The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-08-25
One H. Montague Looking Over
Country 10 the West.
Claims He Is Representing An
Independent Company.


Falls and Marshall, with the apparent
view of locating new railroad which
will be extended to the coast eventually.
The Marshall News Messenger referring
to Mr.. Montague's visit to that city,
last week, says:
Mr.. Montague is an experienced rail
road man, a locator and builder, and
was here i'm the interest of some com
pany which is considering a new line
of road to OF though Marshall. So
much seemed certain. Mr.. Montague
came here from Redwood Falls, driv-
ing across country, arriving here short
ly before noon. A few hours before his
arrival here The New Messenger was
apprised of his coming and that he
might prove an interesting person if
any information could be secured from
him. 1t was supposed that he repre-
scented the Great Northern, and was
looking over the route of the much talk
ed about Hutchinson Marshall extern
sion of that road, under consideration
for a long time, and that he had been
in Redwood Falls ascertaining the feas
Utility of crossing the river and getting
into that city.
Aware of the usual reticence of rail
road men about their company's affairs,
The News Messenger was averse to
seeking direct interview and differ
ent opportunity was given the gentle
man to disclose his business, which he
seemed not averse to doing to a limited
extent, volunteering the information
that he was a railroad man and was
looking over proposed route for a new
road. Subsequently Mr. Montague told
The News Messenger that he repre-
sented a new company with its inter
ests largely centered in Chicago, but
with some eastern interests, with mil
lions of money back of it, proposing a
new line of road from Chicago north
west, ultimately extending to Oregon
and reaching the coast possibly in the
vicinity of Coos Bay, which is on the
Oregon coast between the forty-thir
and fortyfourth parallels, and he init
mated that big Chicago interests would
like to divert a lot of railroad traffic
from the Dakotas, Montana, Washing
ton and Oregon to the twin cities, by
more direct route to Chicago, tapping
the big grain and stock country and
reaching the big timber and mining in
terests of Oregon and Washington. He
confessed to forty years of experience in
railroading, and to building road in
the Oregon mountains three years ago,
and was exceptionally well informed
about that country and the big timber
interests there, jumping in the same
breath from Minnesota to Oregon with
an alacrity which bespoke big enter
prise and was useful when questions
were too pertinent.
Mr. Montague said three routes had
been proposed and already gone over,
that he was now driving overland over
one of the proposed routes, had been
out about two months and would be
out two months more with team, driv-
ing through Oregon, returning by rail
and stopping at such points as he wish
ed to further investigate, and that his
report to his employers would very
likely result in the adoption of the
route. Asked his impressions of this
section, he gave favorable opinions, and
volunteered that the country was good
and would evidently support another
road such as he represented. He said
he had spent two days in Redwood
Falls and would drive from here west,
through Ivanhoe, to EstelGne, South
Dakota. Asked where he came from
east of Redwood Falls and where he
would 60 west of Estelline, Mr. Mon
tague said "You are getting too close to
an interview" and added, "The people
L represent are not ready to disclose
their plans, but as soon as | get back,
and before snow flies, l expect several
engineering parties to be put on the
route at once" Though he would not
discuss his route east of Redwood Falls,
he said he had crossed the Mississippi
at Dubuque, and would cross returning
further north.
Possibly Mr.. Montague, as he calls
himself, represents the Chicago Great
Western road. 1t has long been a de-
sire of those in control of the Great
Western to construct line to the
western coast. just after the purchase
by President Stickney of the Mankato-
Redwing line. parties in the employ of
The Great Western made an investiga-
ton of the country west of here as far
as South Dakota