The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-20
RAILROAD NEWS.
Plans Being Maturcd for a New
Transc0ntinental Line.
J. j. Hill Will Have a Railroad
from North to South Coast.
GULF TO PACIFIC.
Details of the Plan Are Accur-
ately Outlined.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
in Railway Circles.
TO PACIFIC.

Sioux City, Ia, Aug. 20.-That James
J. Hill is maturing plans for a ne"
transcontinental short line, connecting
the North Pacific coast. on the NORTH
west. and Kansas City and St. Louis,
and eventually the Gulf, on the SOUTH
east, is proved by the surveys being
made and other evidence.
These plans include the immediate
construction of a 400-mile cutoff from
Lester. Ia. to Minot. N. D., and a 100
mile link between the Great Northern
terminusi in Sioux City n the Burling-
ton system at Ashland, Neb., just west
OF Omaha These two new lines Will
give without further building, a new
short line between Kansas City and St
Louis, and the Pacific the
construction of a line to the Gulf, eth
er from Kansas City or st. Louis, is
ton of a solid Hill property that may
carry freight from ocean to ocean upon
an Independent basis.
Facts that have appeared in evidence
of these plans are:
Completed construction of ffty-two
miles of road from Minot, N
Construction of forty miles of road
northwest from Sioux Falls, 5. D., at
ributed to the Great Northern.
Negotiations for large terminal prop
critics at Sioux City.
Surveys for an announcement OF the
a. CAlO VI q HIN
Great Northern at Sioux City and the
Burlington at Ashland. Neb.
Purchase of coal lands in Arkansas,
attributed to James J. HILL
Repeatedly reported purchase OF
r~ight-of-way by the Burlington for a
line from Kansas City to the Gulf.
A large construction gang is now
building a line from Minot,
n. d. Ffty-two miles of this road are
ready for the laying of steel 1t is
stated that rails will be laid into Bis
marck. N D., a distance of 100 miles,
by winter. NeXt spring the work will
be taken up and construction pushed
southeast from Bismarck The route
of the cutoff, as chosen. passes through
Huron and Aberdeen and Sioux Falls
to Lester. Ia, Just southeast of Sioux
Falls, where it strikes the Great North
ern's. st. Paul-Sioux City line. At
Huron and Aberdeen branches of the
Great Northern will be tapped, adding
to their usefulness
The Dakot Central railroad has been
quietly building a line from
Sioux Falls and about forty miles have
already been completed The fact that
one of the officials is in the employ of
the Great Northern. added to the TACT
that the line is being built along the
route chosen for the Sioux City-Minot
cutoff, is evidence hat it is a Great
Northern project. 1t was first thought
to be backed by the Milwaukee and st.
Paul railroad, but the appearance of
engineers for the latter. who began
surveying a parallel line,
this theory. There is practically no
but that the Minot-Lester line
is now under construction from both
ends.
The building of this line will save 400
miles in distance between Sioux City
and the Northern Pacific coast. At
present the Great Northern must send
its coast business from here east as far
as Willmar, Mimi. and then back west
by a circuitous route.
The Burlington now has a line from