The Shasta courier., 1871-04-22
SHASTA COURIER.
DEVELOPING A CONTINENT.
WONDERS OF THE NORTHERN PACIFIC
RAILROAD.

We take the following graphic descrip-
tion of the Great Northwest and the won.
derful changes to be effected by the Nor.
thern Pacific Railroad from the Chicago
Advance of recent date:
To the opinion of your correspondent,
and of many of the most sagacious men of
affairs hereabouts, commerc al enterprise
which has been recently and successfully
launched, promises greater advantages to
Chicago and the great No Invest, of which
she is the capital, than all other move
nents of the day combined. refer to
the construction of the Northern Pacific
Railroad, which is now progressing unpre-
tentiously, but steadily, westward, through
Minnesota and Dakota, OH its wav to the
Pacific and Puget Sound With map
in hand, glance moment at the rail oad
system projected and now being develop
ed by the powerful corporation which has
this great work iD hand
At Duluth the main arm or the North.
ern Pacific Road CT nnecfs with the com
merce of the Lakes, having water line
to Buffalo, via Lake Superior, practically
as short as that from Chicago to the same
point. At ST. Paul the southeastern arm
OF the Northern Pacific taps the commerce
of the Mississippi river at the head of
navigation, and uni:es with the system of
roads centering at Chicago and communi-
eating with the Atlantic States
These two arms. starting fro NJ the Gre at
Lake and the Great River, unite in "A
trunk line in Western Minnesota. This
crosses the Red river near Georgetown,
where it gathers to itself the trade Of the
entire Winnipeg region and the Hudson
Bay Comp ny's now carried on the steam
ers of this navigable northern stream
Near the Red river eros ing, branch
road leaves the main line and reaches out
to Pembina, on the British border, thus
permanently rendering tributary to itself
the trade Of Her Majesty's fertile provin-
ces west of Lake uperior.
In Central Dakota the Northern Pacific
Road will cross the Missouri, where it will
again receive the concentrated traffic of
1.5C0 miles of river gation-the upper
Missouri, the Yellowstone and the lower
Missouri. Following up the alluvial valley
of the Yellowstone, through Montana, and
piercing the Rocky range, at Deer Lodge
Pass, the Road will again divide, one
branch crossing the Cascades, through
central Washington, to terminus on
Puget Sound, the other western arm des-
cending the rich basin of the Columbia
river to Portland, Oregon, where tide water
will also be reached, and where connection
will be made with the railroads of the
Pacific States. Then short line. con-
Meeting the two western tern ini, will conf
plete the Northern Pacific railroad system.
This is certainly comprehensive. 1t
also seems TO have the merit of perfect
practicability. The recent purchase of
the St. Paul and Pacific roads by the
Northern Pacific shows the Importance
the latter attaches to southeastern out
let, uia Chicago, by rail, in addition to its
confessedly advantageous water commu-
nications at Duluth and St. Paul. 1t
needs both, and very wisely and promptly
has secured both.
low this great Northern road is deve-
loping country simply imperial in extent,
and hardly surpassed for fertility OF soil
and salubrity Of climate by any equal area
on the continent. Unlike large portions
of the belt traversed by the Union and
Central Pacific roads, the tributary to the
Northern Pacific roads, that tributary te
the Northern Pacific line has. almost with
out exception between Lake Superior and
the Pacific ocean, happy combination ol
the three elements essential to profitable
agriculture. viz, a naturally rich soil. q
mild climate and sufficient rain fall. Pro
sperous agricultural States will speedily
rise along our northern belt. as they ON
not do in m ire southera and arid attitudes
and the influence these communities. with
their great thoroughfare, will have on tht
adjacent and tributary British province
may be summed up in one word-annex
alton. e
Itis 200 miles less distance from Chi
cago to the Pacific ocean, at Puget Sound
via the y orthern Pacific route, than it j.
from Chicago to San Francisco by the pre-
sent line Of road. Add to this the fac
that the sailing distance between Puge
Sound and Shanghai is 800 miles les
than batween San Francisco and Shanghai
and it is easy to see how vital an interes
Chicago has in the new transcontiDenta
highway now building.
That the Northern Pacific Road, will
its advantage of 900 miles ;of distance be
tween tie Lakes and the commerce of th'
Pacific Ocean. with It's advantage o
1900 miles, By water aud rail, bstweel
New York or liverpool and the ports q
Asia, yiH have its full share Of tb
through traffic between East and West
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