The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-02-04
Two Big Roads to Segregate
Their Holdings and Begin
Hot Competition.
SALMON TOLEWISTON
Expect Work On Main Extension
To Begin in Near Future;
May Change Route.

Talk of the extention OF the Gil
more & Pittsburg road from Salmon
City to Lewiston as the main line OF
the Northern Pacific, Is again rife.
The Tribune this week contained the
following comment, founded upon a dis
patch from Butte:
The plans of the Northern Pacific
for changing the main line 80 as to
utilize the Pittsburg & Gilmore and
construct the connecting link to Lew
iston to secure water grade from
the Montana state line to the coast,
are disclosed in Butte. Montana dis
patch under date of January 20. The
Butte item was written after North
ern Pacific officials had returned from
a trip of inspection over the Pittsburg
& Gilmore and while the item does
not suggest who talked, the writer was
given some definite information by
informed persons relative to loca-
tion, distances and plans.
1t has been rumored here for some
time that the building OF the Pitts
burg & Gilmore to Lewiston can be
expected at almost any time but that
it's construction Is quite likely to be
Northern Pacific and the Great North
ern. 1t is said this separation is
now pending and In the arrangements
the GEAat Northern would acquire the
| Burlington road and the Northern
| Pacific would take the Chicago Il
Northwestern. The plan would then be
| to construct the Northern Pacific con-
nection from whitehall to Armstead
and from Lander. Wyoming, on the
Chicago & Northwestern to Armstead.
and the traffic of the two roads would
be routed to the coast over water
grade lines
The route suggested for the con-
struction of the line from Salmon City
to Lewiston, as reported in railroad
circles, is that the Salmon river will
be left to the south and by swinging
into the Dixie and Elk City sections
the Pittsburg & Gilmore can be con-
nected with the present Northern Pa
cific tracks at Sites with big saw
ing in milage and the elimination of
all the expensive construction through
the box canyon section OF the Salmon
river below Whitebird. The Northern
Pacific made a survey OF the Dixie
cutoff route at the time the engine
GERS were fighting with the O.-W. r.
& N. crews for rights on the Middle
| Fork.
The story sent out from Butte as to
the railroad plans is as follows
| "As a result of the inspection trip
over the Pittsburg & Gilmore railroad
by number of important officials of
the Northern Pacific, the holding COM
pany, word has been received in Butte
of a program of construction for the
road which will be undertaken when
business conditions justify the expen-
diture.
Nv. G. Johnson, of st. Paul, assist
ant comptroller of the road, made the
trip. He was accompanied by b. o.
Johnson, manager of the Gilmore road
w. ~ Bichler. superintendent and
auditor; and w II. Merriman, division
freight and passenger agent with head
quarters in Butte
1.-The resources OF the country which
is tapped by the Pitsburg & Gilmore
are chiefly mining and stock raising
industries. Both Of them are fairly
active at present, but the territory is
practically undeveloped, and 1t is said
it win be some time before business
In that territory will return any inter-
est on the expenditure made for the
construction of the line.
1.-THE program of construction of the
Pittsburg & Gilmore involves a change
in 20 miles of the road. The change
will reduce the grades over the noun
tains and will obviate the use of a long
swtchback as well as two short tun-
nels, one tunnel to be constructed
which will be nearly a mile in length
This program OF construction con-
firms the report of the big change in
the main line of the Northern PacifiS
which will give practically a water
grade line to the coast The changes
will involve a departure from the mair
! hne at Whitehall. From Whitehall the
, fine will follow a water grade to Twir
Bridges, south of Dillon a new line t.
point on the Pittsburg & Gilmore
to Salmon, Idaho, and west to the mair
line at Pasco, Wash.'
Change Center Of Population.
Should this change in route be mad,
as mentioned above, and the north an<
south road also be built connecting ui
directly with Boise, the Idaho count,
map would soon be materially changed
for new centers OF population would b,
formed and large influx OF new blooi
4 |