The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-03

pany is new building westward from Lake Superior.
Enough money has been paid in by the stockholders
to construct and equip the frat division Of the road
from Lake Superior, across Minnesota to the Red
river of the North, 1923 miles. The money for this
bTauch-s6 600, 000-has been paid in, and the work
is being rapidly pushed to completion. Arrange
ments are also being made for commencing the
building the road at the western terminus Puget
Sound and the Pacific Ocean. This work viii COM
mence in the spring, and in little time the road
will be in the process OF building at each end. He
desired to be understood, however, that as the
financial agents of the company the firm which he
represented did not propose to make any promises
which could not be filled. They regarded
the bonds as the safest and soundest securities in
the market If they did not they would never lend
their names to the enterprise. But he was not pre-
pared to state the exact time OF the completion OF
the road. II he asked his personal opinion, how
ever, he would say that within four years he
pected that the trade OF the Indies would be carried
over THIS route. The company has somewhat over
1ity millions % OF acres OF land, which would un- m
amount of bonds 1t would be necessary TO
issue. No stock has yet been issued, and
on it, The road was to be built upon Its bonds and
the sale OF its lands. Mr.. Cooke then proceeded
as perfect security, being drst mort
gage issue railroad over two thousand miles in
and all other equipments, and also land grant Of
more than fifty million acres OF land, embracing an
amount of territory equal TO Maine, New Lamp-
shire, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Long Island, New Jersey, and Delaware
He then went into very interesting description of
the ocean current, which governed the course OF
trade. vessel leaving China and japan for
San Francisco is now obliged to sail within
eighty miles OF Puget's Sound. Thence IL has
to traverse six hundred miles to reach its port
OF destination. When the Northern Pacific Railroad
ts completed and the proposed telegraphs are con-
structed, the cargo of this vessel Will be landed at
New York, and the announcement of its sale te'e-
graphed to its shippers sooner than the vessel can
now be sgnalled off the Golden Gate. 1t might be
asked, Mr. Cooke said in conclusion, II this route
possessed oil these advantages, why was it not Sc
lected in the first place as the highway to the Pa
cifc? He had asked this question himself. But it
is easy to explain when we inquire into the sub
ieet The Mormons in selecting Salt Lake as
their site did 80 with the intention of being removed
from communication with the rest OF the world.
They hoped never to be troubled with the worlds
people. But they left their track behind them, and
when Fremont sent out to quiet the Indians. he
naturally selected the same route. Then the Gov
eminent vas obliged to send large force to Cali
forna to take possession of that country as part
OF our payment for the expenses of the
fever broke out and OF course, the people in their
rush went ny the beaten track. But the route of
the Northern Pacific has the Saints with it. Laugh-
terD All along the proposed road are villages and
streams named after some patron saint. 1t was
along this track with Its delightful climate that the
original emigrants sought their abode, and there
are hundreds Of Catholic settlements already estab
hshed
REMARKS OF EX-GOVERNOR ASHLEY.
At the conclusion of the address of Mr.. Cooke,
Ex-Governor Ashley, of Montana by request
made few remarks, confirming all that had
been said in praise of the climate of the region to
be traversed by the Northern Pacific Road. He
adduced in evidence of the isothermal advantages
of that region the fact that since be surrendered
the Gubernatorial chair of Montana, last fall,
he had gone all winter without an overceat in
the clothes he then wore. Laughter.) He was
convinced that Montana was destined speedily
to become the great wheat-growing section of
the United States.
The company was then invited to the supper
room to enjoy an elegant and bountiful enter
tainment prepared by the well-known caterer,
r. G. Anderson.