Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-03-29
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC.


From the st. Paul Press, Feb. &C..
At general meeting of the Board OF
Directors and officers of the Northern
Pacific Railroad Company, held in New
York during the present month, it was
decided 70 push forward the work with
all possible speed during the available
portion of the year 1873, and in accord
ance with this decision a defnate pro-
gramme was arranged which will be
adhered to as closely as circumstances
will permit.
Immediately following the appearance
of settled and favorable weather the
line is to be opened to Edwington, the
present terminal point on the Missouri
river. This portion of the work will be
completed by the opening of navigation
on that stream, all the material required
having been placed on the ground last
fall, prior to the advent of cold wealth
er. The entire line to the Missouri was
so we'll advanced last year that COM
paratively little will be required to place
it in good running order from the out
lets upon Lake Superior, or the Missis-
sippi river at st. Paul, to the Missouri.
In anticipation of radical change in
the direction taken by the travel and
traffic from the Western Territories to
the more populous States and marts of
the East, the company has determined
to operate two passenger trains per day
to and from Edwinton-one being de-
signed exclusively for passengers, and
the other an accommodation, or mixed
train. These trains will run in connec-
ton with line of steamers, which are
to make regular trips, during the sea-
son of navigation, on the Missouri river,
and which has heretofore been consiC{-
cred the point of divergence toward
the gold-felds of Montana, or the more
secluded, but, perhaps, not less profita-
BILE route of hunters and trappers along
the base of the Rocky mountains or
on the margin of the timbered water
courses.
The line of the steamers will be d.
vided into two branches, small frac-
ton thereof being intended to ply the
Missouri between Edwington and Sioux
City, thus affording regular facilities to
the settlements and military posts on
that stream situated below its North
ern Pacific crossing" Six steamers
are to he placed in the line between Ed
wington and Fort Benton, a number
considered ample for the accommodation
of travel and freight either westward or
eastward-bound. Should the business
of this new thoroughfare, however, re-
quire additional facilities for the rapid
and secure movement of commodities,
the company will supply them whenev-
err and as rapidly as the necessity is in
dicated.
When the steamers begin their trips
to Fort Benton, wagon trains will con-
tinue and complete the connections be-
tween the citizens of Montana and those
of Eastern America, and while this por-
ton OF the route may wear its primative
feature, it will nevertheless answer its
purpose, and complete the first direct
chain of communication established be-
tween the northern cities and the remote
Territory.
Surveys will he prosecuted west of
the Missouri river until feasible route
is discovered-the characteristics of the
country embraced in some portions Of
the Western extensions being of ma
ture discouraging to any hope of sue
cessful railroading over that intricate
and broken surface. Special pains will
be taken to secure good route, and
when this is discovered and the line
def, itely located by the engineers,
construction will follow Immediately,
and will represented with unremitting
yigor.
Perhaps the busiest scenes of the
Summer on the Northern Pacific road
will be found on that portion of the
line lying between Puget Sound and
the base of the Rocky Mountains, a dis
lance of $50 miles. Here will be con-
eentrated as large force as can gath
cred together advantageously and the
company hopes to have the entire stretch
between the points named fully complet-
ed and ready for the movement of trains
before the next Winter forces Il tempo
rary suspension of operations.
10M1sss4--