The Northern Pacific's Rails To Gold And Silver-Lines to Montana's Mining Camps-Volume 1:1883-1887-A Signed Copy by Bill & Jan Taylor---A first printing in 1999---Although it's a used book, it's in excellent condition. (See Pictures)

*****In 1883 the Northern Pacific Railroad completed its main line through Montana. The restrictive language of its charter and the conservative nature of its management prevented the NP from building branch lines to developing gold, silver and copper mining camps such as Rimini, Marysville, Philipsburg, Victor and Butte. James J. Hill of the Great Northern Railway recognized the NP's omission and began building a railroad into the territory. By 1886 the NP, aided by Helena banker Samuel T. Hauser, was in an all out war to protect its mining traffic sources. Rails to Gold and Silver: Volume I covers Northern Pacific's construction in Montana  between 1883 and 1887 which resulted in the completion of the following seven branch lines: the Rocky Mountain, the Helena & Jefferson County, the Helena & Red Mountain, the Helena & Northern, the Helena Boulder Valley & Butte, the Drummond & Philipsburg and the Missoula & Bitter Root Valley Railroads. Rails to Gold and Silver: Volume II will cover the construction of the rocky fork & Cooke City, the Red Bluff & Pony, the Butte Short Line, the Elkhorn Branch, the Gaylord & Ruby Valley, and the Missoula & Coeur d' Alene Railroads between 1888 and 1893. Share with us this bit of Montana's history.