Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-04-05
Prem tie y. \. IutcpcHdeut
The Northern Pacific Railroad.
BI scUYlER colFAx.

ut4u OF ANtlNE AuuultN Nl4ts VI AsaAN ]
navigation thousand miles from Buffs-
10. the western terminus Of the Erie Ca
nal. and as near to it by water as Chicago
IA hundred miles west of the longitude
Of ST. Louis or Galena-is the young city
Of Duluth, the initial point Of the North
ern Pacific Railroad. That great work,
so magni6ccutly endowed by the Govern
ment, is already being pushed rapidly
westward under its energetic controllers
aud before snow flies next Fall, il will be
completed to the western liue Of Minneso-
tn, where it crosses the Red River Of the
Norlh-which runs uorthward to Lake
Winipeg-and one-eight Of its distance to
the Pacific Ocean will have been accom-
plshed. Commencing, too, this season
on its western line, the work will be proc
cuted from both directions, and long be-
fore the nation celebrates its Centennial
Anniversary of independence, the Lakes
will be united by iron bands with that
Mediterranean of our Northwest, Puget
Sound
OF the auspicious influence of this en-
| tsrprise, which but few years ago would
have been considered so daring the most
sanguine of its frieads have scarcely yet
full realization. Even taking Chicago
as the starting point, it will be (via st.
! Paul, where an arm Of the Northern Pa
cRc Railroad is reached) two hundred
miles less distance to Puget Sound than to
San Francisco. Besides this, vessels from
the Golden Gate to China sail on what is
called the grand circle, instead Of in a
straight line; and any one testing this BY
string on a globe will be surprised at
the result, if they have not previously
studied the effect of the rotundity of the
EARTH aud its diminished protubenee as
YOU 90 northward towards the Pole. Hence
when they have sailed eight hundred miles
from San Francisco, they are only one
hundred miles from the entrance to Puget
Sound and this striking fact shows the
advantages this route will have in COM
manding the through traffic Of Asia with
our Atlantic States, or that portion of il
which will pass over the soil Of this nation
on its road to Europe.
Nor is this all. Development is the
great duty of the Republic, after all It's
recent trials. Resources are the gift ol
the Creatoa. Developing them depends
on the work Of man. Along the line o.
the Northern Pacific Rallraad, as it fol-
lows up the watcr-courses, the Mlsso lr
and the Yellowstone on this side, and de-
ccnds by the valley of the Columbia Oh
the other, vast body of agricultural lane
is waiting for the plongh, with climate
almost exactly the same as that of New
York, except that, with less snow, cattle
in the larger portion OF it, can subsst or
the open range in winter. Here, If eli
mate aud fertility of soil produce thell
natural result, when railroad facilities
open this now isolated region tc settle
ment, will soon be seen waving grain-feds
and happy homes, and growing towns
while ultimately Gordon Of prosperous
States, tceming with population, and rici
in industry and consequent wealth, viii
occupy that now undeveloped aud almos
inaccessible portion Of our continental
area.
But this Road is fortunate also in it
pathway across the two ranges of noun
tains which tested so severely the Paciti,
Railroads built on the central line, anC
the overcoming of which reflected suci
) we'll deserved honor on their energeti
: builders. At the Deer Lodge pass. il
Montana, where it crosses the Rock,
Mountains, its altitude above the sea j
$500 feet less than the Union Paci6
Railroad at Sherman, which is said to b
3 the highest point at which locomotive
. can be found in the world. And on tn,
Pacific side Of the continent it is eve
more fortunate. From Arizona up to tn
Artic Circle the Columbia is the only riv
er which has torn its way through tina
mighty range, the Apdes of North Amer
lea, which in California is known as tn
Serras, but which in Oregon changes ii
name to the Cascades. Nature has thu
provided a pathway for the Northen Pa
Road through these mountains, the sea
ing of which, on the other line, at an ell
walton of over seven thousand feet IA mos
wonderful triumph Of engineering), COS
the Central Pacific company millions
dollars, and compelled them for sevenl
e miles, to maintain . grade Of over or
J. hundred feet to the mile-twice the mai
iumum of the Northern Pacific at II
d most diff cult point on its entire route.
u 10 fortunate, also, in iss ternlnuson u