The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-06
MINNEAPOLIS TO
BE A GATEWAY
VAST UNDEvELoPED TERRITORY
TO BE OPENED UP.
Plans Outlined for the Building Of the
San Francisco, Idaho and Montana
Line-What the Opening Up Of This
Road Will Mean to the Business In
terests of Minneapolis.

Jobbers and business men of Mime
apolis have just awakened to the tire,
mendous Importance of the projected
San Francisco, Idaho 4 Montana line.
two years, with headquarters in Mime
apolis, not until h 9 Journal PRINT
ed the details Of the Incorporation Tues
day had anything TRANSFERRED regarding
the company s movements.
Nevertheless, the company has been
financed, by eastern capital mainly, pre-
liminary lines have been run and nego-
tractors to build the line. ''It. is a
wonder,' said an officer today, "that
the road was not built long time ago.
1t opens a vast country which has re-
NAMED undeveloped for lack Of rail:
goa 4fHite nosa Il il Eish in mineral and
The new line means this to Mime
apolis: 1t will shorten the distance to
San Francisco several hundred miles. It
will reduce the running time to Callfor.
nian points twenty-four hours. 1t will
] make Minneapolis the gateway thru
which will pass much new traffic, and
east by the Union Pacific and other
southern lines. It will add to the Min
neapolis .iobbing territory now partial
1y-developed area almost equal to, three
states. It will make more accessible ar
agricultural area with the possibility Of
three crops year, instead of one.
f. Who Is Promoting7
What form of capital is sponsor TO,
Il the new line it Is impossible to learn a.
the Minneapolis headquarters. Northern
Pacific interests are not antagonlstlc tt
the new move, it is learned, and will
do an immense amount of speculation
One thing is sure that, as the eastern
terminus is Butte, Minneapolis is to b.
directly in touch with the new roa,
over both the Northern. Pacific and tn
Great Northern lines. All business i
William Peyton Mason Of Minneapolis
and this city is therefore of impsrtanc
to the management Of the line.
Altho the line has been financed a
$50 100000 capital, without outside aic
and without application for land grant
from the government, it is stated tina
trsverse ai haVe fairly ige TAKEN the
into their arms: Local interests hav
insisted on having part in the promo
tion Of the line, offering right Of wa
and ties, as well as other encourage
! ment. They accepted the road as thei
fem aoaa 9 Inc Sx 500 miles she
! less Of Wilderness the advent Q
1 wealthy road is regarded as an ONE
of great development. Mining camp
which have lain dormant because c
the danger, difficulty and expense {
= packing ore over the mountains wi
:, spring into activity. Timber lands wi
y be made accessible for cutting. Bet
: sugar farms which have been hand
8 capped by the expense Of packing tt
|, product on mules and in wagons wi
: thrive. ~, BE-.
n The Building Plans. -t.,~
: The San Francisco line will be i ,OC
ence to t tie futur el Expense and i
u genuity will not be spared in making
n n permanent: Eighty. pound rail will /
n nels will be required and only one hea1
) grade has as yet presented itself; as i
surmountable to engineering skill. M
l. terial is rightat hand, and not ov
l. twenty miles Of the road will fail
v provide ties or ballast material right
n hand.
l. Francisco and Butte, the largest sett]
"a over $1,000 Inhabitants. Boise b
3 3 about that population and Thund
r re- Mountain camp, which is expect
h h under the new development to rly
n Butte, has about as many people. IT
IS. cisco, is as fol1cws: Up the Sacramen
ee valley, following the watershed Of t
20 Feather river; thru Fedora pass of
Sierras, skirting the Madeline plains
Of northern Nevada and southeastern O.
n gon; thru the Owyhee country on to il
at dan valley; across the Snake river a
If to Boise; from Boise following the mol
al fork of the Boise river to Atlanta
On Gilmore county, Idaho; across the diyi
n. to the Salmon river; thru the Big 81
N. pass of the Bitter Root mountain
w. along the Big Hole river to the Wind,
~ ", river shed and to Butte. From Mas
~ New, a branch will run thru Parad
at valley to connect with the Southern
IN At no point is this line near a
other road and at the farthest point
lie viii run 800 miles from the Greg
he short line. Thus the vast traffic pos
We A study Of the route will show tt
.rs the road pierces splendid lpm!b
of strikes the Snake river country bel
ms Boise, where the government has sp,
vi $5,000,000 in, an irrigation plant.
nd Madeline plains are famous for graz
ow and the Sacramento valley agrlGultu
he wealth is well known. The. Feat
11y, beet possibilities. And what is :
De ticularlv interesting to Minneapolis
eat IL focf thai ahOnt 1 900 acres Of II.
ere Wo11ror +;roher land in OREGON and G.
fornia is traversed. The thru ira
will be mainly of California fruits
of ore for treatment in the refneries
New Jersey, Long Island and Come