Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-02-16
THE NoRTHERN.PAcIFIc RAILROAD.

THE N0RTHERN'PACiFiC RAILROAD.
This second highway across the
continent is now in full process of
construction. Last July contracts
were let for the building of the
Eastern division, reaching across
the State Minnesota from Duluth, at
the head of Lake Superior, 24O
miles to the crossing of the Red
River of the North. With several
thousand men employed, the grad
ing on this section is fast approach
ing completion, and the iron is being
laid at the rate of one to two miles a
day. In the meantime engineers are
locating the line westward through
central Dakota; preparations are
completed for the commencement of
work at the Pacific end next spring.
and thereafter the work of construc-
tion will be prosecuted from both
extremities toward the centre.
In addition to this, the Northern
Pacific Company have recently pur-
chased and practically consolidated
with their own line the St. Paul and
Pacific Railroad, embracing some
300 miles of finished road in Min
nesota on which a prosperous bust
ness is already doing. This pur-
chase removes all rivalry between
conflicting interests, and practically
makes st. Paul one terminus of the
great Northern road. The North
ern Pacific Railroad system is Ger
tainly assuming business-like
form, and comprehensive propor-
tions. Obviously its projectors do
not intend to build a simple trunk
road from East to West and then
wait for profitable traffic to come
to it. Or, the contrary, they are at
the outset securing such connec-
tions and alliances with the chief
lines o. water communication, and
with the railroad system of the At
lantic and Pacific States, as cannot
fail to bring to it, in addition to its
local business, large and increas-
ing share of the carrying trade be-
tween ocean and ocean. At Duluth
one arm meets the commerce of the
Lakes and the st. Lawrence; at St.
Paul the other eastern arm connects
with the commerce Of the Missis-
sippl river and its tributaries, and
with the railroads of the central and
Eastern States, concentrating at
Chicago. These two arms will unite
in Western Minnesota. From the
point ofjunction a third branch will
extend to Pembina on the British
border, and the trunk line will trav-
erse central Dakota, and follow the
now famous Yellowstone valley
through Montana. Near the bound
ary 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
VIII also connect the Puget Sound
terminus with that at Portland. At
the latter point connection is made
with the coast lines of road now
building southward 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 be-
lived to be these: l. 1t reduces the
distance between the Lakes and 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. 3. 1t lessons
the distance between London and
Chinese ports by the trans-conti-
mental route at least 140O miles. 4.
1t traverses a belt of States and Ter
ritories admirably adapted by fer
tility of soil, mildness of tempera
ture, and equal distribution of
moisture, to profitable agriculture.
o. Its elevation in the mountain re-
glon is 5000 feet less than that of
other lines, resulting in diminished
snowfall, a mild climate, and far
easier gradients. 6. At convenient
intervals it intersects numerous nav
igable streams-such as the Colum-
bia, the Cowlitz, the Yellowstone,
the Missouri, the Red, aud the Mis-
issippi-which drain a vast region,
and will serve as feeders to the road.
Z. 1t will partake of the character
of an international route, perma-
nently controlling the CARRYING trade
of British America, and rendering
the important colonies north of the
boundary. and west of Lake Supe-
rior, commercially 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 promoting the settlement and
development, through emigration
and colonization, of the belt of
States and Territories tributary to
the iine-there would seem to be no
doubt that the corporation upon
|, which the Government has conferred
this great trust, is determined to
make the enterprise not only fnan-
cially sound, but greatly and per
manently beneficial to the whole
country. With its munificent en-
dowment of fertile lands, with the
natural advantages this route un-
doubtedly enjoys, and with the far
sighted policy already inaugurated,
great commercial project could
hardly start under better auspices
or with greater assurance of sue
cess.
Earn1an Ktllo Thu,a n:cL,.,~~