, 1873-11-27

3ER 27, 1879. Rsne,oF' ele'i !
Our Railroad Prospects.
After prolonged absence from Seat
tie We are not surprised to find on our
return some of the doubting and impa-
tient spiiits, who in every town are
waiting for something to turn up to
their advantage, and base their hopes
more upon the energy and enterprise Of
Others than upon their own exsrtions.
finding fault with the management of
tho Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad,
and expressing their doubts - to it,
ultimate success. To practical man,
acquainted with the subject, there is
nothing in the prospect presenting the
least cause for dsspondency or doubt.
.vs have frequently conversed with
some of tho most practical and intslli-
gent railroad men who have been con-.
nscted With tho Northern Pacific road.
and without an exception and without
qualification they endorse cur frequent
assertion that tho projected line offers
the best field for railroad enterprise Of
any unoccupied route in America, and
all join in the opinion that the project
has only to become known to capitalists
to command tho means for its speedy
construction.
If but little progress is thus far ap-
parent. much has been accomplished in
attracting attention to it from abroad,
where the means must ultimately come
from for ills construction; and now the
Company has arranged with Gen. Jas.
Tilton-who did n ore than any other
one man to organize work upoa the
Northern Pacific Railroad, and was
cheated out of the results of his labors
by a piratical ring to present their
project to Eastern capitalists, and We
have no doubt he will be successful. in
enlisting capital and enterprise in the
work, which will be Immediately fol-
lowed By other enterprises for tho de-
velopement of our unrivalled resources
in the great staples OF commerce iron,
coal and lumber.
In judging Of the management Of tsis
project, thus far, it should BE- considered
that it is the result Of new and unan-
ticipatsd emergency, occasioned by the
duplicity and faithlessness of the North
ern Pacific Railroad Company. to which
our people had pinned their hopes and
given their best sympathies and affec-
tions and were willing to contribute
literally of their substance. Betrayed
and disappointed Of their reasonable
hopes, they were thrown upon their
own resources to inaugurate an enter-
prise impsratively demanded by the
public necessities, without any practical
experience or knowledge of the matter
Had it happened in section of country
surrounded or tIaversed by railroads VI
might reasonably have expected more
active and vigorous prosecution of the
work. The liberal donations offered te
the Northern Pacific Company would at
once have been expended under the di-
rection Of 4 competent engineer in max
ing a survey and putting section o.
tho road under construction. Thil
would have given It = character and Q
status worth at least . years time in
facilitating its compilation. and of in
calculabls advantage in commencing il
to public confidence.
4! The delay has not been fatal, nor
materially detrimental but in the less
of time. There is no loss of confdencs
among those whose confidence would
materially facili' ate the work. Tho in
tegrity Of those having it charge is un-
npeachable and above suspicion whore
they are best known. 1t has the conf
dence and support of all tho most intel
ligent railroad men. and the active
sympathies of the entire population
bordering upon Puget Sound. from
Olympia to Now Dunginess and What
com, with the exception of the Railroad
colony ut Tacoma, which is tso near
China to have any sympathy with our
people. The success Of the project is
assured; its construction but q question
of time. t