Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1871-01-18

the building of the Eastern division,
reaching across the State of Minnesota
from Duluth. at the head Of Lake Su-
perior, 240 miles to the crossing of the
Red River of the North. With several
thousand men employed. the grading on
this section is fast approaching compile
tion, and the iron is being laid at the
rate of one or two miles day. In the
meantime engineers are locating the line
westward through central nakota /; pre-
parations are completed for the com
mencement of work at the Pacific end
next spring. and thereafter the work of
construction will be prosecuted from both
extremities toward the centre.
IN addition to this. the Northern Pa
cifc Company have recently purchased
and practically consolidated with their
own line the St. Paul and Pacific Rail-
road, embracing some 800 miles of fin
ished road in Minnesota on which pros,
porous business is already doing. This
purchase removes all rivalry between
conflicting interests, and practically
makes St. Paul one terminus Of the great
Northern road. The Northern Pacific
Railroad system is certainly assuming a
buslness-lke form, and comprehensive
proportion. Obviously its projectors do
not intend to build a simple trunk road
frorn East to Wes. and then wait for a
profitable traffic to come to it. On the
contrary, they are at the outset securing
such connections and alliances with the
chief lines of water communication. and
with the railroad system Of the Atlantic
and Pacific States. as cannot fail 20 bring
to it, in addition to its local business, a
large and increasing share of the carry
ing trade between ocean and ocean. AT
Duluth one arm meets the commerce of
the Lakes and the St. Lawrance at St.
Paul the other eastern arm connects with
the commerce of the Mississippi river aud
its tributaries, and with the railroads of
the central and eastern States, concen-
trating at Chicago. These two arms will
unite in Western Minnesota. From the
point of junction third branch will e1.
tend to Pembina on the British border.
and the trunk line will traverse central
Dakota, and follow the now famous Vel
lowstone valley through Montana
Near the boundary of Idaho the road
will again branch-one arm following
down the valley of the Columbia to tide
water at Portland. Oregon the other
striking directly across the Cascade
range to the main terminus on Puget
Sound. A North and South branch will
also connect the Puget Sound terminus
Will luaI 1T L OIildHu. AZ lut ldiLeE
point connection is made with The coast
lines of road now building southwark
through Oregon and California. Both at
Portland and Puget Sound the road will
tap the coastwise and foreign trade OF
the Pacific Ocean
The chief advantages peculiar to the
Northern Pacific route are believed to be
these: l. Itreduces the distance between
the Lakes aud the Pacific Ocean some
600 miles 2. 1t lessons the distance
between New York and the Pacific by
water and rail to the same extent. g. 1t
lessons the distance between London and
Chinese ports by the trans-continental
route at least l4OO miles. 4. 1t travers
a belt of States and Territories admira-
bly, adapted by fertility of soil, mildness
of temperature, and equal distribution of
moisture, and profitable agricultural -
5. Its elevation in the mountain region
is 5000 feet less than that of other lines,
resulting in a diminished snowfall
mild climate. and far easier gradients
6. At convenient intervals it intersects
numerous navigable streams-such as the
Columbia. the Cowliiz the Yellowstone.
the Missouri, the Red, and the Missis-
sippi-which drain a vast region, and
will serve as feeders to the road. Z 1t
will partake of the character Of an in
route. permanently controlling
the carrying trade of British America.
and rendering the important colonies
north of the boundary, and west of Lake
Superior. commercially tributary to our
States.
Already it is stated that settlers are
rapidly crowding to the line of the
Nortern Pacific Road in the Northwest,
and Judging from what is known of the
plans adopted for promoting the settle
ment and developement, through emigra-
tion and colonization, of the belt of
States and Territories tributary to the
line-,here would seem to be no doubt
that the corporation upon which the
Cover nment has conferred this great
irpst. ia determined to make the entor.
prise not only financially sound. but
greatly and permanently beneficial to the
whole country. With its munifcent en-
dowment of fertile lands, with the natur-
al advantages this route undoubtedly en-
Joys, and with the far-sighted policy al !