The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-11-30
EAST OF THE ROCKIES.


TSt. Paul Pioneer Press, Oct 301
A Pioneer Press reporter interviewed
yesterday Mr.. Frederick Billings, ex-
president Of the Northern Pacific, who
was found in the private car "Yellow-
stone" at Union depot yards. Mr..
Billings received the reporter kindly
and readily answered his squestions re-
garding his trip to the west. Mr.. Bill
lings stated that he proceeded direct
from st. Paul to Superior City about
week ago, and examined everything
there thoroughly. Superior City is
improving. The Northern Pacific COM
pany are building fine, large dock,
besides putting in other improve
ments. These, and the early advent
Of the Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapolis
and Omaha will be highly beneficial
to the town. The new road will soon
reach the place. Duluth is flourish
ing and growing rapidly, and every
body there is hopeful of itsfuture. Mr..
Billings said his faith in this great
northwestern country is so strong that
he believed that at the head of the
lake there will be great city that will
bring the interests of Duluth and Su-
perior together. The two cities will
be connected next year, the only gap
now being the st. Louis river, for COW
ering which the Northern Pacific COM
pany now has a charter from the fed
eral government. Superior might
grow faster but for the fact that there
is still disposition by nonresident
real estate owners to hold their prop
erty at high prices. From Superior
Mr.. Billings went straight to
SALTWATER, MONTANA,
Forty. miles beyond Billing. The track
is laid seventy-five miles west from
Billings and will reach Benson's Land
ing, which is lis miles west from Bill
lings, by the middle of December.
This will be the end of the Yellowstone
division, $40 miles i'm length. From
Benson's Landing, to be called here
after Livingstone, after one Of the old
directors of the company, the branch
to the Yellowstone park, about sixty
miles IN length, will be built, with the
intention of its completion by June 15,
1883. Mr.. Billings testified as to the
astonishing growth of the country at
Fargo and all other important places.
He never had before been on the yell
lowstone 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. .fr0m 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 So
called Bad Lands, and the attractions
Of the Yellowstone park, Mr.. Billings
believes that the Northern Pacific will
then be the most popular line for
pleasure seekers on 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 re-
alize the amount of travel for this
road.
Emigration is continuously pouring
to the front, mostly from the northern
states. In all the new towns there is
springing up an appearance of thrift,
enterprise and push that is So emil
nently characteristic Of the people Of
the northern states.
THE LANDS
Between the Red river and the Mis-
souri, are all being put under cultiva-
tion, and beyond the Missouri to the
Yellowstone, q stretch Of 2l7 miles, the
same process of development Is going
OH. such rs WAS seen two and three
years ago from Fargo westward. The
policy Of the Northern Pacific COM
pany to sell lands to actual settlers,
and not In large blocks to spectators,
Is adhered to. All the important sta
tions on the line Of the road are ex-
hibiting active progress, and with that
constant proof Of the resources Of the
country wherever the plow turns the
soil. Everybody 10 hopeful aud emf
grafton must come In along the line,
because Of great Inducements.
Mr.. Billing Is an old Northern Pa
cific man. He was with the road In
all its dark days, spending thirteen
years In it, history, and has never lost
faith in It. After his trip he returned
home more Northern Pacific than ever,
believing Il to be the greatest enter
prise on the continent, and when COM
pleted, together with its branches,
will be the greatest road In the land.
Other matters were touched upon
that proved more than words the sim
certify Of Mr.. Billings' beliefs, that
would have stimulated the conviction
Of any enc disposed to doubt the as
narfi00a mazda