The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-01-23
VANCOUVER INDEPENDENT.
THURSDAY, JANUARY %, 1879.
The Northern Pacific RailrOad...plans
and Management of Its Western
Division.

A new bill for the extension of
time to complete the n. P. r. r. has
originated in the House branch of the
national Congress- Its leading fea-
lures are in substance us follows:
First-the company shall build at
least 100 miles of road year, 25 of
which shall be west of the Rocky
mountains.
Second-the main line between
Portland and a point as far east as
Umatilla shall be located on the south
side of the Columbia river; and
Third-actual settlers on unsurveyed
lands within the grant, and actual set
tiers on lands within the grant 100
miles or more beyond the completed
portion of the road, at either end, and
actual settlers on lands unsold eight
years after completion of the road, or
eight years after extension of govern
ment surveys over the same, shall have
the right to purchase at $3.50 an acre.
The Trainer of this bill was very care
full to give the company ample room
within which to build the % miles a
year in the western division. "West
of the Rocky mountains" is vast ex-
tent of country in the limits of which
are fertile plains, gigantic mountains
and forests almost impenetrable, and
the l05 miles of completed road in the
Pacific Division is beyond the first and
second of these and in the midst of the
third, from either terminus of which
the building of railroad would involve
great expense, with but little return
thereon for number Of years to come.
But under this new bill the company
can construct % miles per annum
through the heart of the fertile Sec
lions northeast of Walla Walla, where
a road is needed to transport the boun-
tiful crops down to river navigation
where the o. S. n. Companys boats
can receive them for transportation to
Portland and the sea- This overt Of
the Rocky mountains" provision is go
ing TO be a very profitable thing fol
the company. In addition to the heavy
freights that only await the compile
ton of the road through this section
to pour their tariffs into the Golfers OF
the company, the money value of the
%, 400 acres of land per mile of road
thus earned by the company will be at
least eight times the cost Of the road
Here is a comparatively small outlay
Of money in construction and an I'M
mediate and immense return Of profits
to the company. If this bill passes the
present session of Congress the COM
pany will doubtless build at least 25
miles of road the coming summer in
the Walla Walla country. Just where
this work will be begun and the course
to be taken remains for the company
to determine.
So far so good, but the second fea-
ture of the bill indicates that the west
ern division of the road is being man.
aged in the interest of Oregon, of Port
land and the o. S. N. Company, and
that Washington Territory, under the
new regimen, as in years gone by, is to
pay tribute and second fiddle to Oregon
and Portland. No provision is made
for any grant of lands on the branch
road across the mountains except on
the company's 20 miles of coal road al
ready constructed from Tacoma to
Wilkeson, being a practicable aban-
donment of the branch line and con-
elusive evidence that while Tacoma
shall be the terminus of the road on
the Sound, it shall be second in impor-
lance to Portland, the present metrop-