The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-06-18
ANOTHER RAILROAD TO BLACK
FOOT.
(Pocatello l,ripune.)

l. q +
FOOT.
(Pocatello lripune.l
That the Short Line will built
a line of railroad from a convenient
point on the Mackay branch to Sal
mon City and thence to Lewiston
with branches to Challis on one end
and Grangeville on the other, was in
dicated this morning by the fling a,
the Office of the country recorder Of
Bannock county of articles Of incor-
tporation Of the Lemhi & Salmon Val
ley Railroad company, a five million
dollar corporation, with Vice Presi-
dent and General Manager Bancroft
OF the Short Line at its head. The
principal place of business of the new
company is Pocatello.
The Oregon Short Line will solve
the north and south railroad ques-
ton by the substitution Of a line
from the southeastern part Of the
state to the north central part, with
a water line grade almost from the
Snake at Blackfoot to where, after a
swinging around a mammoth circle,
that turgid stream mingles Its waters
with the Clearwater and leaves the
state near Lewiston.
Authority for the construction OF
Isuch route was claimed by the Short
| Line this morning through the filing
| of articles of incorporation of the
LeIhhi & Salmon Valley Railroad
| company, with a capital stock of
$5,000,000, with shares at 500 each,
| and with it's principal place of bust
ness in Pocatello. The incorporates
are A. H. Bancroft Of Salt Lake, vice
| president and general manager of the
Short Line; j. M. Davis, general SUI
perintendent; William Ashton, chief
engineer; Farley L. Williams, general
counsel and w. R. Armstrong Of Po-
catello, acting superintendent of the
Mountain division. Mr. Bancroft Is
president of the new company, G.. X.
Smith, of Salt Lake, Mr.. Bancroft s
private secretary, is secretary; Mr..
Ashton is vice president, and G. Fl.
Jenkinson, treasurer of the Short
Line at Salt Lake, is treasurer The
directorate consists of Messrs. Ban
fcroft, Davis, Ashton, Williams and
hRrmstrong.
~ t The Proposed Route.
The articles of incorporation pro-
vide for the construction, equipment,
operation and maintenance of a broad
gauge railroad from a point near Ger
70 Grande, on the Salmon River rail-
road, better known as the Mackay
branch from the main line at Black
foot, through and along the valleys
of Birch creek and the Lemhi river
in a northerly direction to Salmon
City, distance of 148 miles; thence
in northerly and westerly direction
along the valley Of the Salmon river
to the western boundary of the state
at or near the confluence of the Sal
mon and Snake rivers, distance of
240 miles; thence along the east bank
of the Snake to Lewiston, a distance
of 40 miles; also branch from Sal
mon City to Challis, distance Of So
miles; another branch from a suitable
point to Grangeville; and a third
branch from the new line at or near
Kaufman to point on the main line
of the Short Line between Market
Lake and Camas station, a distance
Of 35 miles, making the total length
of the new line and it's branches 525
miles.
Stock in the new company has been
subscribed to the amount of $5b7,5 500
as follows: Mr.. Bancroft, as trustee,
$4,000, and Davis, Ashton, Will
liams and Armstrong, each subscribe
for 500.
The proposed route from Cerro
Grande north to Salmon has already
been surveyed, and big corps of en-
gineers is now in the field below Sal
mon on the river of that name, racing
with Hill engineers.
The new road will open up one of
the richest mining districts in the
northwest
For long time the knowing enter
tanned the idea that when the Short
Line built to the Salmon river coun-
try, 1t would go via Mackay and Chal-
lis, over the high divide between
Mackay and the Salmon river, down
that stream past Challis to Salmon
and thence on down to the Oregon
line.
The route finally selected is shorter
and presents less engineering diff
culties. The new road will leave the
Mackay branch and follow up Big
Lost river to Birch creek, thence over
the divide into the valley of the
Lemhi, crossing the Lemhi reserva-
ton and entering Salmon from the
east.
The proposed branch from Salmon
to Challis, however, will afford con-
venient outlet for the mines of Gus
ter county and the laying Of rails will
be followed by marvellous develop
ment.