The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-01-18
NORTHERN PACIFIC AND MILWAUKEE MAY
RACE TO OCCUPY NEGLECTED FIELD
INDICATIONS THAT FORMER is PREPARING TO CLOSE LINK BE-
TWEEN WALLACE AND coEUR Observation-Disclosures
MAY BE SEEKING TIE RMINAL IN WALLACE

some railroad company TO close tht
van between this city and Coeul
gAlene, certain movements have beer
made during the past two weeks thai
Indicate that the long wait is nearing
an end, and that the field SO lone
summed by transcontinental roads
will soon be the scene of a race be-
tween two of them to see which will
occupy it first. OF course, one can
never tell what railroad company is
going to do in the way of extention OF
its lines until all possible obstacles in
the right of way and terminal facili-
ties have been removed, but it is GER
tain that Some things have transpir-
ed during the past few weeks which
Justify and form the basis for most
interesting speculation as to the i'm
mediate plans of the Northern Pacific
and Chicago, Milwaukee e. ST. Paul
with reference to the missing link"
between Wallace and Coeur d'Alene.
Northern Pacific investigates.
AS has been frequently pointed out
in this paper. the abandonment by
the Northern Pacific of it's valuable
right of way from Wallace to Old
Mission has long been looked upon as
an astonishing blunder on the part of
that company, and the failure of the
company to complete its so-called
cutoff by closing the gap between
Ta1 has al
ways been regarded as serious err
ror Of judgment. Later man
agement of the company it is learned
has long entertained the same opin-
quo in the Occur d'Alene district was
maintained, the company seemed not
disposed to take any steps to rectify
the mistake. But the activity of the
O.-W. r. & N. in the extension of it's
lines up Beaver creek and the certain
ty that it will also occupy Pine creek,
the threatening attitude of the Mil
waukee which is lowering with jeal-
Gus eyes on the outskirts of the dis
trict, and the heavy tonnage of ore
that has been diverted to the North
port smelter and handled as far as
Spokane by its rival, have all appar-
entity combined to arouse the North
ern Pacific from it's lethargy as far as
the local situation is concerned. That
this is true is indicated by the pres
ence during the past two weeks of a
special representative Of the company,
who it is stated investigated the old
right of way from Wallace to Mis-
sion with the view to finding some
opening by which the company could
regain it's abandoned rights. 1t is not
likely that he found any encourage
ment in this respect. Since his re-
turn a report has been received at
Kellogg that the Northern Pacific
company has definitely decided to
make it's Missoula branch a cutoff in
fact, building at once the link be-
tween Wallace and Occur d'Alene,
there to connect with the branch from
Spokane. This would place the com
pany in a position of advantage in
handling the ore from the mines to
the Northport smelter, the entire haul
being practically on it's own lines.
Looks Like Milwaukee, Too.
Along with these interesting rumors
and reports regarding the Northern
Pacific comes another even more in
teresting regarding the Milwaukee,
for II involves the possibility Of the
early construction of an electric line
in the same identical field. When the
Milwaukee entered Occur d'Alene at a
tremendous expense for right Of way
and trminal ground on the lake front,
it was believed then and the opinion
still prevails that its ultimate pur-
pose was to extend it's line into the
Coeur d'Alene district, for 1t was
plain that the advantages of entering
the lake city were not in keeping
with the heavy expense. Passing 9TH
er details which have heretofore been
referred to and which appear to con-
firm the prevailing opinion, it is now
regarded probable that the recent con-
tract entered into by the Washington
Water Power company and Montana
company composed of Anaconda Cop
per men to furnish a large amount OF
electric power was in the interest OF
the Milwaukee as represented by the
Anaconda, the two concerns be-
ing closely affiliated. If this be true,
then the power is to be used to elec-
trify the Milwaukee lines.
Seeks City Block.
Last week mysterious gentleman
who halls from Seattle dropped into
the city and Immediately got in touch
with Wallace real estate men. He
wanted not less than a city block. the
closer to the business section the bet
ter, and was willing to- pay for the
improvements in order to get the
ground ne wanted He was shown
several blocks that would meet re-
quirements, secured all necessary data
regarding them, took a map OF the
city upon which all necessary nota-
tions had been made, and left the city
as quietly and mysteriously as he ar
rived. He gave no intimation OF what