The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-12-23
REPORT THAT MILWAUKEE MAY TAKE
WALLACE-ST. REGIS SECTION Of n. P,
PRACTICAL MIGHT INFLUENCE ACTION OF NJ
WALLACE ON MILWAUKEE MAIN LINE-sPEcuLArIoN ON
EXTENSION
The plans Of the Chicago, Milwau

The plans OF tne Cnlcago, MllWau
kee & st. Paul Railroad company will
reference to the Coeur d'Alene dis
trict are being much discussed an(
the belief Is quite general that the ex.
tension Of the company's line from
Ceeur d'Alene into the mining district
will soon be under way That this be-
lief also prevails outside the Coeul
dAlene district by men in close touch
with railroad affairs in the north west
Ia evidenced by a statement in the
Anaconda Standard of Tuesday, which
says that railroad official with head
quarters in Spokane was in Butte last
Monday and gave 1t as his opinion
that the Milwaukee would soon enter
the Coeur d'Alenes by way of the Lit
tie North Fork, and that this opinion
was quite generally held in Spokane.
In Coeur d'Alene, which is the ternlin-
al of a branch Of the Milwaukee. 1t is
regarded as certain that the branch
will be extended to the mines, but
opinion is divided as to the route that
will be selected. The timber and min
ing resources of the Little North Fork
are of considerable present and pros
pective Importance and these would no
doubt be the controlling factors in con-
sidering that route. 1t Is the presence
of large body of white pine on the
Little North Fork and one mine that is
practically in position to ship, togeth-
er with the absence of tonnage on the
Fourth of July canyon route that is
responsible for the conclusion that the
first named route will be selected.
Other Routes Being Considered.
However, there are straws which in
dicate that the Milwaukee will take
the Fourth of July canyon route or
possibly skirt the lake and follow the
river on the opposite side from the
O.-W r. & N. Recently the Milwau-
kee made inquiry Of the management
of the Red Collar Steamboat company
If its boats were able to navigate the
Occur d'Alene river during the winter
and was Informed that they were. This
was taken to mean that the Milwau-
kee contemplated construction work
during the winter and would require
delivery of material and supplies along
the river, which would indicate that
the new line would be accessible from
the river.
May Take over N. p. Branch.
Another rumor of unusual interest
In connection with the plans of the
Milwaukee was heard this week. which
may or may not have foundation OF
fact to support it. This report is that
the Milwaukee has made overtures to
the Northern Pacific to purchase that
section Of the Wallace Missoula
branch extending from st. Regis to
Wallace, and that negotiations to that
end are in progress. When one con-
siders the tremendous business handl-
ed by the Northern Pacific over that
branch, probably one of the most pro-
fitable branches of the system. this re-
port at first thought would seem alb
surd; but the operation of the North
port smeter by the Hercules and the
Tamarack & Custer is going to divert
very large tonnage that has swelled
the profits of the wallace Missoula
branch, to say nothing of possible
changes in that respect through the
erection OF a smelter by the Bunker
Hill & Sullivan. So with this prospect
in view, and in any event the almost
certainty that the Milwaukee in some
manner will be an active competitor In
the Coeur dAlene district, it is possi-
BILE that the Northern Pacific might
consider abandoning the field to the
Milwaukee 1t is an expensive line to
operate and will continue to be until
tunnel cuts out the heavy grades.
Milwaukee Main Line.
When the Wallace -Missoula branch
was built and for a good many years
subsequent 1T was confidently expect
ed that the Northern Pacific would
close the gap between this city and
Occur d'Alene, drive a tunnel through
the divide above Mullan and make this
Its main line to the coast. Whatever
the railroad experts may think, the
public will continue to believe that
the company made a great mistake in
not doing SO. That Is the plan the
Milwaukee is now believed to be pre-
pairing to carry out. With its line ex-
tended from Coeur d'Alene 1t is feast
bic to connect with the main line on
the St Joe by way of either Pine creek
or Placer creek, and with this position
or vantage the Milwaukee appears TO
De endeavoring to induce the Northern
Pacific to turn over the section be-
tween this city and st. Regis. where
the Milwaukee crosses the Northern
Pacific and where the Northern Paci-
nc swings off on the Paradise cutoff
The acquisition Of this section by the
Milwaukee would Of course be much
more advantageous than building to
the st. Joe through side canyon, and
tne readjustment Of the ore shipments
uue to new smelling arrangements,