brought all the salt required by the numerous silver mills roasters and smelters of Montana used in chloridizing silver ores. Also all the coal and coke of Wyoming used at Butte and Anaconda. The railroad company owned and monopolized the most of these supplies and charged for them and for freights all that the mill men and smelters could stand. The exports of crude ore, and of silver and copper matte for working and refining them in the East have amounted to hundreds of thousands of tons per annum. Although respectfully requested these roads have failed to give any information as to the amount or value of their business into or out from Montana for the year past.
The first annual report of the railways of the United States, dated January 1, 1889, showed that Union Pacific Railway owned 57.99 miles of tracks that were operated by Montana Union Railway. (First Annual Report of the Statistics of Railways in the United States to the Interstate Commerce Commission for the Year Ending June 30, 1888; Google Books)
(Additional reading: Maury Klein presents an excellent summary of Montana Union difficulties between Union Pacific, Northern Pacific, the Butte mines, and the Anaconda smelter in Union Pacific, The Birth Of A Railroad, 1862-1893, pages 555-559)
March 9, 1880
Utah & Northern rails reached the Montana territorial line. ("Utah & Northern, the Narrow Gauge That Opened a Frontier" by Mallory Hope Ferrell, in Colorado Rail Annual No. 15, Golden, Colorado, 1981, page 45)
Utah & Northern reached Dillion, Montana. Construction ceased until Spring 1881. ("Utah & Northern, the Narrow Gauge That Opened a Frontier" by Mallory Hope Ferrell, in Colorado Rail Annual No. 15, Golden, Colorado, 1981, page 45)
Utah & Northern reached Silver Bow, Montana. ("Utah & Northern, the Narrow Gauge That Opened a Frontier" by Mallory Hope Ferrell, in Colorado Rail Annual No. 15, Golden, Colorado, 1981, page 45)
December 26, 1881
Utah & Northern reached Butte, Montana, seven miles east of Silver Bow. ("Utah & Northern, the Narrow Gauge That Opened a Frontier" by Mallory Hope Ferrell, in Colorado Rail Annual No. 15, Golden, Colorado, 1981, page 47)
October 3, 1882
Utah & Northern reached Deer Lodge, Montana, 33 miles west and north of Silver Bow, and 40 miles from Butte. (The New North West, Deer Lodge, 6 October 1882)
Late August 1883
U&N connected with NP at Little Blackfoot (later Garrison) in late August 1883. (Salt Lake Daily Herald, 2 September 1883, "last week")
September 8, 1883
Northern Pacific completed its transcontinental line between St. Paul, Minnesota and Wallula, Washington, driving its last spike at Goldcreek, Montana just 8.25 miles west of Garrison.
Mid April 1886
"The Utah & Northern will lay a steel rail between Anaconda and Stuart, a distance of nine miles, as soon as the rails arrive, which have been ordered." (Butte Daily Miner, April 15, 1886)
Mid May 1886
Steel for the third rail between Stuart and Silver Bow was being distributed, and standard gauge ties were being put in between the two points, every other tie being replaced with a new one. 120 men were put to work on Wednesday the 12th, and 50 more men were wanted. (Butte Daily Miner, May 14, 1886)
Mid June 1886
"The Third Rail" had been completed between Stuart and Silver Bow, and was expected to be completed to Butte in a few days. (Butte Daily Miner, June 11, 1886) Stuart was 26 miles from Silver Bow, and 33 miles from Butte.
June 14, 1886
Montana Union Railway was incorporated. "The company was incorporated June 14, 1886 and leased the property above described in its present shape on the first day of August 1886." (Montana Union Railway "Railroad Report" to the Auditor of the Territory of Montana, dated December 29, 1886, photocopy furnished by Thorton Waite)
July 23-24, 1886
The change of gauge of the 36 miles of railroad between Stuart and Garrison was completed on Friday July 24, 1886. Work to complete the change of gauge began as soon as the last narrow-gauge train left Butte for Garrison after 8:30 o'clock on the morning of July 22nd. The first broad-gauge trai