The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-20
NIL WAUKEE ROAD
TOUCHES SPOKANE
MOST PRACTICABLE ROUTE SAID
TO BE THAT WAY.
Expense Of Mountain Construction Said
to influence Engineers to Favor
Northern Course New Line Practi-
cally Parallels Northern Pacific to
Coast Enters Butte from North.

Reports from Butte Mont. said to be
on good authority but with the author
ity not given say that the Milwaukee g
coast line will pass. thru Spokane and
not give that city branch line service,
which was the best it would get under
the old plans. It appears, however,
that the main line will be built to
Spokane, not SO much for the business
to be secured there as for the benefit
Of easier construction. The mountain
engineering difficulties, and the con-
struction will be SO expensive, that the |
Spokane route is to be adopted for I
economic reasons.
Parallels Northern Pacific.
If Spokane is to be on the main line,
pete with the Northern Pacific and the |
Great Northern at almost every i'm |
portant point between Minneapolis and |
the coast. The three lines now com
pete at Fargo From the Missouri river
thru the Dakotas the Northern Pacific
and the new Milwaukee traverse lands
| The first point Of contact in Montana
is to be at or near Miles City, on the
Yellowstone. They will run practically
parallel to Butte, will meet again at
Missoula. will shake hands at Spokane,
and will fight for all there is in it at
Seattle and other sound cities.
| Benefit of Minneapolis
Minneapolis, therefore. will not profit
greatly thru the opening of new ter
ritory by the Milwaukee, Pacific. The
advantages will be obtained thru the
increased Importance Of Minneapolis
as gateway to the orient, and from
the growing business Of the territory
between here and the coast. Vastly
more benefit will accrue to Minneapolis,
in the opinion Of prominent whole
saler who talked about the matter to-
day, from the building of the new Mil
waukee and North-W esteru lines to the
Black Hills. putting this city on an
equality with other iobbing centers for
the trade Of the hills territory, and
from the building Of the new Minneap-
oils & st. Louis lines into new terri
tory In South Dakota. HI s.
@ Route Into Butte.
It is probable, says the Butte dis
patch, that the Milwaukee will enter
Butte by way Of Eighteen Mile canyon.
Engineered of the road are now running
line thru that canyon, which is nine
miles beyond the Nine Mile house, and
cuts the main range of the Rockies
1t is claimed that this route will af-
ford a better grade than routes pre-
viously considered. The engineers are
dlV1ded into Two parties ana are WOfk1
from Parrot. It is said that the pre-
liminary survey indicates that the
grades thrus this canyon will be much
easier and the construction work less ex-
4 pensive. This route will bring the
4 Milwaukee into Butte from the north,
thru the Jefferson valley.
Pass Thru Rockies. ,..l-.E
It is practically confirmed that the
J Milwaukee will cross the Bitter Root
/ range in western Montana, thru the
/ Hidden Pass, altho this will involve the
| building Of tunnel at an elevation of
I 6,547 feet. To reach Hidden Pass the
| route will skirt the foothills to- the
| south Of the Missoula river, and will
/ cross the Northern Pacific at Rivulet
I and then strike southwesterly to Hidden
1 Pass, instead of thru Lolo pass as first
I planned. ~