The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-04-15

Following instructions received from
the engineering department of the
Northern Pacific in Missoula, the sur
Veying party which has been camped
at Stevensvile since Monday noon lett
by team yesterday morning for Flor
ence fully equipped with all neces-
sary impedmenta for running a pre-
liminary survey line. About noon yes
terday the first stake was driven FOR
the proposed StevensVille- -CorVallls
loop of the Northern Pacific railway
and before nightfal considerable
headway had been made by the party
in the direction of Stevensville.
The squad is under the supervision
of Engineer Walter Peters. who re-
ceives his orders from H. c. Westfall
of Missoula. The party of which Mr..
Peters has charge has been operating
in Washington for some time and was
sent to Stevensville direct from Ritz
vile, under instructions from the
Northern Pacific engineering depart
ment 1t has been learned that Mr..
Peters carried, as transportation for
himself and IA men, a Northern Pacific
pass and that the complete equipment
Of the party is that of the Northern
Pacific line.
A New Loop.
From a man who is known to be
closely connected with the engineering
movements of the Northern Pacific in
both Montana and Washington it has
been learned that it is the intention of
the Northern Pacific to make sur
vey which will run from the old wa
ter tank about three miles south of
Florence to Riverside, about one mile
north of Hamilton, at which place the
new loop will connect with the old
line. The route proposed will give the
towns of Stevensville and Corvallis di-
rect railroad facilities and will give
the Northern Pacific first choice of
right of way along the east bank of
the river, opening a more densely pop
ulated territory than that now ira
versed by the railroad.
Non Committal.
Engineer Peters is non -committal in
relation to the work in which his party
is engaged. He admits that pre-
liminary survey is to be made but re-
fuses absolutely to say between what
points the line is to be run or for
what length of time the party is to
be in the vicinity of the Bitter Root
valley He admits, however, that his
headquarters will be in Stevensville
for a length of time variOusly esti-
mated at from one month to one year.
The members of the corps are more
reticent than their chief
To Butte Also.
Yesterday it was learned that in ad-
10 inc Of ha
Vile Corvallis loop around the east
side of the Bitter Root river, the
Northern Pacific is contemplating a
survey which would give them route
directly east to Butte from either
Hamilton or Stevensville along the ter
ritory through which the proposed
Stevensville Anaconda electric line is
expected to pass. This route is one
which has been surveyed several times
in the past for steam lines, the last
preliminary being made in 1894 by the
late Marcus Daily.
line from Anaconda to Hamilton
would run almost directly east and
west but the construction of a line
through the country named would be
fraught with more difficulties than a
line from Anaconda to Stevensville,
taking in the Georgetown lake, thence
northwest to Phillipsburg and then
westerly to Stevensville. The latter
route would be a trifle longer than
the one to Hamilton, but would be
through a better territory and would
require no tunnelng, while a bore
nearly two miles in length would be
necessary through the Skalkaho pass,
about half way between Anaconda and
Hamilton.
Cheaper Route.
When the former surveys were made
it was found that line could be built
to Stevensville by way of the lake and
Phillipsburg for about $2,5OO,o00,
while the Hamilton line through the
Skalkaho pass would require an ex-
penditure of more than $4,000,000. 1t
is argued that one of the two routes
mentioned is in contemplation by the
Northern Pacific engineering depart
ment as a short cut to Butte, the dis
stance being less than 100 miles, while
the present line by way of the He'll
Gate river and Garrison gives the
Northern Pacific a mileag. of 100
miles. 1t is believed that the Northern
Pacific is seriously contemplating one
the east which will eliminate such a
tie-up as was experienced during the
June floods last year.
Lends Color.
The fact that an electric line from
Anaconda to Stevensvile is being
projected lends considerable color to
the reports that the steam road Is to
Suryav fhrouph the Rurnt Fork mass
Immediately. Plans are already under
way by the business mems organiza-
tions of both Anaconda and Stevens
vile to help in the construction of
the Clark electric road from Anaconda
west through the Georgetown lake
country to Philipsburg and Stevens
vile, thence north to Missoula, with
branch line running from Stevens
vile to Hamilton The Butte, Ana
conda & Pacific railway people recent
ly constructed grade from Stuart to