Omaha daily bee., 1909-06-16
WORK ON WYOMING HILL LINE
Construction Of Second Burlington
Route Will Start Soon.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY HoLDREGE
General Manager says They Are Now
Asking for Bids to Build Forty
Five Miles to Join the
North western.


The second route of the Burlington
through Wyoming will soon be under way.
This announcement has just been made
by G. w. Holdrege. general manage of
the Burlington. upon his return from Chi
cage.
The surveys have been made and we are
now asking for bids for the construction Of
the line from Kirby, forty-five miles south
to a junction with the Northwester road.
west Of Shoshoni," said Mr.. Holdrege. The
line will move south through the Big Horn
gorge from T~hermopoiis and will pass over
the top OF the dam and power plant Of the
Big Horn Power company and then follow
the river to a point west OF Shoshoni. We
will begin the construction of the road at
once II the bids for which we are asking
are what we consider reasonable"
A year ago the Burlington expected to
build this line, but Asmus Boysen had be-
gun the construction OF the enormous dam
at the entrance to the canyon and the
railroad people thought they were shut out
from using the canyon because of the
heighth to which the dam was to be built
Several surveying outfits were put in the
field and a strenuous effort was made TO
find a line that would permit the Burling-
ton to cross the mountains without using
the gorge. Although several surveys were
made, it was found the necessary tunnels
and cuts would cost the Burlington
81, OOO, 600 more than II II used the gorge.
After many conferences 1t was decided to
use the gorge from Thermopolis to Boy
sens dam and so to make the grade thai
the road would pass over the top of the
dam.
Picturesque Route.
This route will give the Burlington one
OF the most picturesque roads In the United
States. The rocks rise on each side or the
river TO a height OF 800 feet and the road
will be blasted along this cliff. high
enough above the river to cross over the
top Of the dam.
The new route will make a much shorter
line for the Burlington into central wye
minis and will make a second line across
the state of Wyoming and also from
Omaha to connect with the Northern Pa
cific. The present line Of the Burlington
through Sheridan is crowded until In the
rush seasons II is almost impossible to get
trains over the road and it Will be more
crowded now that the connecting link has
been built between Billings and Great Falls
| connecting the Burlington with the Great
Northern.
Large tracts Of Irrigated and will thus
be prt in closer touch in Omaha by the
building OF the new line.
mo arrangements nave been made fol-
the use of the Northwestern tracks from
Shoshoni to Grin Junction where the North.
western Joints the Colorado & Southern
owned by the Burlington" said Mr., Hold
rege. However, that line will be built al
once to connect with the Northwestern.
II is the intention OF Anus Boysen to ir
rigate $1,000 acres of land at once and this
will be prepared for the settlers as soor
as possible. The Burlington thus will come
in touch with the rich Wind River country
and the new line will make a shorter out
let to market for the products Of the Bis
Horn Basin.