The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1921-12-09
RAILROAD PROJECT
PRELIMINARY Work

There was II" sudden outburst OF
enthusiasm for railroad project at
the regular Chamber OF Commerce.
meeting Monday night at the Powder
River hotel, but it was argued that
something should be done in this d.
rection and that the promotion OF =
railroad for this country should have
its preliminary work initiated by the
commercial club.
The railroad proposition was taken
up in business-like manner and giv-
en- the most careful consideration.
There was the cOncensus of oDiniOn
that railroad for this country is an
absolute necessity and that once in op-
Grafton it would mere than justify the
investment. The resources of the
country both present and prospective
are more than sufficient attraction for
the promotion Ct Il railroad project
and in addition an inducement will he
offered by the people themselves that
will pay more than 80 per cent Of the
cost of construction. The discussion
brought out tho fact that railroad
would make farming on large scales
pay in this country whereas under
present conditions nearly all the profit
is absorbed by long team and truck
hauls to the nearest railroad points,
sometimes as far as 100 miles away.
Livestock. cCal and oil industries
would be stimulated and production
increased Other lesser fields of en-
deavor would become important.
Never before was there such a coun-
try SO receptive for railroad as this
land of promise which is even now
in fairly prosperous conditions as COM
pared to other portions Of the country
much worse off than here
1t was argued that there must he
sonnet hing more definite than mere idle
talk to induce a railroad into this
country. There must be complete sta
tistical information giving estimates
on tonnage imports and exports and
other kind of data. All such prelim-
mary work must be complied and II
the time is propitious new or within
the next year two that task will
be undertaken under auspices the
Chamber of Commerce. Questionnaires
mailed broadcast Will provide the
method for compiling the data neses-
sary to interest the promotion OF
railroad.
Schedules for raising funds for a
railroad on an acreage basis were men,
ticned as 81 an acre within n distance
of five miles from q right Of way and
graduating from that sum to distances
Is miles away. Railroad guarantees
would be raised through pledges or
notes as liens upon the land. BrOadus,
the county seat could he depended
upon to do it's hit for a railroad.
Such was the sist of the railroad
discussion with talks by David j.
Bcnge. John w. Jansen. William JAMS
| sen. Charles :. EinseL Charles f.
Lewis. n. a. Burkey, S A. Holt. A. w.
| Heidel J. T. Blenkn-r, John l.. Scofield
! and Hugo Camplin.
! The railroad proposition WAS taken
Iup by the Chamber of Commerce in
| difference to the wishes of the Coal
VIC cd delegation who were present at
| the invitation of the president. s. A.
Holt, vice president, presided at the
meeting. \ committee. consisting OF
Hugo Camplin, Charles s. Einsel and
| William Jansen. was appointed to
| communicate with parties outside the
| state but vitally interested in the fu-
ture development of this country, to
lassurc them OF our operation and
Willingness in proceeding with the
preliminary railroad promotion.