The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-14
THE LAKE SUPERIOR RAILROAD.

From Our Ot0n CoTTeSpo1lden+ -, q som
ST. PAUL, MINI, Aug. 8, 1869.
Altar q most delightful journey from Phila-
deIubia. our Lake Superior excursion party ar
lived In this city on Friday evening. Thanks
to pleasant. genial companionship, the long dis
tnpce travelled was made comparatively short
onr The last day of our trip was especially
,,niovable. As we rode over the beautiful
,oilino prait-ies of Iowa and Minnesota, we were
40 fred with the view as to be hardly able 10
control our enthusiasm. This Northwest is
grand country-grand in its climate, in its pro-
ductions, and in its people
lam very much pleased with the latter. They
exhibit an energy of will and effort that would
astonioh our bustling Fasteners and they have
something tangible in the extent OF the great
empire which they and their children have to
develop. Everybody here is alive and eager on
tho subiect of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
That tonic is the first one introduced and the
main one dwelt upon by all whom we have as
vet met The whole Northwest is looking that
yyay, and had no idea of the intensity of the
feeling upon the matter until | came among
them.
Governor Fairchild, of Wisconsin, with whom
we had the pleasure of travelling short dis
tonco. EXPRESSED himself with intense earnest
ness on the subject Of this great highway across
the continent. General Hancock, who has just
arrived from Montana, says, "lhe country Is
the greatest the Lord ever made, ana the ROAD
cannot but be a success from the start Inc
Governor informed US that large NUMBER Oh
the people of Wisconsin are selling their I'M
nrovad farms to Norwegian settlers, and are
roing to Montana to live. In Chicago and st.
PAM we hear the same talk. 1t is on every
bodvs tongue-"Give us the North Pacific.
Let me venture this prediction, which believe
IL pu't bp
road shall have been opened up to Montana be-
fore it will have a larger population than Mime
sofa now has. l always was lover OF our
American institutions but this trip has made
me more so than ever. quite sympathize with
our English friends at the smallness OF their
island. We have got the greatest empire in the
world to develop, and | cannot but feel proud
that we have such an Inheritance.
And now let me say n few words about the
subject of our immediate interest here, the Lake
Superior road, in which so many of the citizens
of your city and State are largely interested. 4
short time since it had an existence only on
paper and in the brains of its wise projectors.
Many will remember what few months since it
was that the bonds of the road were put into the
hands of Messrs. Jay Cooke Il Co., and how
within fifteen days the whole loan was mar
keted.
To ascertain its true condition, we yesterday
ran over it as far as completed and for the bene-
lit OF those who have invested in it, will try to
give you its exact status. As far us my
observation and Judgment extend, it is most
admirably constructed. The road is as smooth
as your own great highways, and the station
buildings are equal to any. Everything promises
security and prosperity to the bondholders The
road-bed is well made wide. and well dtched on
every side. The grades are easy. the curves
very few and slight: in fact, ut one place the
road runs tWGnty-siN miles in an airline. The
telegraph is substantially constructed, and will
be finished in three weeks. The road-bed is
now open to Rush City iiity-four miles from St.
Paul. The road-bed is made eight miles fur
ther; and by this time next week that much
more iron will be down. The track will be laid
to the Lake division thirty miles from Duluth,
before cold weather.
As for the prospects of traffic. if the elevators
were now up and the road finished great busi-
ness would be done this wear. Its trade even
now is not to be despsed. In the single item of
transporting cord wood to st. Paul it will earn
twenty thousand dollars this year AT Snake
river, sixty million feet of lumber will be cut
this year, most of which runs into the st. CroiX,
and thence to the Mississippi. When the Lake
Superior road is open, that lumber will be sawed
at Pine City, and shipped by it to this city.
Talk about the cars coming back empty. Why
/ can tell you that the wheat traffic must look
10 its laurels, or the lumberwill beat it. Besides
anthracite coal can be brought from Erie, and
retaied here at Sll'50 per ton. The grain pro-
pellers will gladly carry it cheaply for ballast.
There is no end to the capabilities of the Lack
Superior and the Mississippi Railroad. Remcm-
ber that it will receive large proportion of the
carrying trade of the North Pacific, and contri-
butte in return to the latter, for the building of
this is now only question of two or three
years. 1t is simply ridiculous to talk of there
being no traffic between the head of the Misss-
sippi and the st. Lawrence, Mr.. Dunlap Superin-
tendent of the Chicago and Northwestern Rail-
road says this road will carry five million bushels
of grain in its first years trade. And one of our
companions, Mr. B, whose name is a tower
of strength financially and morally throughout
Pennsylvania, declares he would not hesitate to
recommend the bonds as an investment to his
dearest friend.
i will repeat that the construction of the
Northern Pacific route is urgently demanded by
the necessities of this wonderful section. and
that the people are determined TO have cont.
mental highway running by their own doors
From my partial observations and from eXami-
nations OF unquestiOned data, believe its CON
sIructlon VIII be easier than the Central and
Union route while there can be no comparison
between them in regard to way traflics. Financi-
any II cannot but prove a success Eastern folks
nave no conception Of the capabilities of these
western roads IN the past three months the
CeaIral racine Railroad had gross earnings
amounting to 81, 703, $50: ITS operating eynensee
were S92O,34l, and net earnings OF SiSS OO9
equal TO seven millions annual receints viii,
profits nearly one-half. Any one who is
acquainted with the natural resources of tbC
belt OF land stretching from Lake Superior tr
the development of mines of gold. silver COW
per, iron, coal timber, and its rich farm Land,
Will richly reward its enterprising projectors.
PENN.
CITY TELLIG ENCE,