The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-01-31

We should say that the history of modern
enterprise is yet to be written, We're it not ac-
tually writing itself on the face of the earth
in lines which are known and read of all men.
For it is distinctive of the wonders of achieve
ment in our times that they are as grand and
obvious, as they are humane aud universal 10
their purposes. The pyramids stand through
all time, but, compared with the enterprise of
our day, what do they represent? The Coli
scum is but monument of the brutal friyioli.
ty OF its builders. Even that "frozen music,'
the glorious architecture of the Middle Ages.
appeals only to certain emotions which have
as often been enlisted against as in favor of
the progress of the race. The marvels of
Modern enterprise, however, are essentially
ministers to all the wants and necessities of
humanity. The whole world is interested IN
them. Thus it happens that the Suez Canal,
the dream OF former ages, has at last tri
umphed over the obstacles which daunted
even the soul OF Robert Stephenson; that the
Mont Gents Tunnel bids fair to outive all the
other "reminiscences of the Second French
Empire; and that the great lines of telegraph
are advancing round the globe as steadily as
the sun himself
We need not 60 abroad, however, to study
!hese signal developments of the capital and
industry OF the nineteenth century, for ore of
the most remarkable and instructive is now
pushing forward with gigantic strides in onr
own country. We reler to the Northern Pa
ci1c Railroad, than which better instance
could not be given of that conjunction and
reach of industrial resources and appliances
which are peculiar to the present age. Con.
slider the obstacles that confront the undertake
ing. We already have Pacific Railroad oc-
cupying central route. 1t is now proposed
to build another along the extreme northern
portion OF the Union, two thousand miles in
length, beginning at point on the western
shore OF Lake Superior, an unexplored sec.
tlon OF the country few years ago, and ex
tending over thirty degrees of longitude, in
an average latitude considerably higher than
that of Quebec; and terminating, as poet
still living has sung
"Where rolls the Oregon, and h1 1as no sound
Save his own dashings."
And this gigantic undertaking. so grand in
its conception and so vast in its results, scarce
ly excites an unusual interest in country
where De Witt Clinton won immortal fame
by constructing canal 800 miles long! And
vet such has been the enormous auementa-
ton and mobility of modern capital, and such
the skill acquired in utilizing the vast resour-
ces of the country, that the Northern Pacific
Railroad will be more easily built than was
the Erie Canal Nature and the age conspire
to facilitate the enterprise. Though SO far
north, the line of the road-running through
a depression in the Rocky Mountains, where
the branches of the Missouri and the Column
bia rivers, heading in opposite directions, in.
terlock-is not only one of remarkably easy
grades, but it lies along the great valley visit
ed by a current Of warm air from the Pacific
Ocean, which enables herds TO thrive in the
native grasses the year round. The Govern
ment of the United States-always liberal
enough in its land-grants-has placed terri
torial kingdom at the disposal of this Road, 10
wit: twenty alternate sections of public land
on each side of the line in the Territories. and
ten in the States, comprising fifty million of
acres; an estate larger by 10000 square miles
than the whole Of New England, and three
and half times as large as Holland! The
grant IS available only according to the actual
progress Ofthe construction of the road, which
secures the mortgase-bonds issued upon it as
weii as upon all the property of the company.
we 10 not proposeto enter into the regula-
lions OF the charter, nor into the management
OF those having charge of the enterprise; but
what we assume 10 say is, that this colossal
undertaking has within itself all the elements
OF feasibility, so that it can be consummaled ed
Just as certainly as new street can be OPEN
ed by city, or schoolhouse built by a
town.
II, then, the Northern Pacific road is great