Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-11-28

II - SEalN announced tf77N the n OstheYr
Pacific Railrold Cempany purpose extend
Ing their road 900 miles vest from Bis
mar.k. or TO the Yellowstone. at an early
day; that contracts will be let 70 the same
in twenty-five miles sections. during Dexa
niaath and that the company are thor.
oagiiy in earnest in the matter. &c. Nov.
this would be MI very well, and most cheer
Ing news for the people ct Montana, pro-
vhled. they could place implicit confidence
IN tlx,se fair promises OF the company.
But 80 .nany similar intimatisns and
fesn0n STATIONS Naying been made ia the
past. without striking blow or building
/. milc Of railroad, the people very natur-
ally look upon such promises with great
s:s;,:ci0a and wiz believe in them Only
when Asey are being substantially affixed.
Tie people OF Eastern Montana. how
ever. li2re ever realized the enIbarassmegts
M Ter which the. y. 2. Z. r. Co. have been
struggling since the great financial pres
sure at 1873, and in which the financial
agents OF tie eompaay-Jay Gould q Co.
were hopelessly crushed, and, while the
iairtest hopes Of building tie road exists,
~, aynpany can safely rely on our SYM
patty and best wishes. But. in order to
maintain good faith and to keep alive the
rope and interest we have ever felt in the
iin:' completion OF lie great and impor-
tar. e.. ,arplise. it will not do for the COM
pany TO do nothing except to make prom
ises and TO reiterite assurances indefinitely.
There are great and vital Interests involv-
cd. not SO much perhaps in the building of
the road. itself. as in the franchises and
land grants OF the company, and by which
the people Of the Territories through which
the road is projected are nakiag great
sacrifices. suffering unreasonable hard
ships and are being deprived Of their rights
and privileges every day aad year that the
construction Of the road is delayed.
BY the very liberal land grant made by
Congress to tits company. ii is fair to say
that fully one half Of the very best unim-
proved land Of the Territory is virtually
Withdrawn from market and occupancy
and the settlement or purchase of tile re-
maiHder is rendered more difficult and ex-
pensise 70 the actual settler by the same
;Ht THUS lie rapid settlement of some
OF the richest and most productive valleys
vi tive Territory have been sariously re-
fafded du,fsg the past five years by an
e. elusive franchise that, SO tar. has beae-
f,tted neither the Government nor the
y or;ile.p Pacific Railroad Company.
Tho people Of Montana will watch with
more thaD Grtl;SYy interest the result of
tbs last proposed advance of the Northern
Pacific Railroad. aEil if from any cause
they jaeeene Convinced that they are still
dosuaed to disappointment. in that the
work of constructing The road shall not be
fairly ncWMeEced the preset winter. then
hey viii feel that there is little or no hope
and viii demand that. SO far as Montana is
the alternate sections Of land
IN the proposed railroad route shall be inn
nediatslY declared forfeited to the general
;oyeraB,ent and thrown open tor OAeu-
,anoy and settlement under the vic and
provisions OF the pre-emptiOp,
homestead, timber and desert land acts.