The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-03-12
CHIEF ENGINEER PEARSON OF
PUGET SOUND ROAD DENIES
UNOFFICIAL REPORTS.
NO POMP OR PAGEANTRY
New Railroad Eschews Red Fire and
Brass Band Effects and Proposes to
Turn Completed Line Over to Oper-
ating Department at Once-Plans for
MissouIa Depot Under Way.

There will be no golden spike driven
on the line of the Chicago, Milwaukee
& Puget Sound railway. The rails of
the new line will be joined from east
and west about three miles and half
east of Bearmouth, but it will be
merely a case of completing the work
of construction and nothing more.
William G. Rockefeller will not play
the Henry Willard act, despite the
dramatic program that has been ar
ranged at various times by those who
know nothing about the matter.
Ready in April.
Present indications are that the line
will be completed by the middle of
next month. This week the last four
miles in the Columbia river are being
closed up by the tracklayers; rails are
being laid in the st. Paul pass tunnel
and east of Missoula in the He'll Gate
canyon the track is being laid as fast
as possible. The interference of the
lines of the Northern Pacific and the
Puget Sound lines east of Bearmouth
has led to a common use of about four
miles of track by the two companies,
and it will be along this stretch Of
track that the last rails will be laid;
the tracklaying proper will be COM
pleted at Missoula, where the west
rails now have their terminal. The gap
east of Bearmouth will be closed later
No Pomp or Paaeantry.
1t has not been the policy in the
construction of this great line to burn
any red fire or to beat any drums and
there will be no adoption of this pol
icy when the work is completed. When
the road is finished it will be turned
over to the operating department;
there will be no time lost driving
golden spikes, but the yellow cars will
be in motion over the new rails as
soon as it is possible to start them.
The announcements which have been
made regarding the driving of golden
spike are all without official warrant.
Chief Engineer Speaks.
THE practical completion of the line
will be here at Missoula," said Chief
Engineer Pearson yesterday. "The ar
with the Northern Pacific
by which we are running over the
Northern Pacific track east of Bear
mouth exists because that line is de-
layed somewhat in getting it's new
track incorporation along there. Un-
til this Is done the old line, which is
along our route for a distance, will be
used by both roads. But the work will
continue westward until the tracklay-
ers reach the west rails here at Mis-
soula; this will mark the practical
completion of the line: the later work
east of Bearmouth will be a bit OF
patching. But there will be no golden
spike ceremony; you may make that
announcement positively"
For MissouIa Station.
Continuing, Mr.. Pearson said 1T
may interest your readers to know that
we have a prominent New York archi-
tect at work upon plans for our sta
ton in Missoula, and the building will
be something Of which am sure your
people will be proud. 1t will be To-
Gated just west of the Higgins avenue
bridge broad steps will lead down the
bank from the street above, and the
design will be made with special view
to harmonizing the building with it's
The plans are well along
and will be ready for the builders in
a short time"