Omaha daily bee., 1911-12-16
MILWAUKEE PLANS new LINE
Omaha to Be on Main Line to the
Pacific Northwest.
WILL BUILD TERMINALS HERE
Railroads Arc contemplating some
Big Moves In the Near Future
New LINE from Here
TO Dakota.

Fred A. Nash, general western agent OF
oago yesterday. where he went for
conference with President Earring and
other company officials. when shown the
item printed I'm The Bee Thursday 90 the
effect that the Milwaukee road Is taxi
ing steps to secure land from Fourteenth
street east and from Howard street south
FOR terminals for freight traffic, and
upon which ground the company viii
erect mammoth freight house. costing
in the neighborhod Of 100000, Mr.. Nash
remarked.
"The report Is a little premature. Far
Their than this / have nothing to say
about the Milwaukee terminals at this
time However, l will say that there are
some big moves contemplated on the
railroad checker board az this time, and
II the financial horizon clears away
within the next ninety days, as II prom
iscs 20. ! would not be surprised 70 see
the game played"
Al the time when the Milwaukee road
completed the details for tie Puget sound
extension by which II reached the Pacific
coast in record breaking time In rail-
road building, the work was so quietly
done that even the most watchfu OF the
competitors knew nothing OF the move
ment unfit the lines had been established
and the grading contracts, or many Of
them, let.
Terminals In Omaha.
While It Is not generally known, Il Is
a fact that at the time when the Puget
sound road was decided upon. II was also
decided to build 800 miles OF road IN Me-
braska. Besides this. immense freight
terminals were contemplated In Omaha
the cost to be not far from Sl,OOOOOO. 1t
was the intention that this extension OF
tho Milwaukee should start from Omaha
and run northwest. tapping the Chamber
lain and Rapid City line at a point In
south Dakota, and then going on TO the
northwest. where a junction was to be
formed with the coast line. With this ex-
tension completed. Il was the purpose OF
the company 70 make the Omaha -Chlcago
line the main portion OF the transoonu-
mental route. the through trains passing
through the Omaha gateway.
About this time stringency In the money
market set in end about the same time
there was some legislation adverse TO
railroad operation enacted IN some OF
the western states. AZ result, notwith-
standing the fact that the money had
been set aside for the building Of the line
out OF Omaha, for the purchase OF ter
inlhals here and the erection OF great
freight house. equally in every respect
TO any in the city. the deal was called
off. A~ s
Work had progressed on the Puget
sound line TO such an extent that II was
pushed through to completion.
Omahn Line Not Abandoned.
However. the Omaha line was not aban.
doned. The officers OF the road realized
the Importance Of a line from Omaha into
the northwest and kept Il In view. They
realized the immense country that II
would develop and the immense quanti-
ties OF freight that II would haul into
and out OF Il. The Officials also realized
that with the line out.from Omaha, build
ing across Nebraska and South Dakota,
they would open fed that would be
their own, as other roads for great
portion OF the distance between the two
terminal points would be 80 far away
that Il would be years before there would
be any competition.
Now. with the money market easier
and large sums OF Il seeking investment
and with indications that the era Of rad
ical railroad legislation is at an end. and
that the courts are inclined 10 look upon
railroads In much the same line as other
property owners. some OF the companies
are lining up for q period OF building ac'
tivity, commencing next spring.
IL develops that the Milwaukee, ID
among the first OF the western roads to
Jump into the breach and take advantage
OF the changed conditions that have come
about within the last few weeks. Conse-
quentIy. II is now taking the preliminary
steps not only 20 acquire freight ter
niinals in Omaha. but 20 extend It's line
lin a northwesterly direction from THU
city