The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-12-16
MILWAUKEE, BELIEVED TO Be PREPARING
n OENTER THE COEUR OALENE DISTRICT
WOULD HAUL NoRTHPoRT sMELTER-RUiLD DOWN LIT.
TIE NORTH FoRK-coNNEcT WITH MAIN LINE BY WAY
OF PINE OR PLACER CREEKS.

There is a growing belief that the
chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul rail
road is planning to enter the Coeul
dAlene district, and while it must be
admitted that tangible evidence in
snnport Of this belief is still lacking
there are nevertheless indications that
onen up a fruitful field for speculation
Tn the first place it has never seemed
reasonable nor in harmony with the
nolicy of that enterprising and aggres-
siye railway system to believe that 1t
would be contented to remain just on
the outskirts of this great tonnage pro-
dncing district and allow it to be mon
opolized by two of its rivals, and when
If extended branch to Occur dAlene
IT was believed that it's ultimate aim
was to enter the Occur d'Alene district,
for with three railroads already enter
ing the lake city it was impossible to
see any good business reason for the
Milwaukee to make that a terminal for
branch road. Subsequently the Mil
waukee acquired valuable ground just
east of its station from the Occur
d'Alene Lumber company, which was
taken to mean that it contemplated
extending it's tracks beyond Occur
d'Alene. In that event there could be
only one objective point and that is the
Coeur d'Alene mines.
Down the Little North Fork.
A perfectly feasible route to this dis
trlct would be down the Little North
Fork, the divide at the head of which
is low and could be easily overcome
without tunneling. This stream is
good prospective field for a railroad.
there is one mine there now that has
shipped considerable ore and is now
preparing for extensive operation
which will insure regular shipments.
1t is a section of splendid possibilities
in the way of mining, and railroad
would give a wonderful impetus to
mining development. In addition to
mining there is vast body of White
pine timber on the stream, much or
which is said to be owned by lumber
company closely affiliated with the
Milwaukee railroad The handling of
this timber would be no small induce
ment for a railroad to enter that Sec
tion. and taken in connection with the
mining operations present and pros
pective, it is believed that the business
in sight would be sufficient to justify
railroad in selecting that route.
Pine Creek or Placer.
That railroad representatives have
been making close investigation OF
Pine creek recently seems to be pretty
well established, but what railroad or
railroads is not known. The great ac-
tfvity in mining along that creek and
it's tributaries and the actual SHIP
ments of ore that will soon be going
out can hardly have failed to impress
railroad companies with the growing
Importance of that field. The distance
from the head of Pine creek to the
main line of the Milwaukee on the ST.
Joe is not great and the construction
of a connecting branch on practlcal
grade would involve driving only a
short tunnel. From the time the MIL
waukee main line was built down lhe
St Joe the prediction has frequently
been made that the company Would en-
ter the Coeur d'Alene district by way
of Pine or Placer creek. The FORMER
is the favorite route for railroad
builders on paper, due mainly to the
unusual mining activity down there'
but placer creek has it's hackers also'
AS a straw Indicating the purpose Oh
the company, it is stated that the com
pany has a branch logging road al
ready on the opposite side OF the ol-
vide at the head of Placer and II Is
claimed that the heavy steel and gen.
orally substantial construction OF TINS
branch indicates permanent use. ~
enter through Placer creek would orlhs
the Milwaukee into the heart OF the
district by the shortest route
Haul Ore to Smelter.
The situation which has revived III
terest in the plans of the Milwaukee
with reference to the Occur d'Alene
district is the purchase and remodel'
ing of the Northport smelter for th'
tre-+,1ent Of Occur d'Alene ores. 1t il
pointed out that by extending It's Inc
T. TINS district from Coeur d'Aiene az
outlined above it would be in posltlh u
to have direct haul from the mines
to the smelter at Northport. II no"
has a line from Coeur d'Alene TO Met
aline, within Is miles of Northport anc
plans are now being made to Close
this gap. Delivering the ore from th'
mines to the smelter will mean DIS
business for the railroad company ina
gets it, and for that reason II Is pe'
lieved that the Milwaukee will go az
ter 1t by entering this field. Should
do so it would naturally follow that
connection would be made with th'
main line on the st. Joe, which woui'
place it in position to compete for tn'
business Of the Coeur d'Alene distric
Renarnl1v