Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1909-12-02
Who Is Backing Road Building
to Lewiston?
BRANCH TO GRANGtv|LlE
Some Say Northwestern 9th
erS Say New Hill Line

p""pH elio Hiost oitdHl Tall
road building in Idaho next year will
be the construction of the mysterious
Pittsburg- Gilmore line from Armstead,
Montana to Lewiston. This line fol.
lows the Salmon and Snake Rivers
through Idaho county on to Lewiston.
just how it will reach the coast, for
it must be transcontinental line, is
subject to all kinds of rumor.
The surveyors have completed the
preliminary work to Lewiston and a
crew is now working on what is sup
posed to be branch line from point
on Mill Creek to Grangeville. Rum
or has it that Grangeville is to be on
a branch which will come up from
Whitebird and tap the Prairie coun-
try. There are others who look tor
Grangeville to be on the main line.
Whether a main line or branch, it
will be great help to this city and
the development Of the Salmon river
country will advance by leaps and
bounds. The road will place Grange
vile but several hundred miles from
an excellent coal field in I4amhi coun-
ty, do much toward developing the
mines and bringing the Salmon river
fruit lands to the front.
Some say it is a Northwestern prop
osition but others claim the N. p. is
the real backer.
President b. F. White Of the First
National bank Of Dillon, one of the
leading fnanciers Of the state of Mon
tana, after inspecting the work along
the Pittsburg 4 Gilmore road, gave
out the following interesting interview:
"rhere is still the same old mystery
as to the real ownership Of the new
line Their business is done through
our bank and it puts about $500, 900
into circulation in our section every
month. Drafts are made by the con-
tracing firm every month on Chicago
and the money is always there. The
engineering corps receiving pay
through drafts drawn personally by
the president OF the road and they
come from Pittsburg regularly. None
Of us in Beaverhoad county, or in
Montana for that matter know who
the real promoters are, but the road
is being built with real cash, and there
is no such thing as jawbone about it.
just at present the road will have to
make steep climb to get to the pres
ent tunnel, then descend again, some
thing in the nature of a 'shooffy' !,
which is often used by roads before a
tunnel is completed. Once on the
Idaho side Of the line, there will be a
water grade all the way to the Pacific
coast and this is believed by many to
be the objective point of the Gilmore
Il Pacific road, but no one knows for
certain. | have been told that the
surveyors for the road have cross-sec.
toned the grade below Salmon City
and that the penetration Of that cam
yon below Salmon City, about which
much has been said and written, is
practically assured.
As matter Of course, the people
are guessing just which Of the big
lines, if any, is behind the new road
They have us all guessing, to be frank
about the matter. \ part of the rails
came to Armstead in Burlington cars,
being transferred to the Union Pacific
at Denver. Another part came tc
Armstead in Chicago, Milwaukee Il
St. Paul cars, the Union Pacific get
ting them Oh the Council Bluffs trans
fer. just few days ago a lot OF
work cars came down to be used or
the new road, and they all carried a
big N. p. r. r. to show where the,
came from. II you can figure it out
you can co better than any of the res,
of us can do. We all have our idea.
but we do not always agree, not by a
great deal.