Jamestown alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1882, 1881-02-11
An Interview with +. i. Del..o.

Jamestown Land journal, Jan. !. 1881.
Meeting Mr.. DeIano in recent trip
over the line, the representative of the
Lard Journal tt.Ok advantage of the op.
pnttonity to obtain info. nation from this
fficial source n gardine the intentions oi
the N. p. roed during 1881. Mr. Delann
is superintendent Of construction for the
branch lines Of the Company, and it j.
generally understood that his instruction s
from Presidsa. Billings aud the board OF
directors gave him full power in the prem
ises, being nothing less than to look over
the grourd carefully, and build brancl,
road wherever and whenever tile interests
IT the main line demanded it. Ifcarrieri
nut, such instructions would involve the
building of branches wherever the same
will either prove valuable feeders to or
protect the trunk line from the incur
,ions Of outside companies. Mr.. Delan..
says positively ethat the three Dakota
branches are all to he pushed vigorously
another sensnn. The Casseltnn branch,
which now extends from Cassclton to the
G"ose river, near Mayviilc, will be tx.
tended in n"rthwesterly course toward
the Turtle Mountains. These mruntpins
are on the line between Dakota and the
British possessions, about sixty miles
n"rti, and the same distance west of Fort
rutte n. and this extension Of their road
will probably pass about twenty miles
east of Devils Lake. By 50 doing, this
line will open up a region Of c..uptry
equal in every regard to any now tapped
hy the y. P. rosd, AMI the first fifty or
sixty miles tesng within their own grant
The Fargo and Southwestern branch
has been permanently located, and grade
stakes set to the crossing Of the Chey.
eane. near Lishon, in Ransom county,
and but for the intervention Of cold
weather the engineers would lave ext nd.
ed the survey t" Grand Rapids, on the
James river. Mr. Delano says his party
will retura to the work carly in tie
spring, and continue to Grand Rapids
This line will pass through Cass and Ran.
som counties int" LaM.ure county who'll
wihin the present grant I" the comp any,
AID for the whole distance through q rich
farming country. we'll w"tcred, and with
some considerable timber. At Grand
Rapids it will find thrift settlement,
aml considerable development already
made There is ais" good water power
ut Grand Rapids which will he improved
Immediately on the arrival Of the road
The experiment Of navigating the James
r,ver below t,rand Rapids las proven
tia: it eau he SUCCESSFULLY continued, and
it is believed that as soon as this branch
If the f. P. shall reich there two steam
ers will run successfully between Grand
Rapids and Columbia, and the N p. road
sccure in this way the product Of the
James river valley for one hund,cd miles
below Grand Rapids.
The jamestown ac,l Mouse river
branch will be built frr,u jamestown in
northwester!y c urse following the gen.
eral course of the James river. and cross.
ing the NJ use river at the big bend III
Mcaenry county. 120 miles frm here
The survey for this line has been Com
pletcd, and Mr.. DclnnO gave every assur-
ance that work will begin As som q. the
frost leaves the ground. The writer has
been over tie route Ot this last mentioned
branch, and has never seen anywhere
richer or more fertile lands, nor a survey
over which road can he more easily or
economically laid. That there are rich
deposits Of coal IN the Mouse river region
it is we'll known, SD that this Jamestnw
bran h will not only open up and develop
fine agricultural country, but will give
to the other lines of the company's road
in Dakota cheap fuel.
The Northern Pacific has been slow to
realize the necessity for branch lines as a
measure Of protection. self preservation,
and profit. but now that they have taken
the work iu hand they Indicate purpose
to make up lost time by rushing tile work
by the same v,g"r and determination
that characterizes the new management in
al! its undertakings. These branches will
open up millions Of acres Of choice lands,
from whicl, the settlers Of 1881 can t,ke
ti:s an 4 free selections