Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-09-14
Tn. Nnr,hnrn nnrinr.

and the Atlantic, and from the other side into
the Pacific ocean. Here, in broad meadow,
overlooked by the main range Of the Rocky
mountains, a handsome stand had been erect
ed, trimmed with evergreens and bearing
suitable inscriptions A battery from Fort
Lincoln fired a salute United States Infan-
try band played q triumphal march and then,
in front Of the platform, on which Gen.
Grant was the centre Of interest, the railroad
hands and the cowboys came crowding up,
while in the background seven Grow and
Blackfeet Indian chiefs stood like statues
When the last rails had been laid and every
thing was in readiness, Mr.. Willard handed
the sledge TO II. c. Davis, who drove the first
spike on the road when it was begun in 1870
and had therefore been selected to drive the
last. One account says the spike was not a
golden one, but was the same that Mr Davis
drove in 1870. The telegraph wires had been
so arranged that the strokes of the hammer
flashed east and west the nows of the formal
completion Of the road. The leading speeches
on the occasion were made by President Vii
lard, Hon VIM. NJ. Eyarts aud Hon. Freder-
lex Billings Gen. Grant, Secretary Teller
representative of the British and German
ministers, and the governors of several states
and territories also spoke briefly. The speech
of Mr.. Billings was a strong aud notable one
and is elsewhere printed in full
The history Of the Northern Pacific road
dates back almost half a century, it having
been, in point OF fact the first transcontinen-
tai road which was thought of and advocated
In 1915, after the project had been discussed
in the newspapers for ten years, Asa Whit
ney, New York merchant, proposed to Con-
gress TO build railroad from the great lakes
to the Columbia river il consideration Of q
land grant 60 miles wide for the whole length
of the line Iu 1864 Josiah Perham got the
coveted charter but could not raise the nee
essary capital, and in 1860 he sold the fran
chise to some New England capitalists A
new company was formed. Of which ex-Gov
John Gregory Smith Of this state was presi-
dent but no progress toward actual construc-
ton was made until Jay Cooke assumed tinan.
cial direction, obtained legislation authoriz-
ing the issue of bonds and put the bonds on
the American market, being prevented by the
Franco German war from negotiating them in
Europe. From the spring of 1870 to that
Of 1872 he sold about $50. 600 worth of the
bonds Meanwhile work was begun on the
road in 1870 at Thompson junction % miles
west of Duluth, and also at Kaama on the
Columbia river. In 1871 the road was I'm
ished from Thompson junction to the Red
river of the north, and 1873 saw it extended
to Bismarck, on the Missouri river, while by
that time lOj miles had been finished between
the Columbia river and Puget sound, and the
terminal city Of Tacoma laid out Then
came the crash of 1873. Jay Cooke was ru-
ined and the road was pRralyzed. Gov
Smith resigned the presidency and was sue
ceedsd successfully by Gen George W Cass
and by Chas. B. Wright of Philadelphia II
1915 q reorganization was effected, the bond
holders accepted preferred stock in lieu of
the bonds, the road was taken through the
bankruptcy court, and by 1879 it had paid off
its floating debt and was earning net profits
Oh the completed portions. Credit for all
this was largely due to the Hon. Frederick
Billings Of this state, who afterward became
president of the company. Construction on
a large scale began again in 1879, and in 1850
when Mr.. Billings became president a loan of
$40, 600, 600 was secured in that and the two
succeeding years, or enough to complete the
road. In 1881 Henry Willard, who as agent
of large German financial interests had gain
ed control Of all the transportation lines in
Oregon, quietly borrowed =, 900, 600 and
bought controlling interest in the Northern
Pacific company stock and became its pres
ident. He took up the work which Presi
dent Billings was so vigorously pushing and
continued it to completion with equal vigor
The road has been built without dollar Of
government aid. Its main line has an aggre-
gate mileage Of 1880 miles and the branches
GA, making total mileage of 2Gj4 Further
than this, the plans of the managers include
much moro than the mere completion of a
trunk line stretching in distance two-thrds
across the country. The road is but one fac
tor in the development of a territory compris-
ing one, sixth of the area Of the United States
and Mr., Willard represents combination of
not far from $500 COO 600 of capital. control.
ing three systems Of railroads and several
supplementary and development companies
The principal eastern terminus Of the North
ern Pacific system is at the twin cities of st.
Paul and Minneapolis. There are two ports
on Lake Superior Duluth and Superior and
the Wisconsin branch now building eastward
from Superior, will give another lake por. at
Ashland. Portland, Or, is the Pacific termi-
nus, and branch from there northward thro'
Washington territory terminates on Puget
sound. Although the road is generally spok-
en- of as being completed, two tunnels remain
to be bored at an expense of $40, 900, 600
one 5000 feet long at BozemRn Pass in the
Belt Mountains and one 1850 feet long at
Mullan Pass, in the Rocky Mountains proper
The Bozeman tunnel is 5j4S feet above tide
water, and is the highest point on the road
The Mullan tunnel is II feet lower. To sur.
mount the peaks through which these tunnels
are to be driven steep surface lines have been
laid for temporary use, with grades Of 300
feet to the mile.
That the Northern Pacific is the most val
liable and important of the three lines which
have been opened across the continent prob
ably admits of no question. It's western ter
minus upon the Pacific is in a richer country
than California, with all its gold At the east
its connection with Lake Superior opens to it
the valuable aid of water transportation to the
Atlantic coast, facility which will make terms
for it with all the trunk lines that have pene-
trated the Northwest. But, aside from its
valuable terminal advantages, it is conceded
that the line passes through belt of country
with agricultural, mineral and other material
resources quite unsurpassed by the more
southerly lines, and it is also more free from
natural impediments for Gll-the-year opera
tions. The completion of this magnificent
undertaking Is an event in which the whole
country may find cause for congratulation.
That II has been finished and put in operation
within ten years of the occurrence of great
panic, which began in the downfall of its in
aneial head and which seemed at the time to
absolutely wipe out the entire value Of the