The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-12-02
Railroad CONSTRUCTION In the Northwest.

Railrsad Constructor In the Northwest.
The Pioneer Press of the 9th ult.
contains very interesting review Of
the progress Of railway construction
in the Northwest during the season
now closing. The prosperity of the
country at large, owing to a success
sion Of bountiful crops and stable
financial system, has given railroad
building an impetus nearly equal to
that Of ten years ago. With the res
newal Of prosperity there has como
a tendency to consolidation and
combination of interests, aud the alb
sorption. of small and struggling
roads by the more powerful corpora.
tons. The spirit of rivalry engen-
dcred has led to contests for the con-
troll Of new territory, as we'll as to
competition in the old fields, and a
rapid extension of lines has been the
result. The construction has been
considerably retarded by the early
advent of winter. We have only
space for few statistics from this
instructive summary:
Chicago & NoythUestern.-This compa-
ny have graded and ironcd this year 185
miles on the Dakota Central railroad run
ming from the State line to the Missouri
river at Fort Pierre. Tbs distance from
winona to Pierre is 44 miles. Grading
has been completed on the James River
branch. extending from Huron north 90
miles to Ordway. The grading is also fin
ishcd on the Sioux River branch from
IVolga to WATERFOWL, a distance of about
rs miles. 1t Is understood that the Wi
mona & st. Peter will be extended from
WATERFOWL westward to Redfield, seventy
miles. next year. The Dakota Central
will be completed to Dcadwood BY next
fall. the right Of way having been pur.
chased and the surveys made
Chicago, !Nil,eaukee d st. PaM-Ths
lines of this company now embrace over
$500 miles Of track spread like vast net
work all over the Northwest. The Hast.
ings & Dakota division during the past
season has been graded from Ortonville,
at the foot of Big Stone Lake, to Aber-
deem. eight miles west of the James river.
The track has been laid to point about
sixty miles from Ortonvillc. The James
River Valley branch has been graded sixty
miles north of Aberdeen and forty miles
south This line will be finished to James.
town. on the Northern Pacific, during the
coming year. The new short line from
St. Paul to Minneapolis has been com.
pleted at great cost, and the continuation
from the latter point 10 Benton. on the
II. & D. division. forming what is known
as the Benton cutoff. is now graded, and
several miles of track laid.
Northern Pucifc.-This company has
made rapid strides during the past year.
the work having been carried on with
great energy. On the Missouri division
west of the Missouri river, 1876 miles of
new track have been laid, aud thirty two
miles more have been graded. On No
vember 10 the tracklayers crossed the
Montana line. the event being celebrated
by the driving Of silver spike and con-
gratulatory speeches. On the Pacific
slone. 210 miles have been completed,
leaving gap of 900 miles between the
ends of the track which is confidently
predicted will be closed within three
years. About 800 miles will be con-
structed during the coming year. From
Walla Walla to Puget Sound there is
about 200 miles Of road to be built.
St. Pau, Minneapolis d -Nanitobo.-A
large amount of work has been done the
past season in extensions on this line, 2.
miles having been constructed. Surveys
arc being made for the extension of the
line from Grand Forks to Turtle noun
tain, aud from Maple River across the
Northern Pacific at or near jamestown,
and thence northwestcrly.
81. Paul d Du,uth.-This company, in
conjunction with the Minneapolis & st.
Louis, has built the Taylo Falls s Lake
Superior road. from Wyoming to Taylor's
Falls, a distance of twenty-one miles,
giving u rail outlet to one of the oldest
settled regions in the State.