The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1913-09-19

W nav "NiIl@iId ICCuS HlOIS
than anything else at the pres
ent time is better railroad facil
tiles. says the Butte Miner in {
leading editorial.
The Miner says further:
In spite of the fact that within
the past few years a new trans
continental railway has beer
built across the state, and this
road and others have constructed
numerous branches, it is still
true that, in spite of this, rail.
road construction is tagging be-
hind the development and actual
necessities of the commonwealth.
1t is probable that no matter
how enterprising the transpor-
tation companies entering this
state might be, they could not
keep pace with the remarkable
growth of Montana during the
last few years, so that the rail-
way corporations are hardly to
be blamed for being a little be-
hind in their extension work. .
A few weeks. ago the Miner
gave it as his opinion that there
was no line in this state that was
as badly needed as one bringing
the Flathead country in closer
connection with Butte and the
southwestern and southeastern
portion of the commonwealth.
Since making that statement
this newspaper, after a more
thorough and closer investiga-
ton, is still more firmly con-
vinced regarding the absolute
correctness of it's former dcclar-
alton.
Not only that, but anyone who
crosses that portion of the Flat
head reservation which was
thrown open to settlement three
years ago, cannot help believing
that some railroad will be obliged
for selfish, if for no other reason,
to tap this wonderful grain pro-
ducing country.
The miles and miles of waving
fields of grain encountered on
the stage trip from Ravalli to
Poison surrounding Roman tell
their own story OF the immense
tonnage that awaits any railroad
that has sufficient enterprise to
go after it.
The Flathead reservation field
is a rich prize held out to any
transportation company that has
sufficient get up to go after it.
Here is a large area of most
productive land raising many
thousands of bushels of grain
every year that has no railroad
facilities at all, and it would not
be surprising that while it is cry
ing for one railroad today that
just as soon as it has one line
built other competing roads,
jealous of their rivals business,
will also build into this section.
That is the usual procedure.
Frequently a district may be
held back for want of transpor-
tation facilities for some time,
when of a sudden one company
will start construction work,
which is an immediate signal for
other companies to do likewise. |
KaIispell is badly in need of
railroad, for owing to
changes made in the Great MOI
thern line, it has been left on a
branch of that system. .
Ever since the Milwaukee built
across this state, it has been re-
ported that that company would
a line up the Blackfoot
and Swan lake country into Kali
ispell, but after extending a few
miles from Bonner work was
on this extension and it's
completion is still hanging fire.
Both these lines are needed
badly and as far as the road
across the Flathead reservation
IS concerned, the railroads with
in striking distance of this Won
lerfully fertile section that have
failed to build in there, are vir-
tually guilty of an economic and
industrial crime.
Quite a number of local men