The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-12-04
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC
What Has Been Done
Along This Railroad.

nave just Oeen out over Inc ROAD
to Bismarck, As the trains an only
by day, | had an opportunity to
watch every mile of the way, going
and coming. What of the country,
do you ask? found il better than
l had expected. To Bra,nerd, on
the Mississippi, ll5 miles, it is
tamarack swamp dreary enough to
the traveller. And yet here is the
wood and timber lot tor the prairles
beyond. Every tamarack can be
used for fencing aud ior square tim.
ber. Not little of saving pine Is
scra.tered through. Then above
Brainerl, on the river and its trib-
'utarics, are forests OF pine. Cut
these, float the logs down to Brain.
erd, manufacture them there, then
send tho lumber out over the rail to
the regions beyond, instead OF float
ing the logs on to Minneapolis to be
sawed and then brought back to 60
to Bismarck. One large mill is now
doi"S o"o.- L"s;nasss ~ Rrainerd.
Beyond for sixty miles it is still an
Indifferent country, valuable mainly
tor it's timber, for the cutting of
which two or three mills are already
located on the track. Then on for
seventy five miles to the Red River
it is a beautiful farming country,
with undulating prairie, grove, and
lake in delightful interspersion. This
country is rapidly filling in, and
lively stations are rapidly growing
up, such as Detroit, Hswley, Aubu.
bon, and Glyndon. At the latter
named place you come to the branch
Of the St. Paul and Pacific, built
ninety two miles north OF this point
and twelve miles south, and striking
for Pembina, ans thence by British
capital to Fort Garry. Arrested for
time by the Amsterdam Dond.
holders, it is now to be put IN order,
as far as already ironed, SO as to SO.
cure the land grant. As = line OF
nature communication, subsidizing
the great Manitoba and Lower Red
River aud Hudson Bay country, its
completion is 10 evitable. At the
crossing OF the Red River the main
line connects with the navigation OF
that river down and north to Lake
Winnepeg. From the Red River
to the Missouri River 200 miles OF It
Is high, rolling prairie, alter you
have crossed the level of fifty six
miles ia an undefectcd course.
Here. in the valley Of the Red River,
is State 800 miles long and so or
60 wide, OF the greatest fertility. On
the prairies beyond, the soil is doep
enough aud rich enough, with occa
sional exceptions. It IL covered
with the ordinary prairie sward, and
not with the bunch grass of the
plains below. There are no trees
except a few stragglers on the Chey
enne aud the James. You must dig
deep generally tor water. OF the
frequent lakes. somo are fresh and
some are salt. One OF the latter wal
crusted over and looked ~ lhougf
it were covered With ice. This yea'
and the last, rains have been fre
quent. But this is the great quory
Fuel and lumber, and hedges anc
groves, may be secured, but irriga
ton is out Of the question. James
town, half way over. with Fort Sew
ard to guard it, is on tho river Of il
own name, located in its beautiful
valley, which offers = rail cours
northwards from its junction witt
that Of the Mississippi at Yanktou
In the contemplated division OF th
territory by an es. and west line