The Daily Missoulian., 1909-05-04
IN NTEREST AROUSED
IN NEW ROAD
EVENTS INDICATE THAT ACTIVE
CONSTRUCTION WILL COM.
MENCE ON RAIL LINE.
Special to The Daily Missoulian.

Special to The Daily Missoulian.
Glendive, Mont, May 3.--Events of
the last two or three days, which cer-
tainly indicate the speedy COM
mencement of work on the new line
of the Northern Pacific railway from
Mandan to Glendive, have aroused
the greatest interest in this city, for
the accomplishment Of this project
| means more to Glendive and the
lower Yellowstone valley than any
single public or private enterprise
ever undertaken with the possible
exception of the lower Yellowstone ir-
rigation project.
Surveyors have for two weeks past
been engaged in locating q bridge
| site about two miles below the city:
Right of Way Agent Currle has been
working in the valley, though he was
last week summoned back to the
Shields river country in Park county,
and many reports have been current
concerning immediate building opera- =
| tions
But the most tangible evidence of
eliminating construction plans was
given yesterday, when a party of
nine prominent railroad contractors
arrived in the city, secured automo-
biles and made trip down the val
ley. Owing to the inclemen. weather
| they only went about 20 o. 80 miles
but on their return they were very
free to state that the purpose of their
visit was to look over the first 50
miles of the new lima out of Glendive,
In order that they 1nay bid intelli-
gently on sub-contra CTS, which, it is
understood, will be let in st. Paul
next Monday. The Same party or
most of them, were in Mandan before
coming here, for the same purpose.
Those in the party were: J. H.
Ellison, Minneapolis; P. Welsh spo-
kane; ]. A. Caughren, St. Paul; Will
lam Winters, Spokane; E. v. Hauser,
ST. Paul; Thomas Wrenn, Spokane;
A. B. Cook Helena, and c. p. Simms
| of st. Paul.
The last-named gentleman is the
head of Simms & Co, ST.. Paul firm
of contractors who secured the gen.
eral contract for the grading Of the
entire line, and will therefore be the
ones to let the sub contracts It was
generally supposed here that Win
ston Bros. of St. Paul, who were the
original contractors on the Northern
Pacific main line to the coast, had
also secured this Mandan- -Glendiye
contract.
When asked concerning the proba-
bic time of commencement Of work
ont the new road, Mr.. Simms ad-
mitted that he knew what the plans
are but said he was not in a posi-
tion to divulge them. But when
asked the question, point blank he
refused TO deny that the work will
begin some time this summer. From
another source it was afterward
learned that operations are likely to
be started within the next 10 days or
two weeks. Tt is known that the
Northern Pacific officials have been
more or less concerned over the ac-
tivities of 500 line surveying party
northeast of here, and it has been
rumored that the 500 has designs on
the lower Yellowstone valley
The new line from Glendive will he
great boon to the railroad COM
pany Whereas there now exist SOME
very heavy grades from this point |
east, necessitating the division of
heavy freight trains at this point and
sending them on to Mandan with |
double motive power, the new line
will provide a strictly water grade
all the way.
The line follows the Missouri river
from Mandan to a confluence with |
the Yellowstone and then comes up
the Yellowstone to Glendive. The |
grade will enter Dawson county Just |
below Sidney, the most prosperous
and populous town Of the lower val
ley 1t will follow up the north side
of the river, and, according to evident
present plans, will cross to this side
on bridge about three miles below
town, entering the city to the south.
1t is supposed to be part Of the
roads plans to very greatly enlarge
the yards, moving them out west of
town about half mile. The equip
ment will necessarily be largely in
creased, and the repair shops at this
point will be considerably enlarged.
One good railroad authority says that,
within a year, the new line will be
responsible for adding at least
thousand to the population of this
city.