In the late 19th century, railroads played a crucial role in
the development of Montana's economy. Robert A. Schalla examines early
efforts to bring rail transport to the New World Mining District near
the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park and Red Lodge–Bear
Creek Coal Field in south-central Montana. The saga began with a chance
discovery in 1866 and follows the exploits of individuals who worked to
bring rail transport to the mines of southern Montana. Starting
with Northern Pacific's unsuccessful efforts to build a railroad
through Yellowstone, this story follows the struggles of various
privately financed schemes to develop the vast mineral wealth of these
two regions. A youthful entrepreneur from Milwaukee succeeded in
financing a railroad to the coal fields, but his plan to extend the line
to the national park runs afoul of John G. Smith, president of the
Northern Pacific, who was determined to drive him out of business. The
story dives into the motivations and background of these individuals and
their ultimate triumphs and failures.
The completion of the
Montana, Wyoming & Southern Railroad (MW&S) in 1906 resulted in
the creation of three new towns and six separate mining operations. The
MW&S was one of the few privately owned lines in Montana that,
despite forces aligned against it, maintained its independence until it
was abandoned. For nearly fifty years it formed an important part of the
state's economy as the Bear Creek mines supplied private, commercial,
and industrial consumers with some of the highest-quality coal in the
state.
