The Portland daily press., 1883-09-10

westward, and from the Columbia river, in
eastern Washington Territory near the juno
tion of the Snake river, northeastardly toward
Lake Pend d'Oreille, in northern Idaho. The
company did not feel strong enough to put
forth any financial scheme for completing the
entire road, but only asked for money enough
two build twodivisions, which it mortgaged sep
arately, with the land grants attaching TO them.
In 1880 after Mr.. Billings had succeeded to the
presidency negotiations we're completed with
4 syndicate of bankers, including the New
York houses of Winsiow, Lanier q Co, Drex-
el. Morgan 81 Co. and August Belmont q
Co., and the London house OF j. =. Morgan q
Co., by which loan of $40,0O0000 was placed
during that and the two following years, ano
money thus secured for completing tue road
across Montana and filing the gap In the
track, which then amounted to over oOO
miles.
HENRY WILLARD OBTAINS CONTROL
In 1881 a very important change took place
in the management of the Northern Pacllc's
affairs Henry Willard, German by birth,
who came to this country at the age OF
eighteen, and won considerable reputation as a
newspaper correspondent during and after the
civil war, and who had become interested in
railroad management in Kansas and
Oregon as tse ae.no;a epFe5easas.se ;easpssts bsd
gradually obtained control, during the six
Years following the panic OF 1873, of the trans
portation lines by rail, river and sea IN the
State of Oregon. These lines he hao consol-
idated and greatly extended, 30 that they re-
presented what, for a new country, was re-
markably efficient transportation system. In
1880 eMr. Willard determined II possible, 10
secure harmony of interests and control De-
tween his Oregon lines and the Northern
Pacific line, 50 as to make the former the
western extensions and feeders OF tne latter.
In 1881 he organized what was known as the
"Blind Pool" in New York, and obtained
within few weeks, from subscriptions, over
SS, ,O00, 600 Of money, without disclosing the
use which he meant TO make OF TINS large sum,
and without giving any other security than
his personal receipts. With this money and
other means OF his own he quietly purchased
controlling interest in the stock OF the North
ern Pacific Company, and was elected It's presl-
dent in September OF that year, placing his
friend and former associate in railroad man
agement in Kansas and Oregon, Mr.. Thomas
f. Oakes, in the vice-presidency, as the chief
executive officer of the company.
The mileage of the main line and branches
OF the Northern Pacific system, now in opera
tion, is as follows:
Minnesota Diyision--Duluth to Fargo ..... 2521A
Wisconsin Division-Nortbern Pacific juno
tion to Superior ..,............:.'... z312
st. Paul Division-St. Paul to Brainerd. 80. 1876
Dakota Division-Fargo to Mandan ,,....... 1894
Missouri Diysion-Mandan to Glendive SO. PIG
Yellowstone Divison-Glendive to Billings 226
Montana Division-Billings to Helena. 239
Rocky Mountain Division-Helena to Heron 274
Pend d. Oreille Divii ion Heron to Wallula 26912
Pacific Division-Portland to Tacoma ...... las
Total mileage Main Line Divisions. 1,9soA
BRANCHES.
Little Falls ard Dakota Branch-Little Falls
Mimi, to Morris, MINI. n................:... 90
Northern Pacific, Fergus and Black Hills
Branch-Wadeaa, Minn to the present
end of the track in Dakota. 80. 1l6
Fargo and South western Branch-Fargo,
Dakota, to Lamoure, Dakota. ........... 81
jamestown and Northern Branch-JameS-
town Dakota, to DEVILS Lake, Dakota. 1O4
Sykeston Branch-Darrington, Dakota to
SkyestOn, Dakota. ..........s...-.. II
National Park Branch-Livingston, Mon,
to the boundary of the National Park 64
Paleuse Branch-Palouse Junction, Wash.
Ter, to Moscow. Idaho (nearly completely 100
Cascade Branch Tacoma, Wash. Ter, TO
Wilkeson, Wash. Ter. (under construction
across the Cascade Mountains and down
Yakima Valley to Ainsworth, 21O miles).. 80
Seattle Extension-Puyallup to Seattle,
Wash. Ter. ........-..-..s.-s..ss oO
Total mileage of Br anches. ............... 674
Grand fetal mileage of Main Line and
Branches....... .....-......-......... z,oo414