The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-11-08

Il
yesterday Mr.. Frederick Billings, ex-
president Of the Northern Pacific, who
was found in the private car "YelloW
stone" at Union depot yard. Mr.. Bill
ings received the reporter kindly and
readily answered his questions regard
| ing his trip to the West. Mr. Billings
stated that he proceeded direct from st.
| Paul to Superior City about week ago,
and examined everything there thor
oughly. Superior City is improving.
The Northern Pacific company are
! building fine, large dock, beside put
ting in other improvements. These,
and the early advent of the Chicago St.
Paul, Minneapolis g. Omaha, will be
| highly beneficial to the town. The new
road will soon reach the place. Duluth
is fourishing and growing rapidly, and
everybody there is hopeful about its fu-
ture Mr.. Billings said his faith in this
great, northwestern county is so strong
| he believed that at the head of the lake
there will be great city that will bring
| the interests of Duluth and Superior to-
gather. The two cities will be connected
next year, the only. gap now being the
ST Louis river, for covering which the
Northern Pacific company now has a
charter from the federal government.
Superior might grow faster, but for the
fact that there is still disposition by
nonresident real estate owners to hold
their property at high prices.
From Superior Mr.. Billings went
straight to
SALTWATER, MONT.
forty miles beyond Billings The track
is laid seventy-fve miles west from Bill
lings, and will reach Benson's Landingf
which is lis miles west from Billings,
by the middle of December. This will
be the end Of the Yellowstone division,
$40 miles in length From Benson's
| Landing, to be called hereafter Living
stone, after one Of the olds directors Of
the company, the branch to the Yellow
stone park, about sixty miles in length,
will be built, with the intention Of its
completion by June Is, 1883. Mr.. Bill
lings testified as to the astonishing
growth Of the country at Fargo, and all
other important places. He had never
before been on the Yellowstone division,
but he expressed his confidence that
trains, on account of its grades and lines
can be run as rapidly as on the New
York Central; and from the beginning
of the division to its end the picturesque
scenery is of itself something that will
of itself attract travellers to it. Taking
this scenery, in connection with the
wonders of the so called Bad Lands, and
the attractions of the Yellowstone park
Mr.. Billings believes that the Northern
Pacific will be the most popular line for
pleasure seekers this side of the Rocky
Mountains. When the road is open, as
it will be next season to the Pacific coast
| = and the scenery of the Columbia and OF
Puget Sound will be SO comparatively
near, no one can realize the amount OF
travel for this road.
i Emigration is continuously pouring
to the front, mostly from the Northern
States In all the new towns there is
springing up an appearance of the thrift
enterprise and push that is SO eminently
characteristic of the people ofthe North.
ern States.
} THE LANDS
J between the Red river and the Missouri
are al being put under cultivation; and
beyond the Missouri to the Yellowstone
j stretch of 217 miles, the same process
of development is going--o such as was
seen woand three years ago from Fargo
: westward. The policy of the Northern
Pacific company to sell lands to actual
settlers, and not in large blocks to spec
ulators, is adhered to. All the import
ant stations onsthe line Of the road art
, exhibiting active. progress, and with
that constant proof of the resources O
. the country whatever the ploW. turns tht
sod. Everybody is hopeful and emigra
{ tion must come in along the line, be
cause of the great inducements.
Mr.. Billings is an old Northern Paci-
fic.man. He was with the road in al
its.dark days, spending thirteen years
in its history. and has never lost faith il
: it. After this trip he returns home NOR.
, Northern Pacific than ever, believing
/ it to be the greatest enterprise on tht
& = Il