The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-12-08
WAHPETON KEEN
FOR new LINE
Construction of South Track
For the Northern Pacific
Would Be Important

Wahpeton, n. D.. Dec. S.-With the
renewal Of the report that the Nor
thern Pacific will construct a new mail
line through North Dakota, lying
about thirty miles south of the pres
ent main line. Wahpeton is becoming
unusually interested by reason Of the
fact that such construction work
would very likely result in the opera
ton of many of h fast trains through
this city.
In North Dakota the completion of
this project which has been under con-
stderation several years. would mean
the construction of about 100 miles
more of railroad. The connecting
links in the line across this state
would be from Edgely, in LaMoure
county, to Cannon Ball. in Morton
county, while the second link would
be from Mott, the present terminus of
the Cannon Ball line. to the west
boundary line OF the state.
The Dakota Links.
The first Of these links would be APP
proNimately ninety miles long and
would cross the counties of Logan and
Emmons, with about twelve miles of
work in LaMoure county. Forty-two
miles Of that line would be in Logan
county, and the remainder in EN-
mons. This link would make neces-
sary the construction of a new bridge
across the Missouri river. %soundings
for which have already been made.
In the western district the line
would go through a part of Hettinger
county and acros Billings county,
thirty miles being in Hettinger and
the remainder in Billings county. The
line would join the main Northern Pa.
cif1c line at Miles City.
From the twin cities to the coast
this line would mean a shorter haul Of
about thirty or forty miles. and Wah-
peton sees visions of being on the
main line Of the road in the event the
construction work is done.
Taps Good Territory.
Territory in North Dakota that
would be tapped by this line is in It
self no little inducement. In Logan
county only the 500 line operates at
present. sc the Northern Pacific would
thus be dealing its enemy a blow. En-
mons county has twenty-five miles of
Northern Pacific line now. being a
north and south line, while the east
and west line would cross it probably
a short distance north Of Linton.
The extension of the western or the
Cannon Ball line is practically certain,
there the company is opening up
land which now lies far removed from
dIiTOdO IdCllltleS. lnlS is particularly
true of a portion Of Billings county,
where the Northern Pacific would
cross about thirty miles south Of its
present main line, and twenty miles
north OF the Milwaukee railroad.
Hettinger county the new
main line would practically parallel
the Milwaukee for a distance Of about
thirty miles.
An easier grade and a shorter route
are the objects that would be attained
by the construction of this road.
Much Work Done.
The Northern Pacific as q factor in
the North Dakota railroad construc-
world was this year all import.
ant. In two extensions it laid a total
of 1856 miles, more than any other
railroad in the state laid and placed
in operation. OF that mileage 1O8
miles is in the Pingree to Wilton
while the remainder is in the
to Fort Clark branch, and
extension will be made longer
next spring when operations are re-
sumed and the line pushed to Stan
ton.
On the new main line the most inn
portant points in North Dakota would
be Wahpeton, Lisbon. Edgeley, La
Moure, Linton, C%annonball, Mott and
possibly Marmarth, in the event the
went hat far south in leav.
Ing the state at the west boundary.