Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1912-06-11
DIVISION POINT
IS NOW ASSURED
LETTER FROM HIGH OFFICIALS
OF GREAT NORTHERN RE-
CElVED BY COMMITTEE.
.|NSURES GOOD PAYROLL
Enterprise Of Citizens Of Lewistown
in Raising Fifteen Thousand Dol.
lars Is Justified BY Prospects Of a
Very Important Industry-Letter
From Mr.. Gilman.

From Mr.. Gilman.
Hon. J. D. Waite, chairman of the
railway committee Of the Lewistown
Commercial club, last week received
from high officials Of the Great Nor
thern Railway company assurances
that divisional point for freight and
passenger traffic on that road will be
established in this city. This happy
which have been in progress for sew
eral months is a source Of the utmost
satisfaction to the railroad committee
and a matter for general good feeling
among the residents of Lewistown.
Well Worth the Price.
When the citizens Of this place sub
scribed the tidy sum of fifteen thou
sand dollars for the purpose Of ac-
quiring the ground which the railway
company desires for freight and pas
senger divisional point, they did SO
with hearty good will and gen
eral feeling that a fine investment
was being made. There can no long
er be any doubt on that point. A
divisional point here is certain to grow
into one Of the most important indus
tries in this part of the state. 1t will
insure for LewistoWn steadily in
creasing payroll, add to it's number of
substantial citizens and promote the
welfare of the community at large
In Center Of State.
With the completion of the line now
| in progress of construction, LewistoWn
will be on the main line of the Great
Northern. It will not only be the
main line, but the shortest and best
built line which that company will
have in operation between st. Paul
and the Pacific coast. Some eight
| hundred miles Of this road will be in
Montana and Lewistown will be in al
most the exact center Of that eight
hundred miles. Being also located in
the geographical center of the state
and with the best territory on the
entire line tributary, LeWistown will
naturally develo pinto most impor-
/
| TEN.
Mr.. Glman's Letter.
The letter, written by Mr.. Gilman,
assistant to President Grey, and coun-
tersigned by Mr.. A. H. Hogeland, chief
engineer, and Mr.. ]. T. Maher, right
of way and tax commissioner, is as
follows:
St. Paul, Mimi, May 20. 1912.
Mr.. John D. Waite,
Chairman, Railway Committee, Lew
istown Commercial Club, Lewis.
town, Montana.
Dear Sir:
Referring to our previous CORE
spondence and to conference re
Gently held with representative
committee consisting of yourself, Mr.
Johnson and Mr. Belden, all in the
matter of the agreement on the part
of the citizens of Lewistown to do
nate to the company the additional
land required in case we should de
termine to make Lewistown divi
sional point: l beg to say that I un
derstand the citizens have succeeded
in raising $15,000.00, and that yor
feel that it will be extremely difficult
to increase this amount The prop
erty made necessary by the establish
ment of our terminals at Lewistowr
will cost something between $4,000
and $25,000, so that the company
would itself be required to contribute
between $4,000 and $4,000 in order
to acquire the desired property. Your
people have done so very we'll, and
the amount raised is so substantial
that l do not think we would be JUS
titled in refusing to make Lewistown
a divisional point on account of your
failure to contribute the entire sum
needed, and we, therefore, will not
ask you to contribute any sum in ad
dition to the $4,000 you have already
raised. This sum may be turned over
to Mr.. Maher, our right of way and
tax commissioner, with the under
standing that Lewistown will be made
a divisional point.
think you will appreciate that
the exigencfes of railroad operation
sometimes make 1t imperative that 9
division point be moved, and that nc
one having the management of rail
road can safely say that a division
point will be maintained for all time
at given place, and our offer made
herein should be understood with ref
erence to this rule. do not see al
the present writing that any such
exigency is likely to arise in the fu
ture, but felt that absolutely candid
dealing required me to call your at
tentSon to the possibility of its aris
ing. The investment that we will
! make and the advantageous location