The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1914-01-10
n lew Ry.~GaIr,p
Is Pitched
Northwest Of Fayette. n. P. Sur.
veying Crew Looking for Better
Grade Through Bad Lands
10 Sidney.

The Northern Pacific Ry. Co. has
evidenced the fact that it intends push
ing the construction Of the new branch
line through Dunn county by putting
locating Darty2aint0 the field west of
Dunn Center The party, which is under
the direction, Of Engineer Norman
Woody, will be scamped in the Bad
Lands, about 20 miles west of Dunn
Center, at q. point 10 .or IL miles north
west of Fayette. Their purpose will
be the revising of the present located
line, which runs south of the kildeer
mountains and into the heart of the rich
Mary country, with view to obtaining
a better grade through the Bad Lands.
The Westerns Dakota Ry.. as the
branch is called. runs north and, west
of Stanton, through Mercer county and
along the valley of Spring creek into
Dunn county, The ultimate terminal
or connection will be at Sidney, Mont,
where the N. p. branch from Glendive
already extends! The total distance
from Stanton to Sidney-will be about
140 miles. - - .- ',.,
The construction which was carried on
during the past year, with a force of
over 500 men, steam shovels, grading
machines andsnnall grading outfits. re-
suited in the completion of grading to
Dunn Center, a point 81 miles west of
Stanton, and approximately g or 10
miles northeast of Manning. Early the
past fall the company commenced the
laying of steel and with the continued
good weather succeeded in reaching
Golden Valley, or Olanta, the new rail.
road designation for Golden Valley.
situated close to the border of Dunn
and Mercer counties, a few weeks ago.
The towns established along the route
of the new line are all growing rapidly
! Olanta, the present terminal, has sew
eral elevators, two banks, hotel, mer-
camille store. etc., and is serving as
marketing point for the farmers in the
Halliday country, who stored their
crops, waiting for the coming of the
road. Hazen is the first town out of
Stanton and is situated at mile post
IL. Beulah is next and is located at
what was formerly the Troy postofice.
q distance of some 20 miles from STAN
ton. Zap and Olanta are situated at
mile posts n and "a. Halliday has
been moved to u point mile and a
half southwest, designated by the town.
site department of the company and
is Al miles from Stanton. Townsites
6 and have received no official names
and are located at mile posts 48 and
Sc respectively. Dunn Center is located
at mile post 81 and will in all likely
hood be the future terminal of the new
line. II is the geographical center of
Dunn county. e4-.i-
The country which the new line taps
and opens up. particularly the Spring
Creek Valley. is one of the richest and
most productive portions of North Da-
kota. In this respect it is similar to
the Knife river country. 1t is about
to IA miles north from the Western Da-
kota Ry. Co. line to the Missouri river.
Along the river is fringe of Bad Lands
country which is valuable for grazing
purposes. Il
I While the centralizing of the business
in Dunn county will have some adverse
effect upon Dickinson. cutting off some
of the present trade from the north, it
will be in, measure Offset by increased
settlement Of the land between the two
roads Dickinson will ever remain by
virtue of its central position, its rail-
road facilities and. its business and
civic prorgessiveness, the natural and
Illogical metropolis and business center
of Western North Dakota.