Helena weekly herald., 1877-05-10
LAST AND MOST INACCESSIBLE.

LAST AND MOST TINACCESSIRLE.
Among other late items by slow freight, we
hear that the Southern Pacific Railroad has
reached the Colorado river in the vicinity OF
Fort Yuma, thus touching the western boun-
Diary of Arizona. Thus another captive is
released from confinement, and poor Mon
tana is left almost alone in its isolation OF all
the States and Territories. New Mexico has
a railroad on its northern border pushing on
from Colorado, while at least three other
lines are converging from other directions
and will soon pass its borders. Washington
has niece of railroad from the Columbia to
Tacoma on the Sound, and plenty of ocean
and river steamers, and though rather off
from the lines and hives of immigration, her
citizens can live even now surrounded with
all the luxuries and comforts of an old set
tied State. u
Wyoming borders on two States and mas a
tirst-class railroad through its entire length.
Dakota also rests against two sovereign
States, and is penetrated to the center by the
North Pacific Railroad in addition to another
from the south east as far as Yankton. be-
sides the Missouri wriggles through it dag
onally, furnishing an immense extent OF
river bank for steamboat wharves.
Behind all the rest, but yet far in advance
of Montana in facility of access is Idaho,
but the Central Pacific Railroad at Kelton
cannot be more than twenty-five miles from
the southern line of the Territory, while the
nearest approach of the iron rail to our near
est border is at least 450 miles. All OF the
other Territories without an exception touch
at least one State in some part of the cir
cumference, but poor Montana is touched
only by three of the weakest OF the Terrl-
tories. Weak as we arc, we are stronger
than our neighbors, though they have the
support of abutting States. 1t is worth some
thing to have State for a neighbor, for then
there can be some assurances that adjoining
localities with similar interests will be rep
resented in both Houses of Congress, and
the States seeking their own benefit will ex-
tend some share there of the neighboring
communities. Poor Montana has not a
neighbor to help her, if they were eager to
do so. We had almost forgotten that,
though so far disconnected from the substan-
tial iron rail, we do sometimes for few mo-
ments hold converse with the active world
by fragile wire suspended by still more fra
gile poles. But this is something, and we
would not be guilty of making our solitude
appear more lonely than it is 1t is some
melancholy satisfaction to gaze upon the
standing poles and hear the wind murmur its
dirges over the monuments of the deferred
and disappointed hopes.
There is another CLEAN of light and hope
from the north, too. Though other Pacific
roads hang in long and doubtful suspense,
there is chance for the construction of the
Canadian Pacific in advance of all the rest
1t is worth consideration in connection with
the proposed line to Benton, whether it would
not be we'll to extend the line on north to
meet this most hopeful link between the great
lakes and the greater ocean. Both Winnipeg
and British Columbia are enterprising, thrifty
colonies, and we could develope with each
much profitable trade. A reciprocity treaty
will probably soon obliterate the only restric-
tive bar. There is portion of the year when
this connecting road would bring much trade
to the river, and would always serve our
northern neigbors good turn in keeping
railroad freights at fair rates.
If, like Idaho, we had railroad within 20
miles of our borders, we would not have
waited six months to have had connecting
line inside our boundaries, but 500 miles is
beyond our developed wealth and resources.
Looking at the map and considering the gen.
eral features of our situation, it does look as
though Montana was chosen by fate to be
the last of all the Territories to be reached
by the tide of settlement, enterprise and COM
merce; but after all this is not so. thanks to
the Missouri river, the wealth of our mines,
and the energy of our people. Montana is
better off to-day than Wyoming and Idaho,
with their sole dependence upon the extor-
tionate monopoly of an unrivalled road, better
off than Utah, with its Mormons, and New
Mexico, with its Qreasers, or Arizona, with
its deserts and Apaches.
In spite of the foul SANDER of Senator Ing
alls, who characterized its waters as ''too
thick for beverage and too thin for naviga-
tion," the Missouri river is better than the
Euphrates S the Nile, or even than the
Danube 1t is and always will be the chief
~, 81 "a
merce.
The Sultanss Proclamation.
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