The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-02-10
RAILROADS WILL EXTEND
THE MINNEAPOLIS & ST. LOUIS,
NORTHWESTERN, ST. PAUL
AND OTHERS
The Twenty-Year-Old Grade Between
Aberdeen and Pierre Will be
Used oy M. & ST..

has seen a fine advance. The North
western, st. Paul and st. Louis each
have large plans for the coming sea-
son and il is not certain that the
Great Northern will not also add
something to the gaiety of the stu
alton.
The st. Paul has under considera-
ton two ines entering the newly
opened Cheyenne River reservation
lands. The grading is practically
completed, and the lines will be rush
ed TO completion in the early spring
to accommodate the settlers coming
out to occupy the lands, indeed both
lines would rave been finished before
spring had this been an ordinary win
ter. but all work was abandoned w
ing to the severity of the weather
early in December. The principal or
these branches leaves the Pacific coast
extension at the Missouri River bridge
and runs almost directly south, cross
ing the Moreau, until the crest OF
Fox Ridge, separating the waters or
the MOreau M Cheyenne, is reached
and thence turns westward and traV-
erses the crest of the ridge Until the
reservation is crossed. and for the
present terminates on the line sepa-
rating Meade and Perkins counties In
range s. The second branch leaves
the first one described where it cross
es the south line of Corson county
and runs directly west into the opeh
lands.
Twenty years g Pierre, under a
contract with the then Management
of the Northern Pacific railroad.
graded a lin from Pierre to Aber-
deem. The Northern Pacific was to
build from Minor. N. D.. to Aberdeen
and then iron and operate the Pierre
line. Soon after the Northern Paci-
fc went into bankruptcy and Pierre
was left holding the bag" Numer-
Gus propositions have since been
under consideration for ironing the
grade. but nothing further has ma
terialiZed until last summer when q
contract was made with the Mime
apolis e. st. Louis by which the COM
pany took over the grade and ar
ranged to iron and operate 1t. The
company gives assurances this Will be
done as soon as the winter breaks.
The st. Louis has also completed a
survey across the western part OF the
state from the Missouri river at lie
Reau, I'm a general way following the
Fox Ridge, and has announced It's in
tention of bridging the river and ex-
tending the line at least into the wes-
tern portion of the reservation at
once.
When the Northwestern learned
the Minneapolis az st. Louis was
ready to invade its territory by build
ing TO Pierre it at once undertook to
protect itself, by building into the re-
gion the Minneapolis e. st. Louis must
traverse. 1t has a line under con-
struction from Blunt directly north to
Gettysburg. Grading was well ad-
vanced when the freeze up and heavy
snow put an embargo on further prog
ress. The company has also survey
I'd and purchased the right OF way
for n line running from Hitchcock.
Peadle county, directly west TO Onida
Sully county, upon which building
operations will be pushed at the
opening Of spring. Northwestern par
tisans think these new lines will keep
the st. Louis from building into the
region, but the officials Of the latter
line saw they are not dismayed by the
opposition.
The Northwestern will also con-
struct in the spring a line connecting
the Hawarden branch with the Do
land branch. This requires building
from %Iroduois north to Doland, a dis
lance Of about forty miles, and win
give the Northwestern a continuous
line down the east bank OF the Jim
river. dominating that section thru
out the state.
The Northwestern has also an
nounced it's determination to push the
Bonesteel branch westward from Dali
ttS Ft'l - iiiBp 'ouhiys 81 thaN ~ ~
be in a position to command the en-
trance into the lands about to be op-
ened in Mellette county.
The Belle Fourche valley line is al
SC a Northwestern proposition. IT Is
located and partly graded from
wildwood eastward to White Owl in
Meade county. and It Is announced
eastward connection with the Pierre
Rapid City line somewhere In the
Bad River valley, the point not yet
being definitely settled. The natural
course would be from White Owl
down the Cherry Creek, crossing the
Cheyenne at Leslie and thence cross
ing the ridge to Frozen Man or Lance
Creek to reach the Pierre line at or
near Wendte. The officials prefer
this location, but there is an OBJ
lection to 1T because of the fact that
the Cherry Creek valley Is within the
portion OF the Cheyenne reservation
not yet opened. The new govern
to open all the and Of the reservation
not yet allotted. and If this prospect
seems hopeful the line is likely to be
built as indicated. Otherwise the
junction probably will be made at
Philip. Pierre Is greatly interested
in the enterprise, for II the Cherry
Creek route Is chosen II opens q vast
and rich region to Pierre merchants.
The Northwestern is carefully
accommodating the territory, and has
n large force OF surveyors in the field.
II is the plan to leave no section un-
exploited. to hat end hat any inva-
sion Of fits territory car be promptly
checkmated. With every possible
section covered with preliminary sur
veys, II will always be in a position
to build before any adverse interest
can get into the field.
Several interurban lines are being
exploited. Considerable grading Is
done on a line from Brookings to
Sioux Falls, but II is reported that
financial embarrassments have come
upon the enterprise. There is much
discussion OF n trolley from Sioux
city to Bljou Hills. and a good deal
Of money has been spent in survey
ing. II II reported hat bonds have
been sold for the line. The SURVEYS
run through rich, well settled regions
with exceedingly poor railroad factli-
ties.
Pierre-Ranchers n western STAN
ley county are much encouraged over