New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-06-13
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC h. Il.
IMPORTANCE OF THE DEVELOPMENT Or
OUR NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
ADDRESS OF TIE HON. WILLIAM d. KELLEY IN
PHILADELPHIA,


PHILADELPHIA. June ia large and en-
thusiastc meeting Of merchants bankers, and capitalists
was held this evening at the Academy OF Music ior o
purpose Of listening to an address by the Hon. "nam
d. Kelley on the development OF the northwestern poi
of the country. and the effect on the trade anu CUM
merce of the Middle States of the building the Norhe
Pacific Railroad. Gov. Geary presided assisted by 400
Vice Presidents II announced that the Hon oeiu
Gins Garelde delegate 10 Congress from Washington Tut
rory who was expected to speak on the same suJeo'
had been prevented from being present by s'chnes'
Gov Geary made remarks on the importance o ho
road to the interests Of Philadelphia, ana htrouuceu MI
Kelley.
MR.. KELLEY's ADDRESS.
He said he was grateful for the opportunity 70 con-
tribute however humbly toward the completion Oh
work which for than quarter or century he M"
regarded as of prime importance to the country III" "
special value to his native state, and for the promouo
of which he had during that period abored as oppor
tunty afforded While expecting his statements OF facts
10 received with degree OF ncroduy ny ihose
who have visited the ransMissouri portion OF the
country II his purpose to make no statement not
justified by his personal observations or by authorizes
that all are bound to recognize Nothing but the eN
pcrence impaired by actual observation Of the country
i'm question could enable any to conceive fuly the
strange contrasts between the characteristics OF the Az
lantic and Pacific portions Of country as exhibited
in climate soil and atmosphere.
SOME RAILROAD HISTORY.
1
ilege to traverse the entire route of the Union ana
Central Pacific Roads by daylight, and TO visit salt Lake
CITY, which located in the heart OF the Great Desert
that il might the centre of Mormon empire guarded
by the forces OF Nature against Gentle intrusion.
also visited Portland and oregon City, oregon; Olympia
the capital of Washington Territory, at tine head OF
Puget Sound and Victoria the capital Of British Col
umbia on Vancouver's Island. Though that region OF
country had long been matter of interest to me- ana
the study of it had afforded me much pleasure each
day revealed and strange conditions, and mbued me
with new sense, only Of the extent of our country
but the grandeur and infinite variety of ts resources
and the beneGcence and power OF the Almighty,
i'll adapting every portion of our vast country
TO the sustenance and comfort of man, But OF this here
AFTER first invite your attention TO facts within
the memory of of my auditors which show that the
vast resources Of the Northwest and its adaptable
fly to railroad purposes not, il sometimes nt-
mated of recent discovery but have long been known
and that the route of the Northern Pacific Railroad was
that originally proposed because it the shortest and
best by which to connect the seaboard at Bau-
more, Philadelphia, New-York. Boston, and Portland,
with the waters OF Puget Sound and the commerce OF
the ancient East, which f. the West, the march OF
American ideas toward which is illustrating again the
truth that
Westward Of empire takes its way"
During the summer of 1885, twentysix years ago, Asa
whitney Of New-York, who had spent many years in
China and had sought by such agencies at the
command of private enterprise information about the
country living between Lake Michigan aud Puget Sound
did me the honor TO seek my acquaintance and
bring TO my attention the subject of a railroad
from the the Lake to point in Oregon either
on the waters OF the Puget SOurd or the Columbia RIVER
or to point The whole subject new to me;
but Mr.. Whitney prepared to enghten those VINO
were ignorant. and to inspire with faith those who
doubted. His general views were in print, and ms
pamphlets embodied columns Of statistics obtained
from official sources, and many facts reported by
l.I oil lDgEf
the region which the proposed road was to traverse
The grandeur Of the subject inspired me, and
my enthusiasm for his great project induced Mr..
Whitney despite the disparity in years, to favaF me
with frequent conferences and TO bring to my attention
whatever information relating the subject lie obtained
Early in the year 1885, felt justified by the growth Of
sentiment in its favor in undertaking 10 secure him an
opportunity to present his project to pubic meeting OF
the citizens OF Philadelphia. To induce sufficient num-
Der of citizens act officers OF the meeting was the
work Of time. found but few who took an interest in
the subject believed in the feasibility OF the project
Some said that railroad far north would not be avail
able for as many months in the year the Pennsylvania
canals were that it would be buried in snow more than
half the year Others cried, "What madness to talk Of
a railroad than 1900 miles long through that will
derness when it impossible TO build one over the
Alleghaniesw
As went from to man, with invaluable collee-
tions Of facts and figures Mr.. Whitney had collected
found that the doubts with which the work must con
tend were infinite in number. and it not until six
months had elapsed that sufficient number OF we'll
known citizens to constitute the officers Of the meeting
Lad consented to sign the call for meeting and act as
SUCH Yet the cause had gained adherents; and, as
find by reference to the papers OF that day. the meeting
for which had long abored held IL the Chinese
Museum, the evening OF Dec 49, 1916. His Honor,
John Swift then Mayor of the city, acted President,
COL James Page, Richard Vaux, VIM NJ. Meredith,
and John f. Bestering together with Mr.. David 5.
Chas. TregO, all of whom still survive,
acted Vce-Presidents, and Senator VIM. A. Crabb,
now deceased and VIM. ID. Kelley, served as Secretaries
The speakers the meeting Messrs. Whitney, Jo
sah Randall, Peter A. Browne, and VIM D. Kelley. Mr..
Whitney stated with great cearness his project and the
advantages that would result from it, 1t was he said,
to be a railroad from Lake Michigan to Oregon He be
leved that ii could be constructed line about 2i0O
miles in extent; and he and his associates hoped to be
able to build it in 20 years. If the Government would
grant co miles breadth Of land for the whole distance In
answer to question how he could make land in that
remote wilderness available for building road he
dwelt upon the contrast between the climate Of that
country and that with which jewellers of Misss-
sppi familiar, and asserted fearessly that rail-
snow than one through Central New-York or
Pennsylvania and proceeded TO disclose his plan, which
cities of the Eastern States His plan to employ
these grants in the construction of the road and TO
pay them In part in land, and To detail sufficient
Der prepare small portions of the farm OF each for cu
tyatlon and oceupatlo so that tey VINO worked upon
thereafter BY this method he believed that by the
tolerably well settled and large local traffic created
Josiah Randall esq, submitted to the meeting series OF
bas The completion Of railroad from Lake Mean to the
Of The word American enterprise and open to The markets Of Japan
Pacific and dan Oceans together with those OF the Western coast OF
WSsas We have in our public lands fund sufficient for and sppro
pirate o great and 6eOeGeent nstona work ard
s4 from Lake Micgad The PaGc the "Trip