The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-03-31
RAILROAD EXTENSION PLANS OF
SEVERAL LINES WILL BE
RUSHED THROUGH
THUNDER BUTTE COUNTRY
Milwaukee will Hurry Work on This
Extension to Accommodate the
Settlers on the Newly
Opened Lands

Pierre-Last fall all the different
railroads working into the northwest
showed unusual activity in the matter
of preliminary work, and ii was free
ly predicted that the coming of warm
weather this year would mean an in
crease in the activity which would be
directed toward actual construction
work to follow up the preliminary
work which vas rushed along last fall
and in the early winter. But while
the snow is gone from the praries, n
the indications are for an early and
open spring, the anticipated activity
is only being shown in spots. The long
severe winter, with its storms and
heavy operating expenses, and redCc-
ton of revenues by delayed f%reights,
has apparently put a chill into the
heads of the different roads, VIII CHI
even the warm days that have pre-
vailed through this month have not
yet entirely dispelled.
The work of the Northwestern sys-
TEN at the present appears to be CEN
tered on the Misunderstanding and the
Belle Fourche extension. Material is
being rapidly forwarded to Belle
Fourche for the construction work on
that line out into the territory covered
with the Belle Fourche irrigation pro-
ject, and twenty-five miles will with
out doubt be pushed through early
this summer This line will reach out
through the country which will be
developed into small irrigated farms,
and will have a heavy patronage from
its opening. This line will very like
ly be in operation by early in the
summer. The line from Hitchcock to
Onida, to connect with the Blunt-Get-
tysburg line at Onida, is evidently in
partial eclipse. The engineering force
has been withdrawn from Hitchcock,
and material which was intended for
that line is being taken to Blunt and
Belle Fourche, but that line will very
likely be given more attention later
in the summer. The connection be-
tween the Pierre-Rapid City line n
that extending east from Belle
Fourche is also at a standstill, all
work being held up on that after keep
ing engineers out on the locating line
almost up to Christmas. Neither does
there appear to be any activity shown
on the extension from Dallas, which
was finished as to preliminary work
last fall, and which is beIleved to be a
part of the connection to the Belle
Fourche line.
The Milwaukee road, which graded
two lines across the Cheyenne river
reservation last fall, will probably
rush work on it's north branch out
into the Thunder Butte county early
this spring, for the handling of set
tiers on the newly opened lands, n
will likely finish their southern line
along Fox River later in the season,
with all indications of the south arn
line waiting until the northern one is
completed before any move Is made
to the south.
The Minneapolis & St. Louis does
not appear to be making any special
efforts toward continuing work west
of the Missouri from lie Beau this
spring. While they did considerable
preliminary work in that territory last
year, they have not resumed operation
this year. But they are showing in
dications Of pushing work on their
extension from Aberdeen to this city,
They have a force of engineers On lne
line who have been out since some
time in February.
The newest organization in the rail-
road line is that of the Sioux Fails and
Western line, which has been organ
lied by local Sioux Falls men, with
the proposed intention of a new line
from Sioux Falls to Wheeler in
Charles Mix county on the Missouri
river.
Outside Of this the railway activity
of the state this spring appears to be
in the way of the work on the South
Dakota interurban which has Eeen
projected from Sioux City to Biiou
Hills, near the Missouri river. The
company which is pushing this pro-
iect has been at work for more than
a year and is attempting to build It
largely with local capital to be sub
scribed along the line.