The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1911-11-02
The Fertile Valley in Southern Flathead
Seeking Northern Terminal With
Main Line of c.. N.
CREWS OF MEN ALREADY LINING UP FOR WORK
GRoUNDBREAKING MEETING ENTHUSIASTIC AFFAIR JOHN
SELLS TURNS FIRST sOD-MANY SPEAKERS PRESENT
OLD-TIMERs IN FLATHEAD VALLEY PARTICIPATE IN DIRT


Monday afternoon at Kalispell
occurred the ground-breaking cere-
monies of the Flathead Interurban
railway, in the presence of several
hundred people, who had journeyed
to the southwest corner of the Flat
haed fair grounds for the occasion
The first sod was broken on the
ranch of John Sell, about one mile
from the heart of the city.
Mayor w. c. Whips presided at
the ceremonies as chairman. The
first speaker called to address the
audience was l.. A. Foot, the attor-
ney for those interested in the
building of the line. Mr.. Foot ex-
pressed his confidence in the pro-
ject, as well as in Mr.. McGinnis'
ability to build it. A. L. Jaqueth
was called and he gave the project
a good word. Mr.. Jaqueth is the
engineer who has made the first
surveys for Flathead Interurban.
The last speaker on the program
was David R. McGinnis, the promo
ter of the railroad. Mr.. McGinnis
made long talk along lines of gen.
eral interest pertaining to the con-
struction and operation of the line.
He made the statement that the
investors in the bonds at the pres
ent time were safeguarded beyond
doubt, and that their money would
always be good land their investment
a good one. He explained that un-
der no circumstances of conditions
could the investors lose, as he had
taken particular pains to look after
this important point. What he said
was that the local people who are
investing their money in the prelimi-
nary work would be safe because
they held first mortgage on the
road instead of stock, and for this
reason they could not be juggled out
of it through court procedure or 9TH
erwisc, as has been done in some
railroad projects on a much larger
scale. Mr.. McGinnis was greeted
with loud cheers several times dur
ing the couse of his remarks.
The first shovel full! Of dirt, start
ing the Flathead lnterurban railway,
Was turned by John Sell. on whose
land the first work is being done
Mr.. Sell is one of the old-timers of
the valley, having come here in
1882, living here 20 years. The old
timers present were given an oppor-
tunity to come forward and turn a
spade full of dirt, as it is usually
customary to thus honor them in the
building OF railroads in the country
at large. Those who came forward
lIonday afternoon, are as follows:
John Sell, Thomas McGovern, Will
liam Elliott, Mike Gregg, Joseph A.
Edge, T. D. Duncan, D. J. Plume, B.
F. Berry, Chris Prestbye, Richard
Gregg, David Gregg. Eugene Nc
Carthy. Michel Theriault, James X.
Lang and c. M. Walker.
The incorporation papers for the
Flathead Interurban railway were
filed with the county clerk and re-
corder last Monday. They are as
follows: David R. McGinnis, w. H.
Griffin, R. P. Austin, Christ Prest-
bye and R. ]. Benn. The company
is capitalized at $4,000.
The company has opened up fine
offices in the Mcknight block, and
the furnishings are very elarborate.
The management announces that
teams will be put to work as fast
as they come in. and that they