, 1923-03-04
GILLETTE URGES
.LAND BOARD To
GET NEW ROAD

entitled to great weight. He has no
other AK TO grind that the states ak
FOR the general good
Mr.. G1lette's letter follows:
To The State Land Board:
4 few facts regarding section SO at
Sat Creek and the proposition OF a
Wyoming and Montana railroad from
Casper via Buffalo and Sheridan and
Miles City. Mont. may be Of value at
present.
'Messrs. Werner 2. Reed, J. 3. Ne
Kinnie. and Oliver II. Shoup, of Colo
rado Springs, Colo, acquired some
10000 acres OF land adjoining sheri-
dan; realizing the possibilities OF the
development OF his country from
what they had accomplished in Colo
RADIO. they determined 10 build the
wyoming.Montana railroad.
Tells OF Salt Creek Find
"As a railroad locating engineer, I
made the report on this project, which
contained the following statement: "A
high-grade Illuminating oil has been
found recently at Salt Creek in wells
flowing 1000 barrels per day n to
all appearance n OF the best and
greatest oil feds in the country has
here been discovered
''On July %. 1910. I received a letter
from Oliver H. Shoup. containing the
following: I'VE nay desire 10 send
nm oil expert into the Casper oil fields,
not with the intention of going into
the oil business. but TO have a report
which will give US some idea as TO
what outsiders think OF the future
possibilities Of the field .
on July IS. 1911, Mr.. Werner z.
Reed wrota me from Wiesbadnn.
Germany, as follows: 7 am going to
Paris tonight and early next week
up the light again for the Wyo-
ming-Montana railway and I have n
kind OF 'hunch' that this time I shall
get the contract signed . ,
Asset to Railroad
IT also received statements that
the French people concerned, were
a great interest in tho report
the new oil discoveries and these
were considered by all as a great as
TO the proposed railroad. As the
proposed railroad was considered
from other natural a good
investment. the addition OF the oil
fields made US feel sure that the road
be built.
from william y. Fitzhugh,
also a lease on Section SO and add
tional leases secured from Mr.. Fitz-
hugh anu Judge Henshaw Of the Cal
Oil company. Section SO prin-
and the other leases. entirely
crowded the building OF the rail
road. to the great disappointment OF
tho people in the northern part of the
state. It would be very appropriate
should this section cause the building
OF the railroad at present. and not a
second time prevent its being built.
It seems as tho this section should
have caused the Midwest to have built
railroad. rahter than to have pre-
It.
Completely OF titles in tho Salt
Creek field n the great amount OF
work entailed in opening UP this field.
as well as the asst amount OF money
TO be made with the oil killed the
building OF the road.
Profitable Investment
1.-THE proposed railroad. IL con
Etructed. would have been n very
profitable investment IN which the
state would have realized an enor-
nous increase in assessed valuation.
The along the proposed
road would have been doubled IN
value in irrigated lands n our coal
would hnve had double the tsr-
ritory accessible to supply.
'The supervisor OF the Big Horn
reserve tells me that this re-
serve, as a resort. when made aces
sihIe, will exec, those OF Colorado and
he has been stationed on the Colo.
reserves. his opinion is OF value,
rNo n fully realizes tho import
to the state of this proposed
north and south railroad. One OF the
II not actually the best part
of the state in natural resources, IS
-ut Off from the state on account OF
.ack OF railroad transportation. 1t is
On the slope to the Yellowstone river.
and. therefore. at present more trib-
itary 10 Montana than Wyoming. 1t
nas been the great desire OF the PEG.
pie here for the past rs years, TO be
connected with the central and eouth.
part OF the state by a railroad.
Depends on Boards Action
There appears Il be a wonderful
opportunity 20 secure this much de-
railroad at the present time. do
pending upon whet action the state
board takes in tho coming lease OF
SO. We appreciate the great
work performed by the Midwest OF
& Refining companies Of the state. It
has been OF great value to all con.
-erned and no doubt will continue TO
Dc for a log time TO come.
Tho proposition at present before
state is IN a much larger scale,
Greater benefits than ever before are
10 be realized. because II it re.
suits in securing the desired railroad
he country will be developed further
n oil, irrigation. coal mining and In
many other ways impossible TO secure
n any other manner.
at is a very conservative estimate
the assessed valuation along this
route would be doubled. which means
IN addition Of hfty million dollars IN
value to the state. besides Joining this
northern section 70 the state. where
K r%ightfully belongs IN It's business
and sociHl relations.
Would Attract Capital
HNTNa N-nHm- - - 0