The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1871-02-02
The Northern Paelac Railroad.

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4 This second highway across the con-
tiuent Is now in full process Of con-
structiOn. Last July contracts were
let for the building OF the Eastern di-
I vision, reaching across the State OF
Minnesota from Duluth, at the head
of Lake Superior, 30 miles to the
1 crossing Of the Red River Of the North.
. With several thousand men employ
I ed, the grading on this section is fast
. approaching completion, and the iron
I i being laid at the rate Of one TO two
miles a day. In the meantime engi-
neers are locating the line westward
Z through central Dakota; preparations
. are completed for the commencement
I Of work at the Pacific end next spring
and thereafter the work of cOnstruc-
tion viii be prosecuted from both ex-
tremities toward the centre.
+ In addition to this, the Northern
T Pacific Company have recently pur-
chased and practically consolidated
with their own line the St. Paul and
Pacific Railroad, embracing some 800
miles of finished road in Minnesota
on which prosperous business is al
ready doing. This purchase removes
all rivalry between conflicting inter-
ests, and practically makes st. Paul
one terminus of the great Northern
road. The Northern Pacific Railroad
system is certainly assuming a busi-
ness-like form, and comprehensive
proportions. Obviously its projects
do not intend to build a simple trunk
road from East to West and then wait
for q profitable traffic to come to it,
On the contrary, they are at the out
set securing such connections and al
liances with the chief lines of water
communication, and with the railroad
system Of the Atlantic and Pacific
States, as cannot fail TO bring to it, in
addition to its local business, q large
aud increasing share of the carrying
trade between ocean and ocean. At
Duluth one arm meets the commerce
of the Lakes and the st. Lawrence; {;
at st. Paul the other eastern arm con-
meets the commerce of the Mississip-
pi river and its tributaries, and with
the railroads Of the central and east
ern States, concentrating at Chicago.
These two arms will unite in Western
Minnesota. From the point of juno
ton a third branch will extend to
Pembina on the British border, and
the trunk line will traverse central
Dakota, and follow the now famous
Yellowstone valley through Montana.
Near the boundary of Idaho the road
will again branch-One arm following
down the valley Of Columbia to tide
water at Portland, Oregon the other
striking directly across the Cascade
range to The main terminus on Puget
Sound. \ North and South branch
will also connect the Puget Sound
terminus with that at Portland. At
the latter point connection is made
with the coast lines of road now build
ing southwark through Oregon and
California. Both at Portland and Pu-
get Sound the road will tap the coast
wise and foreign trade of the Pacific
Ocean.
The chief advantages peculiar to the
Northern Pacific route are believed
to be these /. Ireduces the distance
between the Lakes and the Pacific
Ocean some 800 miles. >. 1t lessons
the distance between New York and
the Pacific by water and rail to the
same extent. 3. 1t lessons the dis
tance between London and Chinese
ports by the trans-cOntinental route
atleast 400 miles. 1. It traverses a
belt of States and Territories admira-
bly, adapted by fertility of soil, mild
ness of temperature, and equal distri-
button Of moisture, tOprofitable agri-
culture. D. Its elevation in the noun
tain region is 1000 feet less than that
of other lines, resulting in adiminish-
ed snowfall, a mild climate, and far
easier gradients. 6. At convenient
intervals it intersects numerous navi-
gable streams-such as the Columbia
the, the COwlitZ, the Yellowstone, the
Missouri, the Red, and the Mississip-
pi-which drain vast region, and
will serve as feeders to the road. Z.
1t will partake of the character of an
international route, permanently con-
trolling the carrying trade of British
America, and rendering the impor-
tant colonies north of the boundary,
and west of Lake Superior, CONNER
cially tributary to our Northwestern
States.
Already it is stated that settlers are
rapidly crOwding to the line of the
Northern Pacific Road in the New
Northwest, and judging from what is
known Of the plans adopted for pro-
noting the settlement and develop
ment, through emigration and colon
ization, of the belt Of States and Terri
tories tributary to the line there
would seem to be no doubt that the
corporation upon which the Govern
ment conferred this great trust, is de-
form iuad to ma La tba antarnriSa NOT
only financially sound, but greatly and
permanently beneficial to the whole
country.
With its munificent endowm ent of
fertile lands, with the natural advan-
tage this route undoubtedly enjoys,
and with the far-sighted policy alread-
dy inaugurated, a great commercial
project could hardly start under bet
ter auspices or with greater assurance
of success.