Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-03-22
REPORT.
1870 BROADWAY, NEW YORK,

100 BROADWAY, NEW YORK,
March 2, 1872
The only points on the Northern Pacific
route where, in the absence of ordinary
precautions, there would be reason to an
ticipate occasional difficulty from snow
are at and near the Bozeman Pass, in
Montana, and towards the western part
of Minnesota. AS to the necessity for un-
usual precautions against snow, if the
route Ctd the Yellowstone Valley, Deer
Lodge Pass, Clarkis Fork and Columbia
River be adopted, do not apprehend that
any would be needed.
The present winter is remarkable one
almost everywhere, but 1t is my opinion
that, with well-constructed fences at the
most exposed points, the Northern Pacific
Raalodd can URquestiOndJly be Kept open for
regular trdDic its entire length across the con-
fHent through Simildr fctnterS hereqtS6r
sh0u1d Mey occur. Our road from Duluth
to Oak Lake (about 200 milee) has been
free most of the way this winter aoiHt0ut
snow fences, and the Lake Superior and
Misoieeippi and the S.. Poul and Paoifio
Roads in Minnesota have had compare
lively little trouble from snow this winter.
A few miles of snow fences will render
our line from Lake Superior to the Mis-
souri, River as free from snow distractions
as the line from Chicago to Omaha. Even
in the Rocky Mountains, in Montana, the
thermometer from January 9Th to the
18th, in the middle of the day. ranged
from 81 deg. above zero to 4S deg. above,
except the 18th, when it was 30 deg
above. From January 10Th to the 2lst,
the range was from 10 deg to 81 deg.
above from January 20 to February 10
the range was from 2 deg. above to Al
deg above-average, 90 deg. above
February IL to Is, from 26 deg, above to
"a deg. above--average, 1875 The first
snow storms of the present winter
came in the Rocky Mountain region of
Montana unusually early lin November
and December), were accompanied by un-
usually cold weather, and were regarded
by the oldest settlers as very remarkable.
Most winters cattle range through the val
leys of this region without difficulty, and
are usually fatter in the spring than when
turned out on the approach of winter
feeding on the nutritious bunch grass.
At Helena, in the mountains, during the
severest weather referred to, the lowest
thermometer was about 30 deg below
zero, and from 20 deg. to 30 deg. below
in the vicinity of the BoZeman summit.
But such low temperature only occurred
for few days, as witness the high range
of the thermometer from January to
February 1S. My latest information from
the mountain sections of our line is a re-
port from Assistant Engineer j. W.
Flennilen, dated at Helena, February 10,
and fully corroborated by letters from
residents of other portions of Montana,
dated the 10TH From the former | make
the following extract -
Ihave not heard of any very serious SHOWS
on any of our lines. The Jefferson has but
very little on it. Major Pease, who just ar
rived here from the Crow Agency, says that
between the Agency and the divide there is
hut little snow. Between Forts Shaw and
Benton it has disappeared altogether, In the
| Bitterroot and Missoula valleys there has
been none of any account. SO far as | can
learn, the snow would not have delayed trains
more than one day had they been running.
My opinion of the danger of deep SHOWS and
frequent drifts is, that at no time will the
Northern Pacific Railroad have to encounter
anything resembling the trouble and veXa-
tion that the Union Pacific is suffering. The
wagon-rOad between here and Deer Lodge,
the highest elevation on our line, has been
open and in good condition ever since it was
first broken. Mr.. Sparks lust re.
turned from the Muscle Shell Valley, where
his stock has been during the winter, says
the snow has been very light, and the cattle
have no difficulty in getting plenty of grass
the entire time.
These very favorable reports, during a
winter of Unprecedented severity, cover
the most elevated and mountainous por.
| tions of our line, where distractions from
snow would occur if anywhere on the
route; and when it is remembered that
the distractions on the Union Pacific
have been virtually confined to a section
of 1870 miles, every part of which is AT
least 1 200 feet higher than the highest
summit of the Northern route, and most
of which is ., 500 to 5000 feet higher than
the mountain section of equal length on
! the Northern Pacific line, it becomes per
tectly safe to predict for the latter as com
plete exemption from winter blockade as
is enjoyed by railroads in New York and
! New England, The valley route and
sheltered position of the Northern Pacific
Road through Montana prevents, to q
great extent, the constant drifting of what
snow there is, which characterizes more
| elevated routes and which has been the
chief source of difficulty on the Union
Pacific.
w. minor ROBERTS,
| Chief NOrthern Pacific Railroad