Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-03-09

North, and strikes out over the gently undu
lating and fertile praires of Dakota, and
crossing the Missouri River at the mouth of
the Heart, it extends into the beautiful valley
OF the Yellowstone in nearly straight line;
ascending this valley and passing through
beffs OF timber and rich rolling lands, il goes
through Boseman Pass Of the Belt Mountains
into the central basin OF Montana, and crosses
the fertile valleys of the Gallatin Madison
and Jeferson Forks the Upper Missouris
going up the. valleys Of the latter and David
Creek, it runs through Deer Lodge Pass, at
an altitude under 5000 feet above sea level,
and descends the western slope by the valleys
Of Deer Lodge Creek, He'll Gate River and
Clark's Fork, TO Lake Pend Creile, where
it crosses the great grass plain of the Column
bia to Wallula; thence it follows the Column
bia River through the cascade Mountains to
the Pacific coast. The climate of this great
land grant belt across the continent is brac-
ing, and unusually healthful, being free from
all peculiar diseases. The soil, as whole
is OF excellent quality, producing large crops
of wheat, rye, oats, and barley; vegetables
yield without parallel in the history of hor-
ticulture in America, and all kinds of small
fruits, wild and cultivated yield the same as
in the New England States. The nutritious
grasses, growing wild on the eastern and
western slopes of the Rocky Mountains, aud
in the valleys, afford sustenance for cattle the
year round, the climate being SO mild as not
to necessitate shelter for stock in the winter.
A large portion of this grant is covered with
forests of an immense growth, the like of
which cannot be found on this continent.
Fine building stone is found in almost every
variety and inexhaustible in quantity. The
mineral wealth of this region seems as yet to
be hardly explored; at the present time no
amount of the precious metal than that
through which this road will run. Immense
coal deposits are found underlying great
portion of this grant. The committee on the
Pacific Railroad, in the United States Senate,
in their report February 10, 1869, say, "Eve-
ry element of wealth, every condition of So
cial growth and prosperity, exists in superb
Guidance and bey ond exhaustion in the re-
glon lying between Lake Superior and Puget
Sound. For this immense country, railroads
can do more than they have done for Illinois"
Now if we compute the ultimate value of
this grant of the Northern Pacific Railroad at
81 per acre, the average of the Immigrant
sales in the foregoing table, it will amount to
$406, 900; if at only SIS per acre, it
amounts to $3.50, 90, 0000 if at So OF per acre,
the lowest of all the grants, it will amount to
SITS, 100000 This latter sum is more than
twice the estimated cost of the road, as set
forth by the most competent engineers. These
prospective results seem astounding, yet it
strikes us as not unreasonable to believe that
the financial results of this grant shall even
exceed the highest of these estimates, mas
much as its resources are so immense, and
will be developed with SO great facility by the
railroad, which will be the shorter and more
easily operated of our Pacific redistribution
Advertiser.
The 10 gold bonds of the Northern Pa
cfc Railroad Co., are for sale in Augusta by
Potter Brothers. a. e II