Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1906-02-27
The 500 COMING.
Engineers Are Reported to Already
Be in the Field.

The 500 road, that completed the
building of its tracks last fall as far
as Kenmare, N. D., has already started
work or the extension of it's line that
is to have coast outlet, says the
Havre Plaindealer.
The Plaindealer received advices
from an authoritative source, but one
which at this time it is not at liberty
to disclose, that the 500 road will,
starting from Flaxton, N. D., build
west, it's line going through the coun-
try about 40 miles north of Culbertson,
and, continuing directly west, pass
through a great and prolific agrlcul-
tural country in the northern part of
Valley county, almost paralleling the
Great Northern railway; enter Choteau
county about 80 miles north of Dod-
son, and thence proceed on west to
Havre. The surveys show this to be
almost an air line east and west, at
tended with few engineering difficult
ties. They will run north and west
from Havre, going to the north of the
main line of the Great Northern rail-
way, and passing through the Sweet
Grass hills, where there are quarries
of the finest granite of untold quanti-
ties; thence proceed west, north of
Browning.
The engineers have found, it is as
serted, a natural pass through the
mountains, where construction will be
comparatively easy. The road will
touch the rich oil deposits in the coun-
try north of Browning, and will be able
to handle the Canadian oil products
from nearby fields by means of a few
miles of pipe line. Thence it will pro-
ceed into Washington, opening up a
farming country as rich as the world
has ever known, and thence on to the
coast. Brady Bros, the we'll known
railroad contractors of North Dakota
recently took 40 cook car shanties, to-
gether with a crew of cooks and grad
ers, horses, ETC., and with a supply OF
rails and ties that will, reach many
miles, began laying their track from
Flaxton for Havre. From Flaxton the
distance is a little less than $50 miles
to this city.
Work will be pushed with the great.
est possible expedition, and the roaG
will be in Havre just as soon as it car
be built.
With a direct line to the coast, the
500 will be able to make a bid anC
secure a share of the immense orienta
trade. 1t will pass through a ricl
grain country, and carry much of th'
cereal product that is constantly grow
ing in demand both in Japan and Chi
ma. In addition to this business, i
will have a large livestock patronage
as much of the territory it traverse
is as good a stock country as is north
ern Montana, and there is none bette
in the world than this.
1t will give the stockmen almost
direct line to Duluth, and this open
New York and European markets t.
them.
With this road that runs in almos
an air line to Winnipeg, transportatio
will have an outlet from all southern
Montana, in fact, from Salt Lake City
From Winnipeg they have an outle
by means of competitive roads to Du
luth. From this point they have wa
ter shipping facilities on to Buffalo an
thence to Europe. Transportatio
charges by water are most reasonable
in fact, goods may be shipped and liv
stock transported by water at a cos
ridiculously low, compared with tn
charges of railroad freight.