R.R. GROUNDS CHOSEN

Reprint of this story from the December 8, 1905 issue of The Grand Encampment Herald brought to you courtesy of Grandma’s Cabin, Encampment, Wyoming. Preserving History - Serving the Community.

Depot to be Built at Lower End of Freeman Avenue

While at Encampment this week President Chatterton and General Manager Hohl completed arrangements for depot grounds and yards. The depot is to be built at the foot of Freeman avenue, its front door to be exactly in the center of the street. From that point the yards will extend over to the smelter grounds.

For certain reasons it was considered unwise to state the names of the parties who have taken the grading contract for the balance of the distance between Walcott and Saratoga, last week, but it is now known that the contract was let to Michaels & Sunburg of Baggs, Wyoming. It is also stated, unofficially, that the same people have later extended their contract to cover the distance from Saratoga to Encampment. The outfit is being driven overland and should arrive on the ground and commence operations today, or within the next two or three days. The weather is now very favorable for rapid work and good progress will be made by the contractors.

The surveying party intends to make its headquarters at Encampment, next week, and finish this end of the survey. It is expected that the engineers will then be ordered to continue the survey on toward Downington until they meet the engineering corps coming this way from Fort Collins.

The surveyors from the southern end of the line are now working between Cowdry and the Big Creek ranch, with Downington as their present post office. The new road will pass close enough to the North Park coal fields to make an outlet for the great coal deposits of that section, and it is understood that in anticipation of the coming transportation advantages the owners of the coal mines are putting the various properties in shape for extensive production.

Ties are being delivered at a steadily increasing rate, the force at the Hull tic camp being gradually increased as choppers can be secured. In addition to the tie contract Mr. Hull has also just closed a contract to furnish 11,000 fence posts for fencing the road from Encampment to Walcott. Delivery of posts will begin next week. Mr. Hull is also getting out piling for bridge work along the line.

The necessary arrangements regarding right-of-way, tie and grading contracts, etc., preliminary to the actual construction of the road are now practically completed and nothing further stands in the way of rapid railroad building, except the elements, and unless they should prove to be unusually severe they will not interfere seriously with the work.

Its promoters are very confident that the Saratoga & Encampment railroad will blow its locomotive whistle at Encampment early in the coming spring.

Union Pacific Survey Corps at Encampment

The Union Pacific engineering corps arrived at Encampment Thursday and will make this place their headquarters for a few days. The U.P. survey extends up Spring creek for a short distance above Saratoga and then cuts across the plains near the Jones & Williams ranch, entering the town from the northwest. The surveyors are looking over the situation with a view to selecting a feasible route over the divide by the way of Rambler, with the ultimate intention of connecting with the Moffat line in Colorado.

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There is a general report being circulated to the effect that Kilpatrick Bros. & Collins are to commence grading on the Union Pacific branch from Walcott to Encampment the first of January. This report said to have emanated from official sources, together with the statement that money has been appropriated by the U.P. for the building of the road complete. All things indicate that these reports of coming Union Pacific operations are correct. The U.P. surveying corps is making rapid progress with cross section work.