The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-01-13
BUSINESS CONDITIONS
BETTER
RAILROAD OFFICIALS REPORT
LOCAL BLOCKADE RAISED
FREIGHT MOVING.

the Rocky Mountain division are nov
a thing Of the past In fact, the bust
ness movement Of yesterday proved
conclusively that the efforts of Off
Gals and men had been crowned with
success and. for the nonce at least, tn,
Wiles and schemes of the railroad mar
had scored a distinct triumph ovel
the demoralizing effects of a record
breaking storm and period of colo
weather.
Regardless Of the fact that the stu.
alton In the Missoula yards has beer
of most formidable character, the
terminal officials have, by almost su-
perhuman effort and splendid gener-
alship in the distribution of theil
working forces, dissolved an appar-
emily impenetrable wall of obstacles
the result of the severe storm of last
week. The local blockade was prac.
tically raised early yesterday morn
| Ing and as a consequence II extras
and two locals were made up here
and shot out Of Missoula with all the
haste possible. Passenger trains were
| held little more than the specified
terminal time and passed over the di-
| vision with a minimum amount of
| time lost.
In the Yard.
1T looks good to see 'em moving
again" said a switchman yesterday
afternoon when, after hours of plung
ing through snowdrifts waist deep,
Juggling desperately at reluctant
FOL, nd c,,Il.
erence loads in station order in light
trains, a. train was made up for the
west
We'll get 'em goin' soon, you bet,
but it's ----." Here he slipped on a
snow concealed rail and before he re-
covered his equilibrium his string of
cars had been pulled away down the
ward and the sentence was never fin
ished.
Say you fellers. keep back there.
Can't you see Il signal?" These were
the breathless CALCULATIONS of Joe"
the Woody street crossing Waterman,
as he frantically waved back recall
citrant and ver-ambitious lot of
transfers who persisted in encroach-
ing on forbidden territory as a flanger
was approaching the crossing.
"They won't take no notice." said
Joe, but some day somebody's goin'
to get killed and then -" Clang,
clang, went the warning bell of an
approaching engine and In despera-
tion one teamster whipped up his
horse while another one gave a sharp
null on the reins and threw his steed
back on its launches. Neither escaped
disaster by more than the breadth of
a "red hair" but the danger did not
serve to deter the following drivers
who persistentlv refused to be gov
erned by the judgment of the crossing
flagman
Somebody's agoin' to git kilt on this
crossin' some o. these times" said
Zoe" to a bystander, land then they
will blame me an the railroad company
fer it," "If these transfers know so
blame much about runnin' a crossin."
he said, "they otter be flaggin' one
instead of tryin' to drive hosses."
BustIe Everywhere.
Not only was the hustle noticeable
on the Woody street crossing, the
condition pervaded the whole yard
Large gangs of laborers were stationed
at all the crossing and switches and
with pick, shovel and crowbar did
their best to keep the flanges and
switches free from the accumulation
of ice and snow.
A flanger operated on all the clear
tracks in the Missoula yards yester-
day and assisted materially in getting
the rails in shape over which to move
business.
Early yesterday morning the Mis-
soula rotary, equipped with a flang-
ing outfit, was sent east to Drummond
and from there to Philipsburg. The
branch will be open for regular bust,
ness today.
While all the passenger trains are
away late In arriving in Missoula,
there Is little delay attributable to the
Rocky Mountain division and In the
course of a dav or two more even this
will be eliminated.
improvement at Helena.
The general yard situation in Hell
ena Is said to be on the mend, due to
the efforts of greatly augmented
force and the guiding hand Of General
Goodell, who Is still at
that place.
On the west end there is an appre-
,iable tone of improvement and, al
though the temperatures still hug the
zero mark, the line is practically clear
md regular traffic will be resumed
Immediately.
The local officials have been ad-
Used that a consignment of hogs will
oe moved out Of Billings today, and
'hould reach here on Thursday This
shipment is consigned to Spokane and
will be double headed over the Rocky
Mountain division. A train of 10 cars
If cattle win arrive in Missou'a today |
md a train will be made up of these |
ars and the cattle now being fed at |
lagos
A switch crew spent yesterday even
ng making up solid train of ore for
anaconda. This train will go out of |
early this morning. the first
cad freight moved for a week
At the Northern Pacific general
ffices yesterday a report was received
howing that Tacoma was experience
ng the severest weather ever known
4 that section of the northwest. It is
aid the mercury reached 90 below
ero yesterday morning. and that there
'ere no Indications Of moderation.
In the eastern portion OF Montana