The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-06-16
new Pacific Railrosd

With Central Pacific six per cents. bonds
selling at lO2, and those Of the Union Pacific
not far below par, and steady demand for
them, Pacific railroads, as an investment, stand
fair before the people. The old arguments,
which took the form of prophecy when the
enterprise was young, have proved to be false;
and the new argument, that in building other
lines we are simply sub-dividing traffic which
is only large enough for one, can be shown to
be no less mistaken. The two roads will not
be in any sense rivals for the same local trade,
as they will be $50 miles apart at their nearest
approach. Surprising as it may seem to those
who recollect the character of the country
traversed by the Uuion Pacific line, and the
series Of mountain ranges scaled by the
Central, it is nevertheless fact that OF the
fourteen millions of dollars earned by these
two roads during 1870, a proportion amoun-
ting to sixtyfve per cent was earned from local
traffic, And this proportion will increase with
every year, for population, settlements, indus
try, have never yet failed to follow close upon
the locomotives trail, and it is these which
make up commerce. Such is the principle
which is founded upon the general experience
of nations ever since railways were devised,
and such is the basis upon which the Baltimore
& Ohio the Pennsylvania Central, the Illinois
Central, and all the great railroads which
have played so large part in the development
of the country, were originally planned and
constructed.
It is well to invite the peoples attention to
this principle, and it is the facts upon which it
is founded and it is a fitting preliminary to
mention Of the Northern Pacific Railroad now
building across the continent along our north
ern belt of Territories. It is the temporary
misfortune of this enterprise that it opens up
portion of the country which in greater de-
gree probably than in the case of any other
is unknown to the American public, whose eli
mate, soil, and geographical features have not
been fully known and appreciated, and about
which there is alingering suspicion in the minds
of many that it is familiar terms with the Arc
tic Zone. Yet in this New Northwest, through
the heart of which the Northern Pacific Rail
road will run, it is proved beyond question that
the climate is as mild and equable, soil as
productive, as in most of our Western States;
that general elevation across the continent
averages lower than at any otLer point north
of Mexieo and that no equally extensive por-
ton of our territory can excel it in the pro-
duction of the precious metals, the minerals,
cereals, fruits, vegetables, and all the agencies
| of commercial prosperity.
Such country will soon be filed with pop
ulation when great railway system brings it
into connection with the rest of the world;
opening its productive acres to convenient
market; but already it has population more
numerous by one hundred thousand than that
reached by the Union Pacific at the start. The
immense wheat crops OF Western Minnesota
and the Red River valley, the mining bust
ness of Montana and Idaho, the stock raisers,
of the lumber trade Of Puget sound, the trans
portation OF supplies for the twenty-seven
northwestern military posts, the Hudson Bay
Company, and the whole adjacent "Fertile
Belt" of the British possessions, will all contri-
butte to the business of the road.
The future of the Northern Pacific, among
the great highways across the continent, may
be inferred from the Sct that it is 600 miles
miles shorter than any other route to the Pa
cifc, that it has an advantage of l,4OO miles
between New York and Japanese ports, that it
lies directly in the line of the commerce across
the Pacific.
Neither of the other lines can surpass it in
competing for the through trafc; though in
that future to which we are looking, there VIII
be enough, and more than enough, for all.
The growth on the Pacific slope since the COM
pletion of the Central road is an indication of
what will be the progress Of the whole "Far
West" when all the roads are built. Popu-
lation, industry, commerce and civilization
will follow in their track across the continent.
-Cleveland Herald.