The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1873-04-03
Winter Along the Northern Pacific Rail
road.

Dir. w. Minor Roberts. Chief En- ginecr
of the Northern Pacific Railroad, in a let
ter dated February p, 1873, makes the
following authentic statement:
On the flushed line across Minnesota.
from Duluth to Fargo, the road has been
run all winter with remarkable regularity
and freedom from snow difficulties. There
has been less necessary delay on the
| Northern Pacific Road this winter than
upon the roads east Of it to Chicago and
New ork Considerable snow has fall
Gu IN eastern minnesota this winter. but
.aere has not been an unusual amount in
the western part Of the State and across
| Dakota. The occasional snow fences op
posite the excavations have served their
purpose we'll
ln common with the rest of the coun
try and with Europe Minnesota, Wiscon
sin. Iowa and the entire Northwest have
had most unusual winter season. There
have been some days OF very severe wealth
er, but it was quite as cold about the sa me
period in most of the Eastern States!
In January, at Duluth, the thermome
ter ranged as follows during the middle
OF the day /; average, l2o above zero low
est on the 9th when it was 80 below Zero;
the highest, 220 above, on the 10Th
Absolute lowest, early in the morning of
the 2SGh 250 below zero. At Duluth.
in February. to the 18th, average, 200
above; lowest, 10 below; highest. 80
above zero absolute lowest, early in the
morning of the 2d l70 below.
At Fargo, on the western border Of
Minnesota, in the open praire Of Red
River Valley, the range of the thermome-
ter iu January was as follows average
6o above, lowest, l6o below; highest,
80 above zero absolute lowest early 10
the morning of the 9th, 300 below zero.
At Fargo, in February, to the 18th, the
average was ll0 above lowest, 100 he
low highest. 330 above absolute lowest
on the lst. loo below zero.
In the Rocky Mountains, east Of the
main divide. at Brzcman near the high
est elevation of the Northern Pacific route
from the 5Ih to the 18th of January in
elusive, the average temperature was 350
above zero lowest, 22o above; highest.
IA above absolute lowest, early in the
morning the 23d, l60 above zero 1t is
noticeable how much milier the weather
has been at BoZcman, near Fort Ellis,
and about 5000 feet above the seat. than
In Minnesota aud Wisconsin, near the
level of the lakes The farmers OF ives
tern Montana began their spring plough
ing in the latter part of January, the win
ter in that section being considered over,
and the roads were dry and dusty
On the western slope Of the Rocky
Mountains. in eastern Washington Terri
tory the local papers state that the far,
mers of Walla Walla valley were plough
ing their fields on the 26th of January,
though the early part of the winter had
beeu, as elsewhere, unusually cold for
the region.
The winter climate along the Pacific
Division of our road, between the Colum
bia River aud Puget SQUAD, which is in
regular daily operation. may be inferred
from the fact that at Portland, Oregon,
the averge temperature for January was
45o above zero highest was $50 and the
lowest 80 above Snow fell on one day.
the 2nd, to depth of q and half inches
OraSS mas Oeeb green IouSilout Tue WIN
ter about Puget sound, and several varie
ties of flowers were in bloom out of doors
in January and February.
Our experience on the finished line,
and authentic reports from the remainder
of the route. satisfy me that the Northern
Pacific Road, il completed from Lake
Superior to Puget Sound. would have
been kept in regular operation the entire