New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-02
qgE N0RTHEPN PACJFTC.

y
Vicc-Prcsidcnt Colfax, in this weeks hide
pendent sums up lucidly and forcibly the
great advantages which our country may
fairly expect from the construction OF the
Northern Pacific Railroad. Here is his glow
ing exhibit:
MIDWAY across he continental tie head Of twelve
hundred miles Of lake nSisaOna thousand miles from
Buffalo, the western terminus Of the Erie Canal ard as
near to It By water Chicaccl hundred miles west 81
thc longitude Of 81. Louis or Gacna.s the young city
oil Duluth the initial point Of the Northern Pacific Ia
road. That great work. 80 magnihcently endowed by
the Government, is already being pushed rapidly WcSt
ward under its energetic controllers; and Before the
snow flies Ne t IA! It VIII lie completed TO the western
lro Of Minnesota vAcrc crOsSCs tine Red River u the
North which runs northvard TO Lake Winnipeg, and
ono eighth Of ts distance to the Pacific Ocean VIII have
been accomplished. Commencing, too, this season on
hs western line the work will be prosecuted from both
directions; and long before tho n'ton celebrates It's
Centennial Anniversary Of Ind pendence the lakes VIII
united by iron bands with that Mediterranean OF our
North West, Pugct's Sound.
GOT the auspici0Us influence Of this enterprise which
but few years ago would have been considered 50
daring the most saugunc Of ts friends have scarcely
set full realization. Even taking Chicago as INC stll
ing point it Will be ,ia 81. Paul where Of this
railroad IS reached) 200 miles less distance to Pusots
Sound than to San Francisco Besides this, vessels from
the Golden Gate to China sail on what IL called the
naud circle, instead OF in straight line; and any one
tcsag this by q string on globe Will DO surprised at
the result II they have not previously studied the eject
OF N, rCtundy Of the catl, and it. diminished protu
bcranco as you 20 nolthward toward the Pole Hence,
when they have sailed miles from san Francisco they
are only 100 miles from the entrance to Pugcts sound;
aud this striiu, fac" shows the advantages this route
will have in Commanding nc through traffic OF Asia with
our Atlantic States or that portion Of n which viii pass
over the soil Of this nation ON its road 10 Europe.
'Nor this all. Development is the great duty Of the
Republic after all It's recent trials. Resources are the
eif. OF the Creator. Developing them depends on the
work Of man. Along the limo Of the Northern Pacific
Railroad follows up the water courses the Missouri
and the Fellows tlis side, and deSccnds 10y the
Valley Of the Columbia the other vast body OF ae
cultural land is waiting FOR the pillow, with climatic
almost exactly the that of NewHork, except
that with less snow cattle in the larger portion Of
sbsi, on the open range IN Winter Here If climate
and fertility Of soil produce their natural result vixen
railroad facilities open this isolated region to settle
ment will NC waving gran-nelds, and happy
home = and growing towns While ultimately Gordon OF
prosperous States. teemng with population and rich IN
industry and consequent wealth. will occupy that now
rnGeyeoped and almost inaccessible portion of our CON
unentll area
But this road IS fortunate also IN its pathway
the two ranges mountains which tested severely the
Pacific Railroad, built the central line, and the over
coming Of which reflected such wc-dcscrycd honor on
Montana where it crosses the Rocky Mountains. IA a
ude above $500 feet less than the Union Pa
clc Railroad sherman, which l. said 10 bc the highest
point ut which locomotive be found in tho world
And on the Pacific side OF the continent IL is even moro
fortunate. From Arizona up to the Arctic Circle the
Columbia is the only river which has torn its way through
that mighty range the Andes OF North America which
in California ia known the sierras, brt which in ore
eon changes its to the Cascades Nature has thus
provided n pathway for the Northern Pacific Road
through these mountains tho scaling OF which, on the
other line at elevation OF over seven thousand feet "a
most wonderful triumph of ongnccrng) cost the Cen
tia Pacific millions of dollars, aud compelled them for
seventy miles TO maintain grade OF over one hundred
feet 10 the mile-twice the maximum Of the Northern
Pacific at the most difficult points its entire route
1t is Fortunate ALSO in its terminus on the Pacific
coast No who has not been there can realize tho
beauty Of Pugct's Sound and its surroundings. One
hundred miles long, but fun 81 nles and straits that
its uaygabe shOrelne measures LEO miles, dotted with
lovely slots with gigantic trees almost to the waters
edge with safe anchorage everywhere and stretching
southwark without shoals bars from the straits OF
Fuca to the capital and center OF Washington Territory
il will be magnificent eHtrcp6t for the commerce Of that
grandest ocean Of the world, the Pacific.
Nor is il less fortunate IN the pilot at It's helm There
are some men cannot Afford with the regulations
already earned by them, to link their names with
tcrprise that may possibly fail. Once enlisted IN It,
cess becomes duty. And need scarcely Say that jay
Cooke Is one Of these without dwelling on bis
success In negotiating the bonds OF the luton a one Of
its darkest hours and after other agencies had failed
which has passed into history say that the same
resstless energy aud determination which oyercame all
obstacles then, and caused money to now into
haustcd treasury faster than the nation, with rs
NOUS Liabilities, could use IT, II enlisted now In
tho pushing forward ~ this great work a. rap
idly "a possible consistent with economy In its
construction. The land grant Of the United States cN-
cecdng 10000 IN the Winter wheat region OF
our nation 40 times large the OF Massachu-
sctt doubtless sufficient for its completion; but be-
SIDES this millions Of the private means OF himself and
friends already invested in it, The bonds, based on
tho aud grant, and mortgage tho road itself IN al
dtion are being sold rapidly the money Ia needed
and investment, yielding about eight per cent per
year I'm currency rank already with the best class OF
railroad securities Aud thus tho good work will 20 on
with unchecked step to as final consummation, carrying
the blessings Of settlement, development, CIVILIZATION
and Christianity with IL In its progress ANA hier"Ay
causing the wilderness TO blossom rs the rose"