Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-13
0p1NQf DEPOT
ANOTHH step IN
: PROGRESS Of \. P.
New Station at GIendive to Be
Dedicated Dec. 20. Con-
sidered Milestone.
Special to The Tribune.

Glendive, Dec. 12.-The formal
opening of the new railway station and
office building of the Northern Pa
oific railway next Wednesday at Glen
dive, constitutes another milestone III
the railway development from the Mis-
souri, river westward 10 Billings,
This territory nov constitutes the
present Yellowstone division which
commences at Mandsp on the main
line and extends westward t" Bill
lings and also includes tWo branch
lines. one of which runs from Beach,
y. D., to Ollie. Mont, ard a second
from Glendive to Sidney. Mont. There
are AL miles of main track and about
so miles Of branch lines, which cross
the Little Missouri river. Powder river,
the Tongue and Big Horn rivers be-
sides MANY creeks and c%oulees. Glen
dive has always been the division head
quarters.
Unite at Gold Creek
As the steel rails left Bismarck, \.
D., ON their march westward to Glen
dive in 1881, the Missouri division Of
the Northern Pacific came, into being
ard continued until 1884, when it was
merged into the present Yellowstone
division. The original Yellowstone di-
vision began with Glendive as its first
and only Headquarters in 1881 about
July 4. when the railway tracks had
length until the tracks reached Bill
lings.
When the Montana division and the
Rocky mountain division were COM
pleted In 1883, a gold spike@was driven
ipt> tE1n tpoaE or Gold f'ypaE Mont
in September Of that year by Gen. L.
Grant in the presence of a distin-
guished audience to signify to the world
that the Northern Pacific. railway was
a united system stretching from the
Mississippi river to the Pacific coast.
Many hotahIes Present
The western end Of the railroad was
commenced from the Pacific coast and
net the eastern end at Gold Creek.
For three days the switches of the
Yellowstone division had been spiked
to permit the three special trains of
President Henry Willard TO make the
trip to Gold Creek and return in safe
ty. 1t is doubtful il a single group
of more prominent people were ever
transported over the railway system at
one time; they came from all parts of
the world and represent all classes Of
men, financiers, scientists, publioists,
authors and men Of affairs generally.
In the fall Of 1892. the Yellowstone
division was extended to Livingston.
Mont. and took in the Red Lodge
branch. This arrangement lasted until
the fall of 1894. when the road west Of
Billings was restored to the Montana
division and the Missouri division on
the east end absorbed. There are the
limits of the present, Yellowstone di-
vision.
Began as Brakeman
Many notable present day railway
men have seen service on this portion
Of the Northern Pacific railway.
Among them, J. NJ. Rapalje, vice pres
ident of the Northern Pacific railway,
who began at Glendive as a brakeman
and step by step rose to his present
position. The mar who is at present
the head OF the New York. New Haven
and Hartford railway, President f. J..
Pearson, first saw service on the Vel
lowstone. division as a civil engineer
and later as its superintendent. Others
are Newman Kline, general superin-
tendent; 7. II. Langtry. superintendent
Seattle division: g. II. Jacobus. super
intendent Of TIE Montana division, and
Andrew Gibson, in charge of the tie
treating plant at Brainard. W. c.
Sloan. the present superintendent. also
saw service on the Yellowstone divis-
ion some years ago as supervisor Of