The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-03-01
N. P. SURVEYORS
LOCATING line
GREAT NORTHERN SURVEYORS
DOING PRELIMINARY WORK
IN M'kENZIE COUNTY,

Schafer Record; @. e. Coons, a
Northern Pacific engineer, with q
crew Of about fifteen men pitched
camp e the Shoe Bar ranch Sun
day. They have been hard at work in
that vicinity since their arrival, look
ing up a short cut from the Shoe Bar
ranch to Cherry creek.
Surveyor Coons is of the opinion
that he will have no difficulty in To-
eating a good grade for the short cut.
He says there is a very good pass up
Seven-Mile creek and down Alkali
creek. Should the company finally
decide IN this cut-off the county seat
Of Mckenzie county would be some
three miles away from the railroad
when the line is constructed. It
would come just near enough to
Schafer to make its population real
ia how easy 1t is for civilization to
trot past her doorstep. AS Cherry
creek, above Schafer, makes a large
bend the railway company will, by
going up Seven-Mile creek, shorten
it's line approximately six miles.
Mr.. Coons and his crew came into
the county from Dickinson. where
considerable speculation is rife, as to
which Of the several preliminary sur
veys through this territory will be
selected for the location of the line
and where the road, If built, will con-
meet with the main line on the east.
The Dickinson Press, in a writeup on
the subject, says the road will be
built from Stanton in Mercer county,
through Dunn and Mckenzie counties
to a point on the Yellowstone near
Sidney, Mont. The Press story will
be found in these columns with two
or three other articles which would
lead n to believe the Dickinson pa
per was not far wrong.
Judging from the work being done
by the Coons crew. the crew report
ed to be at work down the Little Mis-
souri, and work to be done by a crew
which is expected to arrive soon, the
road will, in all probability be built
from the Yellowstone to Elbowoods on
the Missouri, thence to Turtle Lake.
Just where the line will be built is, of
course a matter for speculation. At
the present time the surveyors them
selves do not know where the line
will be located. They say the road
will pass within a few miles oil Schafer
however. and that the work of con-
struction will begin very soon.
These surveyors were sent out to
locate q grade for a line of railway on
one of the preliminary surveys through
this territory. AS the ground is not
only frozen but covered with snow
they will not be able to make much
Roadway at their work. The fact
that they were sent out here to do
this work at this season of the year,
when it is almost an impossibility to
drive stakes into the ground. is sig
nif1cant. The work could be done
later in the a at less than half
the expense. The N. p. oficiaIs may
have some other reason for sending
their men out here at this time, but
1t is the opinion Of many, including the
surveyors themselves, that the work
is being rushed so hat graders can
begin operations as early in the spring
as the weather will permit.
Surveyor Coons will move camp the
latter part of the week to near the
Madison Bros. ranch. near the mouth
of Cherry creek.
Beside the N. p. surveying crews.
there are no less than three large
crews of Great Northern surveyors
doing preliminary work in the rounty.
Like the Northern Pacific surveyors.
these crews are doing their best under
the circumstances. to run a line
through the county nearly paralleling
that being located by the N. p. men.
Although one Of these G.. NJ, crews
is now doing preliminary work on the
Little Missouri river below the r. b.
Gore ranch, The Record received in
formation from a reliable source, that
the road would pass through, or very
near Schafer, The a who gave out
this information also stated that the
line would be constructed. He failed
to state. however, just when building
operations would begin.
C. c. Randall, who is thoroughly
familiar with every foot Of this terri
tory. is acting as guide to j. M. Phil
lips, who has charge OF, the work here.
! Randall piIoted MI. Phillips through
this part Of the county when he made
a reconnaissance last winter.
t