FLORENCE & CRIPPLE CREEK AND MIDLAND TERMINAL AT LOGGERHEADS.
 
In Some Respects the Controversy Has Reached a Ludicrous Point. Each Road Has a Grade of Its Own.
 
The railway situation on Battle Mountain has assumed a comical, if not a serious phase. Three railroad companies are contending for right-of-way across the Portland Company's ground. Yesterday surveyors for the electric line, the Terminal, and the Florence & Cripple Creek railroads were gathered on the Portland territory for the purpose of devising ways and means out of the present difficulty.
 
Tonight at 9 o'clock Florence & Cripple Creek men who were armed, took possession of a certain point where the Florence & Cripple Creek and Midland Terminal surveys come together, laid their tacks, and will tomorrow no doubt continue the work of building their road as fast as possible through to the main objective point - Bull Hill. It appears that the Terminal people have already secured right-of-way across the Portland claims, having, it is rumoured, paid the Portland Company for that privilege. The Florence road has begun suit in the district court for condemnation of the ground for right-of-way, and the electric company's force of graders are also working across the claims.
 
Surveying parties for both railroads, and, in fact, each of the three roads has selected the most practicable route across the Portland property, and the result is that at one or two places the roads have surveyed to cross at the same point. The survey goes close to the Portland shaft house and through the mountain of dump by it, necessitating a very heavy expense for the cut, which will be necessary at that point. Just below the Portland shaft is where the Florence and Terminal lines made a junction, and farther up on Battle Mountain beyond the Portland territory is a narrow pass that will hardly permit the building of one railroad, both companies are at work grading. As the matter stands, one of the companies will have to build bridges over the other's tracks or change its grade to conform with that of the other roads. The condemnation proceedings that have been begun will bring matters to a settlement. It is believed here that the Terminal people simply desire to construct a line on the Portland grounds, and does not intend to go to Bull Hill. It is expected that the Terminal will take some legal action.