The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-09-28
THE GREAT RAIL WI J.


Though it has been said before, it will
bear to be said again, that the building Of
the Northern Pacific Railroad is great
work. Few indeed are aware Of the unu-
sual magnitude of this enterprise, which
may be truly called gigantic. Ii a railway
were to be built from Boston, Mass. to
Moorehead, Minn., by way Of Albany, Buf-
falo, Detroit, Chicago, Dubuque and St.
Paul, 1t would be thought good progress
to reach Buffalo at the end of the second
year, and no one would doubt that 10
reach Moorehead by the route indicated,
within three years afterward, would call
for double the energy, men and expendi-
ture per year, required before. Buffalo in
the above route corresponds with the MIS-
souri, river on the Northern Pacific r. r.,
which is to be reached in November next.
Following out the same comparison, De
troit would correspond with the Powder
river, Montana, just beyond the crossing of
the Yellowstone. Chicago would cores
pond with point in Central Montana,
among the Rocky Mountains. Dubuque
would be located at the Bitter Root river
Western Montana not far from the juno
ton of the Portland Branch with the Main
Line St. Paul would represent the en-
trance Of the great plain of the Columbia
by the Main Line, or Ft. " ALA Walla on
the Branch, while Moorehead would stand
for Portland or Seattle.
Now, certainly unless it would be light
matter to build a railroad from Buffalo to
Red river III three years, it will be no light
matter to build from the Missouri to Seattle
in that time But that is just what the
Northern Pacific Company contemplate
doing, and it shows the comprehensive
plans Of its managers, and the indomitable
energy with which the work will be prose-
cuted. Evidently work vii. be required
simultaneously on both ends of The route,
and this is in the intentions of the Compa-
ny IS given out. In fact work on the west
ern portion Of the road has already made
respectable progress, and will probably ad-
vance at 4 remarkable rate hereafter.
To resume the comparison made already:
uncut forests Of the finest timber In the
world, were the region between the Missis-
sippi and Detroit rivers as rich in gold as
Montana, and the north shore of Lake Erie
as rich in soil as the Red river country, we
can see at once that their prosperity when
once opened and settled by the con>truc-
ton of 4 great railway, would have been
something fabulous. We can Judge from
the present great prosperity without these
advantages, what it would have been with
them.
But while AL men see how rich q return
will be yielded to the projectors of the great
highway now building through such re-
gion, they see too, that it requires the reve-
nues of kingdom, and such work as built
the pyramids, to realize the promising plans
in living facts. Ard here is where most
men would shrink. Even the bold projec-
tors of the Union Pacific only built half
way across the continent. Another Com
pany was required to countenance and aid
in the undertaking. But the Northern Pa
cifc Company stands alone, corporation
"without a model, and without shadow >
1t builds the longest line of railway hith-
erto undertaken, and by far the most i'm
portant. 1t conducts the largest emigra-
ton scheme the world has known. 1t has
more land at its disposal than any private
organization whatever, and such a credit as
princes would be glad to own. 1t lays the
foundations of cities and states, rs though
the absolute monarch of great empire,
and with hands on two oceans is grasping
for the commerce of the globe. The Com
pany itself cannot fully appreciate the
grandeur of its own plans, till each colossal
petal unfolds, and the towering Century
Plant of the Age is in bloom.