Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-03-30
tgatchman s. journal.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 80, 1870
TERHs-s2O0 per year. strictly In advance or i25o
fnni mid wlthln thrne months.


from "a point near the west end oi Lake Nu-
perior TO Puget Sound. with branch to
Portland, in Oregon on the Columbia River.
The land granted to the coporaors was ale
tcrnato sections Of forty miles ia width and
and twenty in length But, Notwithstanding
the favorable provisions of the charter the
Directors Of the road were unable to gain
the ear and confidence Of the capitalists of
the country. In 1861 the company was re-
organized. under the Presidency of Hon. j..
| g Smith. Of St. Adams. At the time he
accepted this position, many Of his friends
looked upon it as chimerical project. But
having satisfied his own mind that it was leas-
bile, and necessary TO the development of the
highest interests Of the nation, he embarked
in the enterprise with the combined wisdom
and enthusiasm which so remarkably distin-
gush his character His clear vision saw
through all obstacles, and his faith never lost
sight Of the result. Difficulties that would
/ have paralyscd others, but reused and s'imu-
lated his purposes When he first took the
management of the company, he memoraIizcd
Congress for a subsidy similar to that which
it had granted to the Union Pacific. TN
dauntel by the failure Of this memorial, he
turned his back on Congress to appeal to the
still more jealous scrutiny and impmc-
ticabc sympathies Of capitalists In counec-
/ ton with few ardent friends of the enter
prise, he went to Asrk to make out his case,
so as to urge a successful demand upon the
ainty heart of capital After three year. OF
labor, which no one else would have ac-
complishod, of difficulties which few would
have surmounted, he has made a triumphant
demonstration Of the immense value Of the
work to our national interests, aud of the
certainty of its returns to all who may invest
10 its promises lie has smiten the rock,
and the waters have begun to flow. The en-
terprse is now an assured success
The proposed line Of road passes from
east to west through the northern part OF
Minnesota striking the Red river in the yicin.
ity Of Georgetown. 1t is impossible to CON
ceive a more productive or more beautiful re.
gion than this Minnesota section The couu-
try is well covered with forests Of hard wood
dotted with innumerable lakes aud chauuelcj
with streams and rivers. The climate Is
like that Of Vermont, but less exposed tc
sudden changes andextreme variations Of tenn
perature The landscape, in many portions
of it, surpasses in natural beauty the fines
regions Of the old world and presents all tn,
features Of the most perfect cultivation allied
J with the loneliness Of the most perfect soli
tude. Such another territory of maryellou.
productiveness and loveliness, unyeXed by
the hand Of civilized man and almost uniami
lar with his foot, is not to be found on the face
! Of the globe 1t needs but the presence and
culture Of its lord to become the most attrac
tive region upon which the sun shines. BE
y yond the Red river the country stretches off fol
) more than thousand miles through Dacotal
and Montana, along rolling prairie to Che
base of the Rocky mountains. This immense
plateau, rising gradually, two feet to the mile
is sprinked over with countless lakes anC
ponds and navigable rivers and is Of remark.
able fertility. Passing the Rocky mountains
, ut an elevation of $3.50 feet, 5000 less thar
r the Union Pacific Road, the proposed roaC
descends the western slope Of the mountain
to Puget Sound and to Portland, through
n region of great capacities and equable eli
(. mate The whole line of the road is fringe,
c with the richest mineral regions Of the world
+ The annual gold returns of Montana an,
q Idaho aud Oregon, already nearly equal thos
4 of California. 1t is estimated that the ara
O bic lands of the country west Of the noun
$ tans will exceed iour-flths of the whole
I while there is scarcely any deduction to b.
i made in those east of thcgreat divide. Fo
s the two thousand miles along which the mail
= line and its branches will pass, the country j
capable Of containing population as numer
! Gus to the square mile as either England o
10 IIuuuts II Huot lu'flt"Nig W. WIN" I"lN
lated and titled the vast granary of the con
tiuent and perchancc of Europe.
1t is difficult for even the trained magma
y tion to conceive the possible future of such
e region. TO one who knows nothing Of it, tn
simplest statement of its capacity would SCUM
= visionary and absurd But to one who ha
trayersed any portion Of II and learned from
one part the characteristic features Of tn
whole, nothing that the widest fancy coul,
paint, would seem more than the most prosai
fact The country which this road is to tray
erse wants nothing but population 1t ha
I been left to the Indian and the game he hunts
But when it shall be redeemed with the plougl
and subjugated with the implements Of indus
q try, it will be'as beautiful and bountilul a
y the garden that was watered by the lliddeke
aud Euphrates, and It's gold will be as goo'
as that of the land Of Ilayiah and its tree
p and orchards ard fields Of wheat will be a
pleasant to the sight as those that dclighte,
the eyes Of the iirstman But il would seen
as If this great want Of population was abou
+ to be supplied. The company now engage,
l in building the road have vast emigration
$ scheme on foot. They propose sending al
e able commission to Europe to invite hithe
the dissatisfied industrial classes of its over
stocked countries They intend to attract
vast immigration by the wisest and most lib
eral policy, rescue this mighty domain from
4 the occupancy of wild beasts aud wilder men
and devote ii to the interests and institution,
of the highest civilization. BY the plan they
have adopted, they can hardly fail to seour,
permanent population along the line of tn,
road, create its own business, bring immens,
wealth TO the country and develop the nntion.