The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-10-17
Progress Of the Northern Pacific
Railroad.
BANKING House OF JAY Cooke n Co., !
ia 5. 3D STREET, PIMA, :
October 3, 1871.

Railroad.
BANKING House OF JAY Cooke n Co., ]
III $. 81 STREET PIMA,
October +, 1871.
You will be pleased to learn the fol.
lowing facts regarding the prosperous
progress of the Northern Pacific rail
road:
The track is now about completed
across the State of Minnesota, $50
miles, the grade being wholly finished
aud the tracklayers approaching the
Red river at the rate of three miles
day. Regular trains are running over
the completed sections.
Last week contracts were let for the
construction of the Dakota division,
extending 200 miles eastward, from
the crossing Of the Red river to
the crossing OF the Missouri, in
Central Dakota. This division is
to be finished by the first day OF July
next, and 80 miles are to be graded
before the beginning of winter. In the
meantime, a section Of % miles is under
construction between the Columbia
river and Puget Sound, in Washington
Territory, where track-laying is rapidly
progressing.
1t will be remembered that the
Northern Pacific Company last year
purchased both the main line and
branch of the st. Paul and Pacific
road Within the last three months,
the main line has been completed,
through a noble country, to the Red
river at Breckenridge. Contracts were
last week let for the continuation OF the
branch, from its present terminus, at
Watab, on the Mississippi river, 20
miles northward to Brainerd, where it
will Join the trunk line ofthe Northern
Pacific. Finally, contracts have been
let for the construction of a branch road
from St. Cloud - miles north of St.
PauD, to Pembina, on the British
border, a distance of 315 miles. This
line is to be completed within fifteen
months Of the present time. 1t will
drain the richest portions OF the Red
River Valley, open direct communlca-
ton with the British settlements OF
Winnipeg and the rich Saskatchewan
Basin. 1t will also serve as the south
eastern arm of the Northern Pacific
road, reaching to st. Paul and Mime.
apolis, and thus connecting with Chi
caco and the trunk lines to the East.
The completion Of these contracts
will give the Northern Pacific Com
panv, at the close Of next year, 9OO
miles o! road in the fertile and prosper
Gus State of Minnesota; it will carry
the trunk line of the great thorough
fare nearly one-third Of its distance
across the continent, and will bring to
the Northern Pacific road the large and
profitable traffic of Montana and the
Government transportation OF the Up
per Missouri.
1t is anticipated that this business
alone, without waiting for through
trade, will meet the interest on the cost
of the finished portions OF the road. The
Hudson's Bay Company has already
leased docks and warehouses at Duluth,
preparatory to doing the whole OF Its
immense business over the Northern
Pacific line.
Settlers are occupyingthe lands along
the route with surprising and gratifying
rapidty.
About the lst OF January next nearly
two million acres of the finest lands IN
Minnesota will be placed in market by
the Northern Pacific Railroad Com,
panv, and the proceeds of their sale vii
be used to purchase and cancel the com
panv's $50 bonds. The company land;
in Minnesota will much more than pay
the cost of building the Minnesota
division Of the road, and their sale vii
be rapid-indeed, many thousand acres
have already been sold to actual settlers
in advance of being offered. The com
pany's lands west OF Minnesota, through
Dakota, prove to be Of superb character
AID will speedily come into market.
Owing to the rigid economy and per
feet integrity with which all depart
ments of the enterprise are managed
and the great reduction in cost O
material within the last few years, tn
cost of construction and equipmen
moves to be considerably less per mil
than the original estimates. For e,
annie locomotives which cos: Sl9,W
; each when the Union and Centrs
. Pacific roads were built, are now sol