Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1907-05-21
WALTER HILL
IN Tie CITY
Party of Great Northern Railway
Men Visit Lewistown-We Will
Get That Other Road.

Walter J. Hill, son Of James T.
Hill and superintendent Of con
struction on the Billings & Northern
railroad line between Billings and
Great Falls, accompanied BY Francis
+. Clark, one Of the confidential men
N the employ of the Great Northern
company, arrived in the city last Wed
nesday afternoon and remained until
the next morning
Although Mr. Hill made no prom
ises, the local railroad situation is
somewhat clarified by his visit and
the feeling of confidence that the road
Will build branch line into this
city is greater than it was before
the railroad men came in.
Says Land Prices Are High.
According to Mt. Hill, the thing
which is holding them back from
making positive announcement of
The Lewistown branch is the yery
high price placed on certain land
which is desired by the company for
terminal site.
Ills company wants at least 20
acres of this land below the city and
the owners. he said, have placed a
valuation of $1,000 per acre on the
ground This would appear to be a
little steep but those in a position to
know express the opinion that this
difficulty will be obviated when the
proper time comes.
Makes Trip to Wyndham.
Messrs. Hill and Clark were taken
out to the new townsite of Wvndham
on Sage creek Thursday morning BY
). ). Hobson in his new automobile
From there, they proceeded along the
line, IT being the intention to examine
the entire route before returning to
st. Paul. They say that the work is
rapidly progressing and that the main
line will be completed before Christ
mas.
Milwaukee Men Here.
Through coincidence. the same
train which brought in the Hill party
from Garneill, also brought in some
officials of the Chicago, milwaukee,
& St. Paul railroad Co. P. n. Sean
Ian, general agent for this territory
with headquarters in Butte General
Manager Spencer of the Montana
branch and Auditor F. w. Sharpe of
the same line, came in Wednesday
evening and spent Thursday here.
Progress of Work.
The gentlemen called at the Dem
ocrat office and gave a general out
line Of the work on the Milwaukee |
extension to the coast. The heaviest |
work now being done is the Sixteen
Mile canyon piece of tract where sew
eral hundred men are busy on one of |
the biggest pieces of railroading on
the continent Fine progress is be-
ing made and if everything goes we'll,
the Milwaukee will be into Butte by
New Year, 1903
Hard to Get Men.
The chief obstacle in the progress
of both the Milwaukee and the Bill
ings & Northern, is the scarcity of
aborers Mr.. Sharpe informed us
hat hardly one out of FIVE of the men
who are brought out from the east
o work on the Milwaukee stick for
onger than few days They have
brought thousands of men to this
state during the past year wherel
here are now hundreds actually in the
.'nploy of the company
Continue to Butte.
There are abroad conflicting re
oorts as to the intention of the Mil
.aukeee concerning the continuance1
# its line to the coast
1t has recently been reported that,
wing TO the scarcity of labor and
he high price of material as we'll as
he high price of money in the east.
he project might be abandoned by
he directors but all indications point
o continued work on the line until
t reaches Butte at least The Rocke
eller crowd who are the principal
'wners of the Milwaukee, practically
'wn Butte and are extremely desirous
# getting their road into the big /
opper camp which will furnish them
With an immense tonnage. Is