The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-20
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY.
(srnnts-prosnects

Grants-PrOspects.
The Chicago Tribune gives the following compre-
hensive account of the plans of the Northern Pacific
Railway COmpany:-
1T is known to our readers that the president and
some OF the directors of the Northern Pacific Rail-
way are engaged in making personal inspection
OF the route for that road. One party started east
ward from Puget's Sound some weeks ago, and Gov
eThOT smith, the president OF the company, and
Others, are making their way westward from St
Paul and Lake Superior If these parties make
favorable reports 1t is understood that Jay Cooke n
Co VIII at once take the financial management of
Ine concern, and work will be commenced in ear
nest Nearly enough is already known to satisfy
ttp ttapiIasts mat, II economically and honestly built
the road Will be financially successful. The com
Pally may as well make up their minds to build the
road on its own intrinsic merits and the magnificent
land grant made by Congress- or allow it's charter TO
!apse; I0r subsidy in bonds, in the present cOnd-
pected. va
IIf the company build the road in good faith, they
VIII become the largest landed proprietors in the
world. Congress has granted them every other sec
uon lor forty miles on each side of it from the head
OF Lake Superior to Puget's Sound or the Pacific
Ocean; that is belt of country west from Lake Su
Rerlor entirely across the continent forty miles wide
The distance is in round numbers seventeen hundred
miles, in all sixty-eght thousand square miles terri
tory enough to make three States large as Illinois,
like ninetenhs of that along the Union and Central
Pachc Railways, worthless; the surveys made years
ago and the accounts Of ell travellers agree that the
country along nearly the entire line Of this road ia
capable not only of cultivation, but of sustaining
large and highly prosperous population The mine
estimated. II should be remembered also, that the
climatic lines after passing the head of Lake Supe-
rlOr Dend lar away towards the nOrth that il is
as warm in the Saskatchewan and Assiniboin valleys
as it is many degrees further to the southward-say
IN middle and perhaps southeastern Minnesota IL
is fact well established that the SHOWS on the line
OF this road Will probably never form any obstruction
to railway travel Captain Mullen crossed through
the pass named for himself between the headwaters
OF the Missouri and the Columbia, six times during
the winter OF 1S64-5 and never found the snow more
than fifteen inches deep.
"The entire country between the head Of Lake Su-
perior and the north bend OF the Missouri embraces
probably the largest and finest body OF timber lands
and the most extensive tract of wheat lands in the
United States. We should not be surprised If the
company shall realize money enough from this vast
tract OF valuable country alone to build their whole
road. The valley of the Missouri, above its northery
bend is not wide, but still much of It, as well as the
valleys of its tributaries valuable for farming pur
poses. The valleys on both sides of the mountains
are numerous and very productive Cattle, horses,
sheep require care except that of the herds
man, to propagate them in almost endless numbers;
for so mild is the climate and so rich the grasses
that they can live all winter without any hay or
provender Of any kind, beyond what they find in the
valleys and upon the sides of the mountains. The
stories we have heard as to the number OF the ocks
and herds of the old mouHtaineers at the head
waters of the Missouri and the Columbia appear
almost to border on the fabulous.
eve have already referred to the mineral riches
Of Montana and Idaho. Probably no section OF the
continent is richer or offers inviting field for
permanent investment Certainly the Northern
Pacific Railway have a most magnificent inheri-
tance If they have the energy and the enterprise to
build their road and therefore to go in and possess
it, Not many years will elapse before other men, il
they can obtain the same grant, will build the road
If the present company fail to do it.
'rhe ease and cheapness with which the road can
be built are important elements in its success. Our
readers may not be aware that steam communica-
tion can be opened entirely across the continent on
the line OF the Northern Pacific Railway by building
Cloud on the Mississippi the present terminus Of the
Minnesota Pacific Railway, to the north bend Of the
Missouri Is ESQ miles From st. Cloud, at distance
river OF the North, reached, thus openingup steam
communication with Pembina and the vast terrific
rio nf thn nj md Ra
'"The commerce OF this country by ox-carts has
long been most important item in the prosperity of
st. Paul. Small steamers run up the Upper Missouri
from its most northerly bend some 800 miles or
more, to point from which it is only 300 miles to
the navigable waters OF the Lewis Fork OF the CO.
| lumbia- There is already a good wagon road over
this part OF the lines. The highest summit is very
little than 5000 fee-3000 feet lower than that
| of the Union Pacific on the Black Hills; ana the
railroad can cross 1t, as we have been told by WELL
| informed parties, at maximum grade OF seventy
| two feet to the mile, From the point on the Lewis
Fork of the Columbia, at or near the mouth OF the
Pend d'Oreles, the n river Is nayiga6le west some
wagon road, already built, furnishing, we are as
sured, good route for railway for $50 miles, the
| Columbia is reached, on which steamers have for
several years been running to the Dales; and thence
by rail and steamer the way is open TO the Pacific
"This ready communication to the different sec
tOns of the road to be built is most important ee-
ment in estimating the cost OF its construction and
OF course, It's future success Knowing these facts
parties have seriously discussed the project OF put
ting on an express line from st. Paul to Oregon as
the different sections OF land travel 2sO 3OO and 1850
| miles, could be crossed by teams and stages trans
| mitting whatever freight and passengers might
| otfer The thing would probably have been done
before this had it not been feared the railway COM
pany might very soon make the project Improbable
'1n regard to the facilities for building and run
ming the road IL is well understood that they are far
better than those which have been overcome In con-
strucng the Central line. The grades viii be very
much better, for there will be but two summits-one
over the Rocky Mountains proper, the other where
the road will cross the highlands between the Lewis
| and the Upper Columbia The Central line must
haul their cars over some haf-dozen or more sum-
| mits with steep grades and for more than a thou
above the sea. On the contrary, the course OF the
Northern Road will be mainly up the valley of the
| Missouri and down that OF the Columbia IL will
| undoubtedly have two termini-One at Portland
oregon, and the other on Pugets Sound, and in the
latter the shortest route may require the cross
| ing OF an additional summit in passing from the
Valley of the Columbia; but this will not vary essen
may be based in reference TO the facility OF Operating
! the road. ...N ~ t'f
"Besides the large local business this road would
| be sure to create and command by the deyeopment
OF the rich agricultural districts along its line and
that Of the vast mineral resources OF Montana and
| Idaho, 1t would have very great advantage over
the Central road in better grades and In the i'm
mense through business It would attract, It is a
thousand miles nearer, perhaps more, from Chicago
and the great Atlantic cities 10 Japan and China by
| the Puget Sound route than it is by San Francisco
Ships passing between that city and Asia always sail
north OF the Straits OF Fuca in order 20 follow The
shortest great circle 10 their destination Hence the
northern line would have the most important adyan-
tages in competing for through trade and traiic he
tween Eastern Asia and America" -'r'-
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