The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-11-23
Present Condition of the North Pac Iic
Railroad.
From the New York Tribune, Oct. %


1t Is announced that by the middle OF No
vember THIS new road will be completed to the
Missouri River, A52 m'ier west of Duluth This
will be an addition OF 200 miles since Spring
Trains have been running daily between Du-
luth and the Red River since April last and
new rolling stock Is ready to equip the extern
sion.
On the Pacific side in Washington Territory
a small section of Is miles has been some
time IN operation. Forty miles more of track
viii be completed before the close of the sea-
son. Adding The completed portion on the
Pacific side 10 the Eastern section. il gives
total of 517 miles OF track laid in little more
than two years from the commencement of
work. When thu delays encountered the first
year III making the surveys and deciding on
the best line through the forest region are
considered the result is marvellous and
attests the energy with which the work is
pushed forward. Some idea ct the wc.k az
cOmphshed viii be conveyed by stating that
the finished portion OF the road IN November
will exceed In length the New York Central.
with all its lateral and branch lines Included
Besides the actual construction, the work OF
surveying and locating the entire line across
the continent has proceeded with vigCr. The
exploring parties have fought n few scattering
Indians, but have carried their surveys sue
cessfuliv TO the Yellowstone. The portion
OF the road now III Liberation has a large and
increasing local traffic. IL intersccts the Red
River ut Mcorhead, from which point a new
railroad Is being constructed northward up the
valley to Pempina, where it viii meet and
ION line now being built sorfhNaid from
Fort Garry. 1t commands the eastward bound
freight aud travel of the British settlements
IN Manitoba, aud also of the Hudscn's Bay
Company. 1t Is also the outlet of a large pOr-
ton OF the grain grown in Mime sofa
When the contracts for this season are com
pleted, the Company will have a permanent
business in the great traffic NJ the tpper Mis-
wit all
portation III tt'v Northwest. A few miles be
yond the point where the railway strikes the
Missouri the river bends to the westward and
Is naYgable for steamboats, for 900 miles of
water way from the railroad crossing to Fort
Benton. AT the foot OF The Rocky Mountains
IN Western Montana, nearly forty steamers are
emrl1Sed during the season in the trade of
these upper waters.
In April next, at the opening of navigation
there will be direct communication. east and
west by rall and river, from Lake Superior, in
iOnFiFu'tC 81 degrees. to the pOpulOuS districts
lii Western Montana, in longitude 10 degrees.
From this point westWardlt Is about 400 miles
through the passes of the Rocky Mountains to
that portion of the Columbia River whence it
Is navIgable to the Pacific.
The finished sections of road entitle the
Company TO about ten million acres of land,
granted by the Government. constituting an
area about twice the extent of Massachusetts,,
Ten million contiguous acres belonging to the
Government are ut the same time rendered
hahltable and galable. The lands are situated on
either side of the line, and principally con
slst of excellent farming land, with the pro-
ductive soil characteristic ID all the prairie
region. Settlers have already applied for more
| than Il quarter of million OF acres. The
Company has already begun the canCela ion
of It's seyen-thirty first mortgage bonds by the
proceeds OF its sal s of land, and Is accom-
| rhshing its great work with the utmost sue
cess and economy.
| There is a prospect of a large emigration OF
| the tenant farmer class from England III the
coming Spring. One colony alone, recently
| formed there, through its pioneer agents Sc
cured tract in Clay County, MINES n. of
/ $4,000 acres directly on the line of railway
The intended settlement Is to b. named 1cc-
/ vi, alter town IN the West Of England.
| whence the majority of tho colonists will
| come The first contingent of tbis colony
numbers about 1000; the remainder y Ill fol-
/ low IN 1873.
| The bureau having in charge the Land De
partment of the road has quilt and furnished
/ convenient rcccption-houses for the free ac-
| commodation of intending settlers and their
| families while engaged IN selecting their farms.
| One of these is at Duluth. another at Brain
| erd, where the road crosses the Mississippi
| and a third at Moorhead, at the crossing OF
/ the Red River. EmiCrSntS used 10 tTuudlo
/ with their oX-carts over fnrlorn aud dcsolate
/ Pr2lUlcS, and hlyruaC where the night found
/ them. II Is quite different now. They are
| carried IN comfort to the very sites of then
/ future homes, -ard the organization of the
/ system Is such that they are protected from
/ imposition or spoilatIon from the time they
4 leave their old homes across the water til
/ they begin the foundation of their new ones
under the sunset. Every abic-bodied and in
/ dustrious man and woman who comes hithel
makes the nation richer and contributes tC
+ the general prosperity, and In this view ths
! condition and prospects OF the road are
/ source OF legitimate comgTatulaticn.