The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-12-24
Montana One of Few
States Where Rails
Are to be Extended
CONTINUED from Feature Page).

GA&N
Northern lines both will have COMPLETED
tracks to the heart of the Redwater valley
by the time the next crop is ready for shin
ment. The Saulte Ste. Marie railway, which
now throws a pin-pOint feeder into Mon
tana from the very nOrtheasterly corner.
has a route into the Redwater located and
surveyed. Whether this company will 20
into the race for that rich farming district |
is not known. The Milwaukee company. too
has surveyed a line from Miles iCty into
Circle and its envirOns. From all directions
the great railway systems have been figur-
ing ana planning to develop with modern
transportation this rich district.
Hold Worlds Record
Just to the north the Great Northern
has a branch line that crooks like a giant
finger through three counties. Formerly
this branch had its criminal at ScObey and
by virtue of that terminal ScObey became
known as the greatest primary grain ship
ping point in the world, aggregating in one
season more than 1900, 600 bushels. Farm |
ers were hauling 80 to 75 miles to deliver
their grain at the railroad in ScObey. Now
the branch has been extended to ODheim in
valley county a. distance of 40 miles at a
cost Of 100000.
In Southeastern Montana the Northern
Pacific built a line from Forsyth to Col
strip and now is operating at that point
the most unique and remarkable omen
trench coal mine in the WORLD.
The Northern Pacific is building into
McCene county and the Redwater valley
at a cost of $4,000, 900. It's line will run mn
the valley beyond Circle to BrOckway with
possibilities ia the future of a continuation
to the westward.
The Great Northern will c~Ontinue ito
branch that penetrates the heart of Rich
land county and has its terminal at Richev
IN the northern part of Dawson county.
Inc DTanch VIII follow up the Redwater
until 1t reaches Circle. The extension of
TINS branch is'a part of a larger scheme
which the Great Northern has on foot TO
extend a line east and west through Central
1 ANnnfnnn into I
up with its Billings Great Falls line. Conn
pletiOn of that extension, which will con
stitute a major railroad construction. will
orlng TO the Great Northern a vast new
territory that is now greatly in need of
transportation and which because Of lack
OF such facilities is but little developed.
In Western Montana
Over in Western Montana the Northern
Pacific, keeping well ahead Of the pro
gress and development of the country will
make many improvements in its Bitter
ROOT branch, which extends southwark
from MlSSOula through the heart of Ravalli
county. The Northern Pacific officials share
IN the opinion of many others that the
Bitter Root is one of the richest and most
prUnlIsihg Valleys IN all America. It's hOrti-
cultural and dairying possibilities are ire
mendOuS, and, as yet, hardly a beginning
mas been made tOWar their ultimate de-
VelOpment. Here the Northern Pacific will
reDulld It's line south from Florence into
Hamilton, a distance of about 20 miles. If
VIII bridge the Bitter Root river above
SteyensviIIe, put that town On the railroad
and tap a vast fertile district on tho Toast
side. This improvement in the Bitter Root
VIII be completed before the crop is moved
next autumn and it will cost approximately
$l,OOO,O00.
Into the Forest
In the Missoula district too. the Mil
Waukee has just finished an extension at
Its BIackfOot branch to Sunset, where the
railroad joins with the Anaconda COM
: panys logging road into the hills. The
o. COST OF This nWEnnGfnvn -
l 81 ,OOO,OOO. This construction by the Mil
l Waukee also is part of a much more pre-
tentlous plan which eventually will find
e reality. 1t is part of a short line" cutoff
l between MissOula and Great Fails. If foo
VIII DlSect a rich, but undeveloped terri
tory In western Montana. SURVEYS for a
l large part of this major railroad plan were
2 completed several years ago. and part of
the ballaSting has been laid.
thus there is in prospect for Montana
a railroad construction in the future which
VIII take the form of major expansion
through virgin territory, equivalent to main
line building, while in the last two years
this state has witnessed the DEVELOPMENT of
feeder lines and branches to a greater ex-
tent than any other state in the union.
n Three Counties Without Railways
: McCOne county next year will be with
f drawn from the list of Montana counties
which have no railroad. There are left only
carter, Powder River and Garfield, which
e next year will have no railroad facilities
OF these, Carter alone i swithout plans
e FOR railroad transportation in the neal
: future. The Great NOrthern's survey run,
5 through the very center of Garfield county
II touching Jordan, the county seat, and con
e tlnuing on through Petroleum county int,
FERGUS, connecting up with the Grea
Northern line running into LewiStOwn
" Ih1S line when it is built will be a con
tinuatiOn of the branch now reaching {,
IS Richey in Dawson county and which. mex
n summer will be extended on to Circle.
II The Milwaukee's tentative plans too, af
S. fect Garfield county. The Milwaukee ha
k a line running from LewiStOwn almost di
n rectIy eastward into Petroleum county a
d Wlnnett, which serves the Cat Creek OF
1. field. This line connects with the Milwau
n KEGS network of feeders about LewistOwu
1t including lines running to Roy, Winifreu
and Hilger. All these feeders connect Wit
W the Milwaukee's major branch line tina
lr runs between HarlOwtOn and Great Fall.
" via LeWistOwn. If the Milwaukee Shout
eventually build through from Miles Cit
t. or Terry via McCOne, Garfield and Petro
he leum counties into LewistOwn and ais
complete its Great Falls-MissOula prOie(
j. TWO main lines traversing Montana frOI
ed east to west and it will have opened a larg
Of area of virgin territory.
as Some Possibilities
I'd From time to time there has been tai
be in railroad and industrial circles that ever
~ tually the Northern Pacific would eithe
.el build or back a line leaving its main trac
an at Columbus and threading its way IN III
ch grade of the saltwater river to tap the ric
id mining district about Cook City. AnOthe
rs project attributed to the Northern Pacifi
on as future developments justify, is an eXteI
he sion of its branch up the Jefferson vale
he from Whitehall. This line now has its tern
~