The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-01-09
TLe lNorlhern PncItie Railroad.

HfpiR ~ OhloQgo Itt4tNes H1I HH'NH.
This second highway across the conti-
nent Is now In full process Reconstruction.
Last July contracts were let for the build
ing OF the Eastern division, reaching across
the State Of Minnesota from Duluth, at
the head OF Lake Superior, $40 miles to
the crossing Of the Red River Of the North.
With several thousand men employed,
the grading on this section Is fast ap-
preaching completion, and the iron Is be-
ing laid at the rate Of one TO two miles q
day. In the meantime engineers are To-
eating the line westward through Central
Dakota; preparations arc completed for
the commandments OF work at the Pacific
end next spring, and thereafter the work
OF construction will be prosecuted from
both extremities toward the centre. ~
In additionto this, the Northern Pa
citic Company have recently purchased
and practically consolidated with their
own line the ST. Paul & Pacific Railroad,
embracing some 300 miles Of finished
road In Minnesota, on which o prosperous
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 business.llkc form,
and comprehensive proportions. 0byi.
ously 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, On tho contrary, they are at
the outset securing such connections and
alliances with the chief lines Of water
communication, and with the railroad
systems Of the Atlantic and Pacific States,
as cannot fail to bring to 1t, In addition to
Its local business, large and increasing
share Of the carrying trade between ocean
aud ocean. At Duluth one arm
meets the commerce Of the Lakes
and the 81. Lawrence; at St. Paul the
other eastern arm connects with the com.
merce o! the Mississippi river and It's trib.
utaries, and with the railroads Of the Cen.
tral and Eastern States concentrating ut
Chicago. These two arms will unite in
Minnesota. From the point Of junction
third branch will extend 10 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 the
Columbia to tide.water at Portland, Ore.
goi the other striking directly across the
Cascade range to tho main terminus on
Puget Sound. A north and south branch
will also connect the Puget Sound termi.
nus with that OF Portland, At the latter
point connection Is nude 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. .--....,.t. M .,
Tho chiet advantages peculiar TO the
Northern Pacific route arc believed TO be
these: !, II reduces the distance between
the lakes and the Pacific Ocean some 600
miles. 3. II lessons the distance between
New York and the Pacific, by water and
rail, 10 the same extent. ., II lessons the
distance between London and Chinese
ports, by the trans.continental route, at
least |, 400 miles. 4. 1t traverses o belt Of
States and Territories admirably adapted,
by fertility of soil, lnildness Of tempera.
tire, and equal distribution Of moisture,
to profitable agriculture. 8. It's elevation
in the mountain region Is 5000 feet lesSs
than that of other lines, resulting In q
diminished snowfall, a mild climate, and
fur easier gradients. %. At convenient In
teryals 1t intersects numerous navigable
streams-suCh as tho Columbia, the Cow
lit2, the Yellowstone, the Missouri, the
Red, and the Mississippi-which drain a
vast region, and will serve as feeders 10
the road. Z. 1t will partake Of the char
acter Of an international route, perma-
nently controlling the carrying tfade Of
British America, and rendering the i'm.
portant colonies north Of the boundary
and west Of Lake Superior commercially
tributary to our Northwestern States.