The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-06-03

". B MTG II L. EDITOR.
a. Thursday, Juno 8, 1850.
SHALL WE HAVE A NORTHERN Pa
'<'' CIFIC RAILROAD:
The St. Paul Press, referring to the
speech of Mr.. W. B. Ogden, Of Chi
oaeo, made at the Cooper Institute,
New York, on the Northern Pacific
Railroad-the outline Of which was
given 10 last weeks JouRNAL-ver-
tares theopiuion that Jay Cooke 4 Co.,
the agents of the road, will not lie able
to borrow upon upon its land Sun
amount sufficient to ensure its continu-
Gus construction throughout from Lake
Superior to the Pacific" This leads it
to tho scheme which inspired the arti-
ole, viz, that the Northern Pacific,
instead OF commencing at Lake SUPERB
or, shall have its beginning at the ter
minus; of the Main Line Of the St.
Paul aud Pacific Railroad on the
western boundary Of the State. The
Chamber Of Commerce, or certain men,
bars Of it, were struck with the same
brilliant idea some time since. We
then took occasion to refer to and de.
nounce the scheme. 1t acquires no
new dignity nor does it come in less
questionable shape frcm its new spon-
eor.
Without doubt the proposed arrange
ment would be eminently satisfactory to
the denizens Of the present capital Of
the State, but it would scarcely be ad-
vantageous to the North Pacific or ac-
ceptable to the people Of Minnesota a,
large. The.road would bsshorn Of its char.
acter as a national thoroughiare; ii
would be anything else rather than 9
Northern Pacific Railroad !; it would
dwarf into a respectable feeder for :
State line. Minnesota would be de
prived of the immense advantages
which would accrue from the construc
ton Of road such as has always beer
contemplated through route from
Lake Superior to the Pacific Ocean.
The statement of the Press that {
sufficient amount to build coutinuou:
line cannot be obtained on the lands
may readily be admitted. We venture
to say that no person has expected
it could. But the Company ccult
commence the construction of Its roat
at the west end of Lake Superior
building ria St. Cloud, the Sank. Val
ley aud Alexandra to Fort Abercrom
bio. While the body of lands secures
might not be very great, they would il
the main be valuable. And further
: the road would pass through
country which would render Ii iron
thu first day Of its operation more thai
self-sustainiug, country SUSCEPTIBLE o
the highest degree Of cultivat on
From Fort Atercrombie west
ward, there would be no difficulty i
obtaining the full gu ia Of nd*
and settlement would rapidly follow tn
laying Of the rails After this Their
would be every hope O. obtaining f.o,
government subsidy. TIE justice ,
the demand would become so NANTES
that no Congress could fail to recognize
it.. Our financial ondition would tb Re
undoubtedly be better, and the bushes
Of the present Pacific road would de
nonstrate the necessity for this Northern
line.
What We maintain is this: That t,
commence the Northern Pacific railroat
at the western boundary of the Stat
would be to take from it its Nationa
character; that it would considera6l,
and unnecessarily lengthen the dis
lance; that it would render the pros
poets for obtaining subsidy less favor
able; and that it would deprive large
portion of the State of much needle,
railroad facilities. The Main Line vii
fully meet the demands of the extend
ed district through which it passes, anc
this pcrversion of the North Pacific is no,
necessary for its benefit. As the Min
neapois Tribune, in an able article on
this matte says:
One would naturally suppose that the news, aper1
Of Minnesota are bound to consider the interests
their own State The great fertile and undevelopee
country Of Northern Minnesota il looking 10 tn,
northern Pacific a. the agency by which her ar,
TO be settled and her resources developed
the road at Breckenridge and will he Of local id
will DO cut of and left out in the cold.
The people of Minnesota will insist that the North
efn Road when commenced shall be commenced at
IT. proper initial point, the head Lake Superior
Let the company begin there build all they can, ant
their Means do not bold out government
aid vi! b. forthcoming. But no government ait
VIII be furnished to more fragn sntary line"
The Philadelphia Press also recogni
ses the importance Of the through rou {
-"the great Northern Railroad from
Lake Superior through Minnesota and
across the Plains to Columbia river
bringing US 800 miles nearer to the en-
pire Of Japan than the present Pacific
Railros9." It adds: