Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-02-17
The Northern Pacific Railroad.

ton. Last July contracts were let for
the building of the Eastern division,
reaching across the State of Minnesota
from Duluth, at the head of Lake SUI
perior, 240 miles to the crossing of the
Red River of the North. With several
thousand men employed, the grading of
this section is fast approaching compile
ton, and the iron is being laid at the
rate of one to two miles day. In the
meantime engineers are locating the line
westward through central Dakota prep
arationsare completed for the commence
ment of work at the Pacific end next
spring, and thereafter the work will be
prosecuted from both extremities toward
the centre.
In addition to this, the Northern Pa
cific Company have recently purchased
and practically consolidated their Own
line the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad,
embracing some 800 miles of finished
road in Minnesota on which prosper
Gus business is already doing. This pur-
chase removes all rivalry between con-
hicting interests, and practically makes
St. Paul one terminus Of the great North
ern road. The Northern Pacific Rail-
road system is certainly assuming bus
iness-like form, and comprehensive pro-
portions. Obviously its projectors do not
intend to build simple trunk road from
East to West and then wait for profit
able traffic to come to it. On the con-
trary, they are at the outset securing
such connections and alliances with the
chief lines of water communication, and
with the railroad system Of the Atlantic
and Pacific States, as cannot fail to bring
to it, in addition to its local business,
large and increasing share Of the carry
ing trade between 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
thecommerce of the Mississippi river and
its tributaries, and with the railroads Of
the central and eastern States, concentrate
ing at Chicago. These two arms will
unite in Western Minnesota. From the
point Of junction third branch will ex-
tend to Pembina on the British border,
and the trunk line will traverse central
Dakota, and follow the now famous Vel
lowstone 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 Oregon the other side strik-
ing directly across the Cascade range to
the main terminus on Puget Sound. A
North and South branch will also con-
meet the Puget Sound terminus with that
at Portland. At the latter point con.
ection is made with the coast lines of
road now building southwark through
Oregon and California Both at Port
land 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 believed to be
these: /. 1t reduces the distance between
the Lakes and the Pacific Ocean some
900 miles. 2. 1t lessons the distance be-
tween New York and the Pacific by wa
ter and rail to the same extent. 8. 1t
lessons the distance between London and
Chinese ports by the trans.eontinental
route at least 1400 miles. 4. 1t trayers-
es belt of States and Territories admir-
ably adapted by fertility of soil, mildness
of temperature, and equal distribution
of moisture, to profitable agriculture.
5. Its elevation in the mountain region
is 5000 feet less than that of other lines,
resulting in diminished snowfall, a
mild climate, and far easier gradients.
8. AT convenient intervals it intersects
numerous Manageable streams such asthe
Columbia, Cowlitz, the Yellowstone, the
Missouri. the Red, and the Mississippi
which drain vast region, and will serve
as feeders to the road. Z. It will par
take of the character of an information
al route, permanently controlling the
carrying trade of British America, and
rendering the important colonies north
of the boundary, and west of Lake Su.
perior, commercially tributary to our
Northwestern States.
Already it is stated that settlers are
rapidly crowding to the line of the North
ern Pacific Road in the New Northwest
and judging from what is known of the
plans adopted for promoting the settle
ment and development, through emigra.
ton and colonization, of the belt ofStates
and Territories tributary to the line-there
would seem to be no doubt that the cor
poration upon which the Government
has conferred this great trust, is deter
mined to make the enterprise not only
financially sound, but greatly and per-
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