Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-09-12
THE NEW NORTHWEST.

THE NEW NORTHWEST. II
n GlO,rtnO Tribute to the Northern Pacific
Country and Extension Of Land Grant
Urged
lEdltoriol in Chicago Times, Sept II
Everywhere in this number of the Times
will be found another of the interesting and
instructive letters from Times commits
sioner who has been making an extensive |
tour of observation in the country traversed
by the Northern Pacific railway.
The observations and general conclusions
of the writer coincide with the impressions
made upon all intelligent visitors to that re-
ion since the beginning of actu,l seth ement
and cultivation, and furnish additions to the
now entirely satisfying mass of evidence
showing the error of those who, at the out
set of that great enterprise, affirmed that
muca of the country through which that
railway must pass was an inhospitable and
uninhabitable desert. There is, III truth, no
| section of country, of any considerable ex-
tent, anywhere in that region, to
which such words are applicable-at all
events, there is such country, north of
the forty-ffth parallel, between the Missis-
sippi river and the Pacific ocean. The poor
est portion on the whole line lies between
the head of Lake Superior and the Missis-
sippi. 1t is lacustrine region containing
| great deal of stamarack swamp and
great deal of more or less valuable timber,
| but only light and scanty soil. Crossing
the Mississippi at Brainerd, the country
begins almost Immediately to improve, and
grows better steadily until its fertility culmi-
mates in the marvellous valley of the Red
River of the North, a vast plain that IS hard
ly surpassed in agricultural capabilities by
any equal area on the globe. From the
western margin of that remarkable ''valley''
to the Missouri river the country is undulat-
| ing, treeless and bears an imperfect resem-
blance to the more southerly region called
s'the plains" but possesses much greater ag-
ricultural resources. There are no ssdesert'
places; no sbad lands;" none of any consid-
cradle extent that do not present rich,
deep soil. Probably not less than 80 per
cent. of all the country between Brainerd
and Bismarck is region of good agricul-
tural land.
Soon after leaving the Missouri the to-
biography of the country changes to broad
valleys and intervening watersheds. The
valleys of the Little Missouri, the Yellow
streams furnish everywhere, in the luxur-
lance of vegetation, evidence of extraordi-
nary fertility and hospitable climate. Tim.
Der begins to be plentiful, and the hills con.
tain coal in abundance. Throughout its
length and breadth, Montana is country OF
noble rivers and broad, magnificent valleys
separated by hills and mountains clothed
with forests. On account of it's general
aspects, as we'll as by reason of its varied
and vast mineral resources, it has been
styled the Pennsylvania of the Northwest. AL
ready in many of the valleys it's thriving
settlements, where herds of Gait may b,
counted by thousands, and where orchards
of apples and peaches yield unfailing har
vests in sight of snow-capped mountains
Perhaps of all the Northwestern territories
Montana is the one which in the variety o
its resources and capabilities, the advan
tages of its topography, the beauty of it
;: scenery, and the hospitality of its climate
4 holds out the highest inducements to rapi,
settlement
Such is a general glance at the country
: east of Washington Territory, traversed b,
the line of the Northern Pacific railway
: Comparing it to the country traversed b
!, the Union Pacific, the reality is not com
j parison, but a contrast. The Norther
0 region is in every respect vastly the bette
e region. Between the Mississippi and tn
Pacific, along the Northern route, not 20 pc
y cent. of the country is bad, for purpose O
agriculture, whereas, between the same OK
8 tremities along the central route hardly NOR
> than 80 per cent. of the country is goo
y for any purpose. The local traffic possibl
ties may, certainties) of the northern road
= the traffic resources that must appear alon
the line of the road by consequence of il
existence-are incomparably greater than
a would be possible to claim for any other col
tinental line constructed or proposed.
le Anything like correct ideas of the countl
traversed by the Northern Pacific. any CO.
70 rect or even approximately correct n,
ID tions Of its fertility and wondert
n capabilities, have only been acquire
Q, since the completion of the road to IL
n Missouri river, and in fact since settl
Of ments along the line began to spring u
AS actual knowledge of the country and i
d resources increases, it becomes more ar
= more apparent that the Northern Pacific i
N of all the projected railways to the westel
. ocean, the one which must be of the create
70 value and importance to the American pc
9. pie. 1t is the one which will open to settl
AZ ment by far the most extensive, most ferti
I'd and every way most desirable regions. It
lg therefore, the one for TIE construction
which it was the wisest policy to give pub
aid in the way of grant of public Ian
he And it is for the same reasons that
If, will be manifestlv wise policy to e1te1
a the time limited for the completion of t
ny road. The necessity for such an extensi,
lie has arisen by no fault or omission of &
re able and energetic gentlemen composing t
It's present company. They have fairly fc
na feited no right; have failed in the fulfllme
Nv of no undertaking; have done nothing a
ne omitted nothing to change any reason tt
us ever existed iii favor of the carrying forth
Oh this great enterprise. On the cvntral
be stronger and more cogent reasons can n,
ut be urged in favor of an act extending t
se time for the completion of the undertake
than any that could have been given at t
outset for beginning it. One or two of the
II. reasons it may be timely to mention.
rec The completion of one railway to the F
Ids cifc gave rise to stronger argument
nd favor of second than could have been ma
nd in favor of first. A single line of railw
W. across the continent is of course monopo
ne ne unchecked by any possible competitor.
w. bring such monopoly within reasonat
power of control, competing line becon
BIC necessity.
cir The force of this argument is shown
la the recent action of the Union and Cent
rst Pacific companies in doubling their RAJ
!, of transportation. Last winter, it "
az be remembered, Congress passed
er; act, (the Thurman act, so-called) to conn
ce, those corporations to pay the intere
an. which they had solemnly engaged to p
ice on the bonds issued to them by the govel
ment, but which they had never even p
tended to pay. What was their response
the act requiring them to pay what they b
agreed to pay? AS if to manifest their ce
the tempt of the Congressional act, and sh
st; that they would devise way of evadlng