ground will permit the contractors
to begin the grade. 1t is also stated
that the various contractors who will
have charge of the work have theil
contracts already snugly tucked ava!
in their inside pockets and only avail
orders to commence work. Thu
work of widening the narrow gaug
from Shelby Junction to Great Fall
is being pushed as rapidly as posi-
BILE, and when it is completed a ma
jority of the men will be brought t.
this county to commence work here
II John Dahlberg and George Chew