Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-12-24
AK9TA TERRITORY, TUESDAY EVENING" DECEMBER "a 1878
on TO the YELLOWSTONE.
Philadelphia New Northwest.

The Northern Pacific railroad companv
seems now about 70 push forward another
important section Of it, great enterprise, IN
the three years that have elapsed since the
road passed from the receiver into the hands
OF the reorganissd company, the MANAGE.
ment has been steadily engaged in perfect.
ing itsl 9 INSTRUCTED. .srusd, .ldeyslopias ia
trethc, and Bringing its lapds into settlement
and cultivation. Its fudded debt VA as.
sorbed int sseock! sIss ifloa&is,r, debt has
.beeaspaid. It's .difestncea with The Other
porthwe6tern lines idElsted. Ala nov.
with its trains in succs ssful operation on
esvsn hundred miles Of line, already Wild.
ing net income exceeding a half million
dollars per annum, il il arousing itself. like
young giant, for stride into Montana.
The early construction of this diyision.
extending the road isto the rich valley OF
the Yellowseone, will be of great interest to
the northwest. aIt will not only make inn.
mediately accessible the AmSuis 4 sf6esiSe re.
gtons Of Montana, but will give auch .
momentum to the general enterprise q. to
insure continuous progress hereafter. Never
w the star Of empire more inciipst Eest-
ward than nov; AMI but few ye.rs will
elapse before the vide gap existing between
the eastern and Pacific divisions Of the
Northern Pacific road will be clossd. in.
Dakota, Montana, Washington, and Oregon,
with their untold and iIlimi.abIe, but unde.
veloped wealth, will be brought into clope
communion with the commercial states, and
will be settled and developed with rapidi-
y that has not been equaled in the history
Of the country. sie.i
The general character of the country, on
the two hunded miles about to be built from
the Missouri to the Yellowstone, Is thus de.
scribed 10 the circular prefixed to the spec.
ifica,ions issued by the company: y
Z" Beginning at the Heart river valley op-
poste Bismarck, on the Missouri river,
the line runs nearly west to the Yellow.
stone at the mouth of Glendive's creek
which is about thirty miles below the Pow
der river.
The Missouri river will not be brideed
at present, but q ferry will be established d
Bismarck the present terminus of the con
stIucted railroad.
THE country through which the road vii
be built is what may be called rolling prsi
rle. II il we'll supplied With good water sni
grass. beioR, In regard TO these important
matters. favorable TO CONTRACTORS. Tho onl,
place where the line is located upon bad ol
clay land. Is In the immediate vicinity o
the Little Missouri, on its eastern side, com
prising about q mile of heavy cutting.
"Along the Heart river waters, the head
Of the Knife river tie Little Missouri, an,
the heads and upper portion Of Glendive'
creek. timber is abundant, consisting OF oak
ash, elm, c0tt0nyo" etc, and toward tn
valley Of the YeIlowstone there are larg
bodies Of fcedar. . -
Goal Ia found at the distance of twenty
five miles from the Missouri river, and fron
that point westward coal veins crop out M
|on nearly every stream crossed. s
The road, at the crossing Of the Missouri
is, in round numbers 1850 feet above thu
sea level. The highest summit passed in
reaching the Yellowstone is l.l50 above the
crossing of the Missouri, and 79O feet abov,
the Yellowstone. at Glendive's creek, a
which point the Yellowstone river is 2O1,
feet above the sea. oM F9s2
is expected that abou. one hundred
miles, from the Missouri river west, will b
ca refolly located and made ready for worl
Immediately. The residue Of the line, upo,
which there is now preliminary location
will be finally located for contractors as tn,
company may require. Only approx,ma,,
quantities eau at present be estimated hu
suf6ciently to bidby items intelligently. Ii
round numbers, il is estimated that the quau
titles Of excavation may average 10000 Gu
bic yards per mile. although few mile
will contain hluEh mores Bnt this estimat
is not TO be considered binding upon tn
company: The grubbing and clearing vii
be.a small item, notwithstanding that tn
line is generally convenient to timber-th
baiE of t tho route y being on the rolling prai