Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-12-31

Pr.PAEATIJNa To rUsH THE WUEi, --ISTEiNiE"
NTH PRESIDENT BILLINGS.
Hon Frederick Billings, president Of the
Northern Pacific railroad, was Interviewed
10y a T1nios reporter, at his New \ DIRK Office,
on Monday. Mr.. Billings said that, hy the
recent Loan of so, 000, 600 effected hy the
company, ample funds are secured To carry
forward the enterprise al both ends and in
the middle, just as fast as a juliciruS cNpcn-
diturc of the money will allow. Every prep
arati0a is being made to push the work dur
ing the coming year with the greatest posi-
Die vigor.
There is To Lc an immediate increase of
engineering and other official force to meet
the requirements IF the work. Zen. Andcr-
son, the crgi'rer in chief, has Just returned
from the Yellowstone Valley. lie has al
ready contracted for ties and timber for 200
miles of that division, and his instructions
are to accomplish in the coming year the
largest possible amount Of mileage cOnstruc-
ton up the Yellowstone Valley, with the
view Of closing up the central zap of $50
miles and having the road running through
in 1883. This central gap is from Glendivc,
where the Missouri division ends on the lcl-
lowstonc, 10 the eastern end of the Pend
d'Oreile Division, which extends 2O9 miles
from Ainswurtb, on the Columbia River
west to Lake Pend d'Oreilc. The Pend
dOreillc division will be completed in early
Spring 1t is nearly all graded, the materials
are all provided and on the spot, and the
track is now going down. As soon as it Is
completed the work will be continued with
out interruption eastward, and with vigorous
progress up the Yellowstone going west, and
from Lake Pend d'Oreille going cast the
company confidently expect 10 close up the
central zap in 1888. In addition to this activ
ity in the heart of the continent, work Is TO
be commenced this Winter on the 100 miles
across Northern Wisconsin, to the Montreal
River, being the extreme eastern division of
the road and steadily carried forward to
completion. This division will form part of
the lake Superior South Shore Line, running
10 the SAUL Ste. Marie, connecting with the
Canadian roads, and to the Straits of Macki-
nav, connecting with the New York Central
and PENNSYLVANIA systems Ii also makes a
new connection with Milwaukee and Chicago
by the Wisconsin Central Besides the work
on the central gap and on the Wisconsin
division, the company propose. during the
coming year, 10 begin the connection on the
western end of the Pend dOrclllc division
with Underwater. The company is authorized
by its charter to build line down the
Columbia River to Puget Sound, and also
over the Cascade Range to the Sound. The
Cascade Range surveys are nearly COM
pletcd and indicate a favorable route. II
is probable that the line over the mountains
will first he bni!t.
In speaking of the material for all this con
tempated work, Mr.. Billings said that d.,
600 tons of rails, AZ, 600 of which are steel,
have already been purchased, to he deliver
ed during the year, with all the fasTenlngs;
/ 80 additional freight cars of different
kinds, and b locomotives, with new passcn-
ger cars, etc. Twenty thousand tons of the
rails are intended for the Pacific coast, and
shipments will lie made at the rate of 1000
tens per month, beginning in January. 1t is
expected that the road will BE- running from
Glcndive. where it strikes the Yellowstone,
ITO which point the track is nearly lald,) up
the Yellowstone to Miles City next July, a
distance of go miles. Passengers will be
carried to the Yellowstone Park in July of
the succeeding year.
The president has undoubted faith in the
future of the road. Up TO this time 1t has
been chiefly run through region specially
adapted for wheat. Now it is penetrating
the finest grazing region on the continent.
Northern Pacific beef is TO be as well known
as Northern Pacific wheat. 1t will soon be
in the great mineral belts of Monana. All
along the line there Will lie local develop
mcn,s, and the business OF the road will he
steadily and largely increasing. The presl-
dent said the most sanguine Northern Pacific
man does moi fully realize the development
that will take place in u brief period in the
great belt of which this road Is 10 be the
trunk line. The usefulness of the road its
necessity, and lis success are alike getting
recognized by the Government and the peo-
pie. 1t is as much National work as
private enterprise. and it is the ambition and
the purpose of the company 10 get it done
rs soon ms possible and have it so well done
and so honestly done that il will be credit
to everybody connected with it.