Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1876-01-28
foorr1rsr, FROM THE FIRST PAGE.I

ny colleague. Col Roberts, has IN pre-
esd,ng me gone 50 fully over the general
vubiecs Of the situation Of your Territory
and ita railroad wants, that it only rel
uains for me to present the situation Of
or company, and such explanations As
Vfll make more clearly understood our
pla,s and proposals already presented IN
The uemorisl to the Legislature. And -
sh,s may be the only opportunity to ap-
pear before what may be denom'na'ed
"Committee Of the Whole" will thank
any person present to make inquiries Is
fhov may occur to him. and ! ehall b.
hlaoaed TO answer them to the best of my
ability.
The unfortunate embarrassmnnts Of theI
Norsheep P.cific road attending and con-
sequent upon the failure of Jay Cooke 81
c.. eliminated last summer. 10 an effort
a the part of the bondholding creditors
20 foreciose their mortgage upon the
franchise and road and lands aud other
property of the Company. This effort
vas Z success. snd by DEGREES of court,
euppfrmented by agreements between all
parties in interest, tho franchise and
property were put up at public sale, and
purchased IN the interest of the bondhold-
~. They thus became themselves the
corporation and start with fresh life
without encumbrances. The condition Of
tha re- organized company has been fully
stated 10 you elsewhere. 1t has 500
miles OF frst-class road IN excellent re-
pair and thoroughly eqipred, running At
some profit, and paying all bills. LIS
men are paid promptly on the first OF
every month, and having no interest to
meet, its present is secure. 1t is the fu-
eure, the extension Of the road to and
from your Territory. and ultimately
through to the Pacific, that now engages
the attention of its managers.
The question of an early EXTENSION
from Bismarck to the Yellowstone river
has been agitated. But of itself it is
not enough. The first point to he gained
ID to get within controlling reach of the
business of Montana. This buslnese,
even in its present undeveloped state, is
large. According TO statistics prepared
by . committee of your citizens, and pub
lished in the local newspaper which
hold 10 my hand, you paid last year more
than million and half of dollars fol-
freight, of which at least million wen,
for tesmlng. What you now nay Out
would keep railroad alive, and your
facilities for transportation ore SO limited
that only the very richest ores can DC
worked, and the most necessary business
transacted. If the railroad was IN your
midst, this business would be increased
IN hundred fold, and make full rcmuner-
alton to the road at cheap rats to your
selves.
The railroad company now desires to
extend its road from Bismarck to and up
the Yellowstone valley. not less than
three hundred snd sixty miles, at one
move. Il has offered in the memorial be
fore you to build to your easterly line.
one hundred and sixty miles, and to iron
two hundred miles more in extension Ut
the same into your Territory, il you will
furnish the means to grade, bridge, and
~ this last two hundred miles. For this
purpose we estimate that Ne shsll have
% raise i've millions of dollars on our
own account, besides asking you to loan
~ two millions Of your Territorial bond,
70 be used for the grading, ETC.. in your
own Territory.
As security for such loan of bonds, to
make them desirable investment, and to
project the people Of the Territory against
TAXATION to meet interest and principal,
We propose to pledge and place in trust
semi-annually. the gross amount received
by the railroad company or transportation
ov.r this $50 miles, of all business to or
from Montana. The details Of this pro
posal are partially set forth in osaft Of
an enactm. Mt, which have prepared for
the consideration Of the legislature, and
which will now read for. your general
Information, and. as you will observe,
provides for full and complete details to
b arranged in a written agreement be-
tween the Territory and the Railr'a,l
Company. You will observe that under
Ito provisions, no bonds are to be issued,
except - the work within the Territory
progresses from time to time, upon the
order OF the Governor.
I commend this plan, gentlemen, to
your candid consideration. Its adoption
viii, believe, enable the work TO move
on. Il will inspire confidence that the
great resources of this Territory are to BE-
developed, and Weld harvest to all con
ceraod. In helping Us you will help
yourselves to Z much greater extent l
implore you not to hesitate between our
great trans-coptine"tal, ilrst.ciass road
running lengthwise in the natural course
Of traf]c between your extreme easterly
and westerly border, opening up for you
. domain three times the area of the
grert State of New York. and . North
and south line that in lis entire course OF
500 miles takes you no nearer to the East,
and can afford at best but narrow -guage
fscilities ..---....-...
Without greater transportation facilities
yearannot develop fraction of your re-
sources. You are now at . standsti!l.
You cannot afford 10 wait. DO not per.
jsh standing between opportunities. bul
choose thst which is. in magnitude, il
direction, and in prospective efficiency,
the line for Montana. If you do this, VI
behave the Northern Pacific Road will
receive your helping hand, and will, with
In brief period, be ut your door.
BlO0dcd Cattle in Iowa.