Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1906-01-09
General Manager of the Montana r.
r. Company Returns From In
portant Chicago Trip.
SURVEYORS STILL AT WORK
NOTHING Has Been Given Out As to
the Meaning of the Move By the
Montana Company.

General Manager Frank T.. Robert
returned to Helena the latter part Of
the week from Chicago, to which city
he was summoned by President Har-
low on matters concerning the con-
templated extension Of the Montana
railroad from HarloWtOn to Miles City.
Mr.. Robertson has not yet been in this
city and SO far is the Democrat can
learn, has not given out anything
concerning the meaning of the some-
what unexpected move by his COM
pany but he will be here tomorrow
evening and at that time it is believ-
ed that, possibly, something definite
will b larned as to the intentions Of
the Montana company.
The Democrat has received a con-
firmation of the statement made in
this paper last week that the road will
to extend to Miles City. Many have
thought that Forsyth would prove to
be the objective point, but it is now
known definitely that Miles City will
be the other end Of the new branch.
The surveyors are in the field and are
this week working down along the
Musselshell. Construction work is
scheduled to begin within few days.
Butte, Jan. ga. G. Baker, chief en-
gineer of the first corps Of surveyors
of the Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul
Railway comDtny of Montana, has ar
rived in Butte, and will Immediately
start two surveying parties to deter
mine and most feasible route between
Citv Mr. RakPr.
while non-committal as to the exact
route of the new transcontinental line,
says that the road will probably be
completed to this city within two
years, while President Earling is au-
thority for the statement that the line
will be completed from Evarts, S. D.,
to the western terminus, Seattle, with
in four years.
Yes, we are going to work in earn
est" said Mr.. Baker. mot moments
time will be lost in the mapping out
and construction of this road. The
Milwaukee line will build through this
country, and that at once. Everything
is ready. 1t is now only question of
selection of the best and most salts
factory route in crossing these noun
tains. = "
ouT parry Is SuI Wy Ills q liIC ~ bAA~
east, which will cross Pipestone pass
l cannot give any definite information
as to the cities through which the line
will rum
II do not know whether the com-
pany will build into Butte, but there
would be no object in leaving out one
of the most important producing CEN
ters in the west. 1 am sure that Eutte
:.la.,.
desires at the hands of the company.
We expect to have our surveys all
completed by spring. Construction
will begin at once,'
Speaking of the line west of Butte,
Mr.. Baker said it would probably be
run south of the Northern Pacific
through either Lolo, Nez Perces or
Lost Horse passes. Each of these
passes are about the same altitude
and it is question for the directors of
the road to determine which shall be
utilized.
The Lost Horse pass is nine miles
south Of Hamilton and leads iuto the
Clearwater in Idaho. The Nez Perces
pass is located on the west fork of the
Bitter Root and leads into the Clear.
water in Idaho and to Lewiston.
The Butte, Anaconda & Pacific road
is owned by Rockefeller interests and
its ownership will be Identical with
that of the Milwaukee road. The road
to Anaconda will prove a feeder to the
through line.
After crossing the mountains into
Idaho the number of feeder lines will
be run to the carious mining and ag-
ricultural centers of the northern por-
tion of that state.
Idaho as well as Montana is welcom-
ing the new road, as immence districts
will be opened which are at the pres
ent time long distances from the rail-
roads. Salmon City, Thunder Noun
tain and Grangeville will be tapped by
the new line.
The Milwaukee road owns no es-
pecial interest in the west,' said Mr..
Baker when asked if the road would
secure government aid in it's immense
new undertaking. "Of course, we all
know the great acreage of land which
the Northern Pacific secured. That
may be handicap for us, but our
road will create for itself a business
which l do not believe will interfere
much with the business of other
roads"
Engineer Baker will have his head
quarters in Butte for the present.
BEGIN WORK NEXT MONTH.
Tor, net, ,ati Of