Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-04-07
Northern Pacific Railroad.

By the Government survey of the
Northern Pacific Railroad, it is l,775
miles from Superior City to Puget's
Sound. By the Central Route it is
2,4OO miles from Chicago 10 San Fran
cisco, making difference of 625 miles.
Governor Stevens has shown, by care
fully prepared tables, that the Northern
route is 400 miles shorter from New
York city than the Central.
In its gradients, also, the Northern
route has superior advantages. The
sum of ascents and descents from Supe-
rior to Puget's Sound, is 2I,7s7 feet as
against 90, 397 OH the Central. Engin-
GERS allow one mile for every SO feet of
rise or fall, as denoting the additional
working expenses over a lever. This
would add to the Northern route 4l2
miles, and to the Central $50 miles
This added to the CPS, makes 769 miles
that the Northern route is practically the
shorter. The summit level of the Gen.
trail is 1912 feet above the summit level
on the Northern route. The principal
cities in China are from 500 to 500 miles
nearer Puget's Sound than San Francis
co: the currents in the Pacific are such
that vessels coming over, first make the
American shore opposite Puget's Sound,
and then run down to San Francisco,
thus increasing the distance much more,
aud making the Northern route at least
800 or 1000 miles the shorter.
The most surprising feature of the
country is the miIdness Of the climate,
and the small amount of snow that falls
in that latitude, and that cattle winter
there aud keep fat on the natural grasses.
Mr.. L. M. Mccoy says she wintered 200
head of cattle within few miles of the
summit Of the mountains without any
food wh, tever except what they had by
grazing on the dry grasses" He states
further that "there never has been win
ter, with all the horses and men, and
stations ten and twelve miles apart, on
the Central route, that the Overland
Mail Company has carried the mail
through on time; while on the Northern
route, with stations in places fifty miles
apart, from He'll Gate to Walla Wala, a
distance of 400 miles. Clark and Wicker
carried the mail on horseback, aud not
only carried it through every trip, semi
weekly. during the last winter (1S67),
but were never once behind schedule
time" John Wilson, late Commissioner
of the General Land Office, an eminent
authority on all questions appertaining to
the topography and resources of the
country says: "The lands along the
Northern Pacific are all fit for cultivation,
and consequently the local business aUW
support Tie road. In fact, it is one of
the most beautiful sections of country in
the world, and you travel comparatively
short distance west from st. Paul aud
you feel the influence of the Pacific
winds, and strike the lsothermal line of
southern Illinois, and where cattle can
pasture the whole year. The mineral
wealth along the line is almost incalcul-
able" Edwin johnson, Chief Engineer
of the Northern Pacific Railroad, says
two thirds of the population Of the
United States are nearer 10 time and
distance to Puget's Sound than any other
portion of the Pacific coast; and that the
gradients are so easy that it will require
only about four days from New York to
Pugets Sound. Mr.. Johnson's report
was made in November, 1867, at which
time he says the population has grown
SO rapidly within the last six years that
Helena City has a population of about
5000; Virginia City 5000, and many
smaller places 1900 to 5000. He
further says that Governor Stevens was
of the opinion that of the whole distance
from the Red River to Puget's Sound
only one fifth part is uncutivable; and
says that the one fifth must be made up
of mountain ranges and high lands,
whose slopes being covered with timber