Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-03-23
WORKING TO
EXTEND LINE
Rumored That Vice President Harlow
Wishes to Join the Northern Pa.
eifc at Forsyth.
CONSIDERED FEASIBLE
The New Line Would Open Up a Vast
Stock and Agricultural Country
Grade an Easy One.

II "a pNiSiotNhNs IuuluTtu dIOuHu
Lewistown that the object OF r. A.
Harlow's visit to the east this win
ter was for the purpose of interesting
eastern capital in his scheme to ex-
tend the Montana railroad from Lew
istown to Forsyth on the Northern
Pacific. Harlow has returned from
the east but has given out nothing
which would confirm the rumor. He
Is now with his snow shoyelers down
somewhere near Dorsey and Lom-
bard, and may think for the present
and under present conditions he has
all the railroad that he wants: new
ertheless 1t is known to be the chief
ambition OF the ambitious young vice
presidents career to secure an east.
ern outlet for his road.
For years there have been periodic
reports Of surveying parties in the
employ of the Burlington or of the
Northern Pacific, making the prelim-
mary surveys for a road up through
the Judith Basin to the Great North
ern at Great Falls. But surveys do
not always make a railroad and the
Judith Basin is as far from being
connected with the outside world by
a transcontinental line as il was
when the talk first started.
But Harlow's scheme seems the
most practicable Of any yet formed
for opening up one of the best reg
ions in the state. II would also be
the best for Lewistown, as it would
still be the most important city on
a road Of more than "jawbone" pre-.
tensions.
The road, II built as proposed
would leave Forsyth and strike the
valley Of the Great Porcupine river
along which a direct route could be
secured to the divide, which could be
crossed on a grade of less than one
per cent. The Musselshell would be
crossed just south of the mouth of
Fatwillow and the Flatwillow, in
turn, crossed above the mouth of
Mcdonald creek. Mcdonald creek
would then be followed up to near
Grass Range, thence the natural
course would lead the track up the
north fork Of Mcdonald creek to the
divide near the old | J rancn, and,
by easy grade, to the head of the
south fork of Boyd creek and into
L~ewistown.
Tho rAnI x,n,,Il he IEn ~. Ien rnt1Au
in length and would open up one OF
the finest ranching and stock growing
countries in the west. From Lewis
town almost to the river would be o
vast area which Is really agricultural
In character. but which is used as 9
range because there is no market
available for agricultural products
Put a road through that country anC
thus make a market for the wheat
oats and garden, poultry and dairy
products and the character of the
country would be changed within a
few years. The large ranches would
be divided up at a profit to the pres
ent owners and to the u%ndoubted ben
eft of the country at large.
Ii would also afford a direct route
for stock shipments and in this way
save thousands of dollars annually to
the stockmen all over the eastern
part of Fergus county and the west
ern part of Dawson. 1t would save
a drive of from 30 to 1875 miles and
even those who do not have to drive
so far, a railroad haul of $50 miles
Thousands of cattle and sheer
which are now driven to Custer
Junction or Billings, over a dry coun
try and often under adverse weather
conditions, would be loaded into the
cars at a point but a few miles dis
tant and be almost to the market by
the time they could have been driv
en- to any Of the other points. I,
would double the value of the north
ern and eastern part of Dawson coun
ty Is a sheep country and the bene
fits to Fergus county w~oolgrowers
and cattlemen would be hard to esti
mate in dollars and cents.
To railroad men the enterprise
seems feasible, not only because II
opens up a splendid country. but be
cause 1t would give the Northern Pa
ciic a more direct transcontinentaI
route. II would not be any saving In
miieage but would obviate some oil
the heaviest grades on the entire line